The cat vaccination schedule, explained without the jargon

A kitten's immune system doesn't fully take over from their mother's antibodies until around 12–16 weeks — which is why the vaccination schedule isn't a single visit, but a short series a few weeks apart. Timing the doses right matters more than most owners realise: too early, and the mother's antibodies can neutralise the vaccine before it has a chance to work.

The core schedule

6–8 weeks: first FVRCP dose (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia) — the three diseases every kitten is vaccinated against regardless of lifestyle.

10–12 weeks: second FVRCP dose, plus feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) if your kitten will spend any time outdoors or lives with a cat whose status is unknown.

14–16 weeks: third FVRCP dose and rabies, where required. This is usually the final kitten-series visit.

12 months: a booster of everything given as a kitten, then typically every one to three years afterwards depending on the vaccine and your vet's protocol.

Why the gaps matter

Missing a dose doesn't just delay protection — depending on how late it is, your vet may need to restart part of the series, because the immune response depends on the doses building on each other within a window. This is the one area where a reminder actually earns its place on your phone: TailWise's vaccination tracker is built from the schedule above, timed to your kitten's actual first-dose date rather than a generic calendar.