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Kitten Vaccine Schedule Calculator — AAFP 2020 Guidelines (FVRCP & Rabies)

Generate a complete kitten vaccine schedule from date of birth. Core vaccines (FVRCP and rabies) plus optional lifestyle boosters (FeLV), timed to the 2020 AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines.

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Vaccination schedule (AAFP 2020)

  1. Week 6
    • FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia)

    First core vaccine. 6-8 weeks.

  2. Week 9
    • FVRCP booster

    Second dose. Often combined with first FeLV if at risk.

  3. Week 12
    • FVRCP booster
    • FeLV (if at-risk)

    Third FVRCP. FeLV for outdoor or multi-cat households.

  4. Week 16
    • FVRCP final
    • Rabies
    • FeLV booster

    Final kitten series + rabies.

  5. Week 52
    • FVRCP 1-year booster
    • Rabies booster

    Yearly booster. Adult FVRCP every 3 years after.

FeLV recommended for outdoor or multi-cat households (especially young cats — immunity wanes with age). FIV vaccine no longer recommended.

How to use the kitten vaccine calculator

  1. Enter kitten DOB — The calculator generates the full core + optional vaccine timeline.
  2. Print visit schedule — 5 visits typical: weeks 6–8, 10–12, 14–16, 16–20 (final booster + rabies), and 1-year booster.
  3. Add lifestyle boosters — FeLV recommended for all under 1 yr; continue if any outdoor access.
  4. Keep vaccine record — Required for boarding, grooming, cat shows, and travel. Portable record with product lot numbers.

Core vs. non-core feline vaccines

The AAHA/AAFP divides feline vaccines into three tiers based on disease severity, prevalence, and vaccine safety profile:

  • Core (all cats): FVRCP (combined herpes/calicivirus/panleukopenia), rabies. These diseases are widespread, often fatal, and the vaccines are highly effective with minimal adverse-event rates.
  • Core for kittens under 1 year: FeLV. Young cats are most vulnerable to persistent infection. After 1 year, continue only if lifestyle risk warrants.
  • Non-core (lifestyle-dependent): FIV (outdoor, fighting), Bordetella (boarding, multi-cat), Chlamydophila felis (breeding colonies), FIP (generally not recommended — low efficacy).

Timeline summary

AgeFVRCPRabiesFeLV
6–8 weeksDose 1—Optional dose 1
10–12 weeksDose 2—Dose 1 (if not earlier)
14–16 weeksDose 3Dose 1Dose 2 (3–4 wks post dose 1)
16–20 weeks (critical)Final booster——
1 year1-yr booster1-yr booster1-yr booster
ThereafterEvery 3 yearsPer product (1 or 3 yr)If lifestyle at-risk

Vaccine safety and injection-site sarcoma

Feline injection-site sarcoma (FISS) is a rare but serious aggressive tumor historically associated with older adjuvanted FVRCP and FeLV vaccines. Modern non-adjuvanted options (recombinant, intranasal) have substantially reduced incidence. AAFP recommends:

  • Use non-adjuvanted or recombinant products when available (Nobivac Feline, Purevax).
  • Rotate injection sites: right hind limb (rabies), left hind limb (FeLV), right shoulder (FVRCP) — “below the knee” recommendation so amputation is an option if a sarcoma develops.
  • Record site + lot number at every visit.
  • Any lump at an injection site lasting > 3 months, > 2 cm, or still growing 3+ months post-vaccine requires biopsy (the “3–2–3 rule”).

Do not skip vaccines to avoid this extremely rare risk — the diseases vaccines prevent are far more common and more fatal.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do kittens start their vaccinations?

Per the 2020 AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines: the first FVRCP dose is given at 6–8 weeks of age, with booster doses every 3–4 weeks until the kitten reaches 16–20 weeks. The single most important booster is the one at or after 16 weeks — earlier doses can be blocked by maternal antibody interference, so skipping the 16-week booster is the most common reason for core vaccine failures.

Is FVRCP the same as feline distemper?

FVRCP is a combination core vaccine covering three diseases: Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (feline herpesvirus-1), Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia (often called feline parvo or feline distemper). All three are considered core — every kitten should be vaccinated regardless of lifestyle, because panleukopenia has > 90 % mortality in unvaccinated kittens.

When should rabies vaccination happen?

Per AAFP guidelines, rabies is given as a single dose at 12–16 weeks (most vets use 16 weeks for convenience alongside the final FVRCP booster), followed by a booster at 1 year, then every 1 or 3 years depending on the product label and state/county law. Rabies is legally required for cats in nearly every US state regardless of indoor-only status.

Does my indoor-only kitten need vaccines?

Yes — all core vaccines (FVRCP + rabies) are recommended for indoor-only cats by the AAFP. Reasons: indoor cats still encounter infectious material carried in on owners' shoes/clothing (panleukopenia is extraordinarily hardy in the environment), may escape, may need boarding, may be bitten by bats that find their way indoors (rabies), and rabies is legally required. Non-core vaccines (FeLV, FIV) are lifestyle-based.

What about FeLV (feline leukemia) vaccines?

FeLV is recommended as a core vaccine for kittens under 1 year because young immune systems are particularly vulnerable. After 1 year, continue FeLV only if the cat has any outdoor access, lives with a FeLV+ cat, or is fostered in a mixed-status home. FeLV vaccine is not 100 % protective — always test incoming cats with a SNAP FeLV/FIV combo before introducing to existing cats.

Can my kitten go outside before all vaccines are complete?

No. Kittens are most vulnerable to panleukopenia and upper respiratory infections until 2 weeks after the final (16-week) FVRCP booster. Harness-walk training on a carrier-protected balcony from 10 weeks is fine for socialization, but free-roaming or dog-park visits should wait until after week 18.

How much do kitten vaccinations cost?

A typical full kitten vaccine series costs $80–$250 total across 4 visits: $20–$50 per FVRCP booster, $15–$30 per rabies, plus exam fees. Low-cost vaccine clinics (Humane Society, SPCA events) can run the whole series for $60–$100. Always verify the veterinarian records vaccines in a portable record you keep — boarding and cat shows often require this documentation.

Sources & References

  1. [1]
    2020 AAHA/AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines — American Association of Feline Practitioners (2020)
  2. [2]
    WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines (Global) — World Small Animal Veterinary Association
  3. [3]
    Feline Core Vaccines — Clinical Overview — Merck Veterinary Manual
  4. [4]
    AVMA Vaccination Resources — American Veterinary Medical Association