Cat and Kitten Vaccination Schedule by Age: A Canadian Guide

When kittens get their first shots, how often adult cats need boosters, which vaccines are core in Canada, and what it costs — with a schedule you can follow.

The Cat Vaccination Schedule at a Glance

A cat's vaccination schedule has two distinct phases. Kittens need a series of doses spaced a few weeks apart, because the antibodies they absorb from their mother's milk gradually fade and can block a vaccine from working while they are still present. Nobody can tell exactly when that protection disappears in an individual kitten, which is why the series is repeated rather than given once. Adult cats then move to a much slower rhythm of boosters.

The schedule below reflects the core recommendations published by the American Animal Hospital Association and the American Association of Feline Practitioners, which Canadian clinics generally follow. Your veterinarian may adjust it for your cat's age, health and lifestyle, and provincial rules for rabies differ.

Core vs Non-Core Cat Vaccines

Core vaccines are recommended for every cat regardless of how it lives, because the diseases are widespread, serious, or transmissible to people. Non-core vaccines are chosen based on risk — whether your cat goes outdoors, lives with other cats, or is boarded.

FVRCP is the combination that does most of the work. It covers feline viral rhinotracheitis (feline herpesvirus), calicivirus and panleukopenia. Panleukopenia in particular is a parvovirus that is often fatal in unvaccinated kittens, which is why the kitten series matters so much.

Kitten Vaccination Schedule: 6 to 16 Weeks

The kitten series usually begins between six and eight weeks and repeats every three to four weeks until the kitten is at least sixteen weeks old. The final dose is the one that matters most: it is given late enough that maternal antibodies have faded and the kitten's own immune system can respond properly. Stopping the series early is the most common mistake, and it leaves a kitten with partial protection that can look like full protection on paper.

Rabies is usually given once between twelve and sixteen weeks. Because rabies is regulated, it must be administered by a licensed veterinarian and recorded — the certificate is what boarding facilities, groomers, landlords and border officials ask for later.

Adult Cats: How Often Boosters Are Needed

After the kitten series, cats receive a booster roughly one year later. From then on, FVRCP is commonly given every three years rather than annually — modern guidance moved away from yearly boosting for core vaccines as evidence of longer-lasting immunity accumulated. Rabies intervals depend on the specific product used and on provincial or municipal rules, so a one-year and a three-year product may both be in use at the same clinic.

Non-core vaccines follow a different rhythm. FeLV, when it is continued into adulthood for an at-risk cat, is generally boosted annually. This is the part of the schedule most likely to change over a cat's life, because risk changes: a cat that stops going outside may no longer need it, and a cat that starts going outside may.

Do Indoor Cats Need Vaccines?

Yes, though the list is usually shorter. Core vaccines still apply to indoor cats. Panleukopenia is extremely hardy in the environment and can be carried into a home on shoes or clothing, cats escape more often than owners expect, and any visit to a clinic, a boarding facility or a groomer puts a cat among other animals. Rabies remains a legal requirement in many places regardless of whether a cat goes outside.

What often changes for an indoor-only cat is the non-core list. An adult cat with no outdoor access and no contact with other cats may not need ongoing FeLV boosters. That is a conversation to have with your veterinarian rather than a decision to make from a schedule.

What Cat Vaccinations Cost in Canada

Vaccine pricing varies widely between clinics and between provinces, and clinics publish their prices inconsistently, so the most reliable figure is always the one your own clinic quotes. As a general shape: a core combination vaccine is typically the least expensive item on a kitten visit, rabies is usually similar or slightly less, and the examination fee attached to the visit is often larger than the vaccine itself.

That last point is the one that surprises people. You are usually paying for an examination plus a vaccine, not a vaccine alone, which is why a kitten's first year costs more than the number of doses suggests. If cost is a concern, ask the clinic for the full first-year plan in writing up front — most will provide it, and it makes comparison possible.

Keeping the Record Straight

A vaccination schedule is only useful if you can prove what was given and when. Vaccination history is the paperwork people are asked for at the least convenient moments: boarding a cat before a trip, registering with a new clinic after moving, or proving rabies status to a landlord.

Keep the certificate from each visit, note the next due date as soon as you leave, and store it somewhere that is not a drawer. PetVitale keeps vaccination records, due dates and the documents themselves in one place, sends a reminder before a booster is due, and lets you share a vet-ready summary as a single link when somebody asks for proof.

Frequently asked questions

When do kittens get their first shots?

The first FVRCP dose is usually given between 6 and 8 weeks of age, then repeated every 3 to 4 weeks until the kitten is at least 16 weeks old.

How often do adult cats need vaccinations?

After a booster about a year after the kitten series, FVRCP is commonly given every 3 years. Rabies is given every 1 or 3 years depending on the vaccine used and local rules, and non-core vaccines like FeLV are usually annual when they are needed.

Do indoor cats need vaccinations?

Yes. Core vaccines and legally required rabies still apply, because panleukopenia can be carried indoors, cats escape, and clinic or boarding visits expose them to other animals. Non-core vaccines may be reduced for an indoor-only cat.

What is the FVRCP vaccine?

FVRCP is a single combination vaccine protecting against feline viral rhinotracheitis (feline herpesvirus), calicivirus and panleukopenia. It is the core vaccine in every cat vaccination schedule.

What happens if my cat misses a booster?

A short delay is usually manageable, but a long lapse can mean repeating part of the series and may block boarding or daycare bookings. Recording the next due date when you leave the clinic is the simplest way to avoid it.

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