Kitten Vaccination Schedule by Country: US, UK, EU

Like the puppy version of this post, kitten vaccination schedules vary by country, by region within the country, and by individual vet. Below is the most accurate general picture we can give, broken down by where you live. This is a spoke under our kitten first-year guide.

Important: this post is a reference. It is not a substitute for your vet. Always confirm the specific schedule for your kitten with the clinic that treats them.

The schedules below follow the AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines for the US, ABCD Europe and the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines for the UK and EU.

What each vaccine does

There are five vaccines you will hear about in your kitten’s first year. Not all are needed for every kitten. Here is the short version.

• FVRCP: the combined core vaccine covering feline viral rhinotracheitis (herpesvirus), calicivirus, and panleukopenia. The first two cause respiratory illness; panleukopenia is a parvo-like disease that can be fatal in unvaccinated kittens. Universal in the US and Europe.
• Rabies: core in the US and most of Europe. Required by law in most US states after 16 weeks. Not part of the routine UK schedule, but required for the EU pet passport process when traveling.
• FeLV (feline leukemia virus): lifestyle non-core for adults, but the AAFP recommends it for all kittens through the first-year booster, since lifestyle can change. Reassessed at year one for confirmed indoor-only cats.
• FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus): non-core, region-dependent. A vaccine is available in the UK, parts of Europe, and Australia. It is no longer routinely recommended in the US (the manufacturer withdrew the US product in 2017 due to test interference issues).
• Bordetella (feline): non-core, situational. Recommended for multi-cat households, shelters, or boarded kittens. Not standard for single-cat homes.

Your vet will guide which non-core vaccines matter for where you live and how your kitten lives.

US kitten vaccination schedule

Typical schedule for a kitten born at week 0 and brought home around week 8.

Age	Core	Non-core (by lifestyle)
6 to 8 weeks	FVRCP #1	FeLV #1 (AAFP recommends for all kittens)
10 to 12 weeks	FVRCP #2	FeLV #2
14 to 16 weeks	FVRCP #3 (final)	Bordetella (if going to boarding or shelter)
16 weeks+	Rabies #1 (required by law in most states)
12 months	FVRCP booster, Rabies booster	FeLV annual (if at-risk)

FeLV at-risk vs not: AAFP recommends FeLV for every kitten through the first-year booster, since indoor plans often change in the first year (windows opened, escapes, a new cat added). After year one, indoor-only adult cats can usually drop FeLV. Cats with outdoor access, multi-cat households, or any contact with cats of unknown FeLV status should continue annually. Per the AAFP Feline Vaccination Guidelines, rabies timing also varies by state law (some states require ≥12 weeks, others ≥16). Confirm both with your vet.

UK kitten vaccination schedule

UK schedule is shorter than the US schedule. Rabies is not part of the routine UK schedule unless your kitten will travel internationally.

Age	Core	Non-core (by lifestyle)
8 to 9 weeks	FVRCP #1	FeLV #1 (if outdoor access planned)
11 to 12 weeks	FVRCP #2	FeLV #2
12 months	Annual booster (FVRCP)	FeLV annual, FIV annual (if at-risk)

Rabies is only needed in the UK if your kitten will travel abroad. It is administered through the pet passport process, after the FVRCP series, with a minimum 21-day wait period before any travel.

FIV in the UK: unlike the US, a feline FIV vaccine is available and used in the UK and parts of Europe, typically for outdoor or territorial cats with bite-risk exposure. Discuss with your vet whether it makes sense for your kitten’s lifestyle.

The ABCD Europe guidelines align with the WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines on core schedule, with regional adjustments based on local disease prevalence.

EU kitten vaccination schedule

EU schedules vary by country but share a core pattern close to the UK schedule, with rabies added for the pet passport (required for cross-border travel within and out of the EU).

Age	Core	Non-core
8 to 9 weeks	FVRCP #1	FeLV #1 (regional, if at-risk)
11 to 12 weeks	FVRCP #2	FeLV #2
12 weeks+	Rabies #1 (required for EU pet passport)
12 months	Annual boosters (FVRCP, Rabies)	FeLV annual (if at-risk)

Pet passport: the EU pet passport requires rabies vaccination at no earlier than 12 weeks, plus a 21-day wait before travel. ABCD Europe coordinates feline guidelines across member states; FeLV is more emphasized in southern European countries due to higher prevalence. For exact timing in your country, ask your vet and check the local veterinary association.

Core vs non-core vaccines explained

Core vaccines are recommended for every kitten, everywhere, because the diseases they prevent are common, severe, or have public-health implications. FVRCP is core globally. Rabies is core in the US and EU.

Non-core vaccines depend on where you live and how your kitten lives. FeLV matters for any kitten that may go outdoors, share a home with another cat, or have an unknown-future lifestyle. FIV is mostly relevant in regions where the vaccine is available and outdoor exposure is likely. Bordetella matters if your kitten will be boarded, shelter-housed, or in a multi-cat household.

Non-core does not mean unimportant. It means individual. An indoor-only single cat in a city flat and a barn cat with outdoor access have very different non-core profiles. See Indoor vs outdoor cat for a deeper look at the lifestyle trade-offs that drive these decisions.

Common questions

Can my kitten be vaccinated earlier than 6 weeks? In rare cases, yes. Orphan kittens, shelter kittens, or kittens in active outbreak situations may receive vaccines as early as 4 weeks. For most home-raised kittens, 6 to 8 weeks is the AAFP-recommended starting point. Maternal antibodies from nursing block earlier doses, which is why most schedules begin then.

Why does the FVRCP series end at 14 to 16 weeks? Maternal antibodies wear off somewhere between 8 and 14 weeks, on a curve that varies by individual kitten. The final FVRCP dose ensures the kitten’s own immune system responds, after maternal antibodies are gone. Earlier doses can be partially or fully blocked by mom’s antibodies, which is why a series of 2 to 3 doses is the standard rather than a single shot.

Can I skip FeLV if my kitten will be indoor-only? The AAFP recommends FeLV for every kitten through the first-year booster, regardless of indoor plans, because lifestyle changes in the first year are common. Open windows, escapes, a new cat added, a move to a different home: any of these change the calculation. After year one, confirmed indoor-only adult cats can usually drop FeLV. Discuss with your vet at the year-one booster.

What about FIV? A feline FIV vaccine is available in the UK, Australia, and parts of Europe, typically considered for outdoor or territorial cats with bite-risk exposure. It is no longer routinely recommended in the US, where the manufacturer withdrew the product in 2017 due to test interference (vaccinated cats can produce false-positive FIV antibody results). If you are in a region where the vaccine is available and your cat goes outside, talk to your vet.

My kitten missed a booster. Do we start over? Usually not, but it depends on the gap. If the gap is short (a few weeks), the vet typically continues from where you left off. If the gap is longer, your vet may restart the FVRCP series. Do not double up doses on your own. Bring the records to the next visit and let the clinic decide.

How is this different from a puppy schedule? The kitten schedule is shorter and simpler. FVRCP combines three feline diseases into one core vaccine, the way DHPP combines four canine diseases. Cats do not need Lepto or Lyme. The rabies and pet-passport rules are similar across both species. The non-core lineup is smaller (mainly FeLV and Bordetella) compared to the puppy non-core list.

Your kitten’s personal schedule

Because so much depends on your kitten’s country, lifestyle, and the disease profile of where you live, the safest schedule is the one your vet writes for you. Bring this guide to the first visit. Ask which non-core vaccines apply, and write the next dose date down somewhere you will not lose it.

If you use the Flok app, snap a photo of the vaccine card the vet hands you, and Flok files it under your kitten’s profile. The next dose date is one tap away, with a reminder a few days before. Free on iOS, no spam.

Pair your kitten’s vaccinations with the first vet visit checklist and feeding guide — this trio covers most of the first-year clinical decisions.