Kitten Vaccination and Deworming Schedule: What's Due and When

What Your Kitten Needs, and When

A kitten is a schedule, not a single appointment. Between roughly two weeks and six months of age she needs a repeating series of core vaccines, several early dewormings and more than one fecal test. Here is the timeline. Still in week one? See the new kitten checklist.

The Kitten Vaccine and Deworming Timeline

FVRCP covers panleukopenia, herpesvirus-1 and calicivirus. The WSAVA vaccination guidelines recommend an initial trivalent kitten core vaccine at 6 to 8 weeks of age, then every 2 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks of age or older, with a subsequent dose given at 26 weeks of age or older [1].

The AAFP feline vaccination advisory panel states that kittens should be first vaccinated against rabies at 12 weeks/3 months of age, and that a booster should be administered 1 year later regardless of the age at first vaccination [2]. Local law sets the legal minimum age.

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is not only an outdoor-cat vaccine: WSAVA lists FeLV vaccines as core for cats less than 1 year of age where the virus is prevalent; it can start as early as 8 weeks of age with a second dose 3 to 4 weeks later, and only FeLV-negative cats should be vaccinated, so a blood test comes first [1].

CAPC recommends that kittens be routinely dewormed beginning at 2 weeks of age, with deworming repeated every 2 weeks, until four to eight weeks of age and then placed on a monthly product with efficacy against roundworms [3].

Age	What is due
2-8 weeks	Deworming every 2 weeks; monthly preventive from 4-8 weeks
6-8 weeks	FVRCP #1; fecal test
8-12 weeks	FeLV #1 and #2, after a negative test
10-16 weeks	FVRCP #2 and #3; rabies #1 per local law; fecal test
16 weeks+	Final core dose; fecal test
6 months	FVRCP revaccination
1 year	Rabies and FeLV boosters; fecal test

Why the Boosters Repeat

Kittens absorb antibodies from their mother's colostrum, and those borrowed antibodies neutralize a vaccine as readily as a virus. WSAVA notes that maternally derived antibodies interfere substantially with the efficacy of most core vaccines given early in life, and because the level varies substantially within and between litters, multiple doses are given every 2 to 4 weeks with the final dose at 16 weeks of age or older [1]. The 2021 AAHA/AAFP feline life stage guidelines add a revaccination at 6 months of age [4].

Deworming and Fecal Testing

Kittens are treated for worms before they are old enough to be vaccinated: worms pass from the queen, and one dose clears the worms present that day, not the ones still developing. CAPC recommends testing for intestinal parasites at least four times in the first year of life, and at least two times per year in adults, depending on health and lifestyle [3]. Monthly broad-spectrum preventives cover intestinal worms plus fleas and heartworm, which matters because heartworm in cats has no approved treatment. Dosing is weight-based and vet-selected.

Indoor Kittens, Outdoor Kittens and Blank Histories

Indoor-only status changes the risk-based layer, not the core layer: panleukopenia rides in on shoes, and rabies is required by law in most places. The real reduction comes after the first year, when FeLV boosters are aimed at cats with continuing exposure [1].

If you adopted mid-schedule or have no records, let your vet decide whether to resume or repeat doses; the AAHA/AAFP life stage guidelines call prophylactic broad-spectrum parasite treatment prudent for kittens and newly adopted cats with an unknown history of medical care [4]. Shelter kittens also warrant a check for ringworm.

A published schedule is a starting grid, not a prescription. What your kitten needs turns on her age today, what she has already had, whether she will go outdoors, and where she came from - the plan your vet builds at the first visit.

When to See a Vet

• Facial swelling, hives, repeated vomiting, collapse or sudden weakness, or labored breathing in the hours after a vaccine. This is an emergency.
• A kitten who refuses food for more than 12 to 24 hours, or who is limp, cold or hiding.
• Bloody or watery diarrhea, pale gums, or a hard swollen belly, which can mean a heavy worm burden and anemia.
• Sneezing with thick yellow or green eye or nose discharge, squinting, or eyelids stuck shut.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my kitten go outside before the series is finished?

Wait for the final core dose, which the WSAVA vaccination guidelines place at 16 weeks of age or older. Before that, maternal antibodies may still be blocking the vaccine. A screened porch is a fair compromise.

What if I adopted my kitten and nobody knows her history?

Bring whatever paperwork exists and let your vet decide whether to resume or repeat doses. The AAHA/AAFP feline life stage guidelines advise prophylactic broad-spectrum parasite treatment for newly adopted cats with an unknown history of medical care.

Does an indoor-only kitten really need the feline leukemia vaccine?

For the kitten year, generally yes. The WSAVA guidelines treat feline leukemia virus vaccination as core for cats under 1 year of age where the virus is prevalent, because young cats are most susceptible. Later boosters target ongoing exposure.

How much should I budget for the first year?

A basic vet exam typically runs $50-150. A full kitten vaccine series often totals $100-300 across three or four visits, and fecal testing plus deworming commonly adds $30-70 per visit. Shelter and low-cost clinics are frequently cheaper.

Why deworm if the fecal test came back negative?

Very young kittens can be infected before they shed eggs, so a clean fecal test does not rule worms out. CAPC therefore recommends routine deworming on a fixed schedule from 2 weeks of age rather than only after a positive result.

Can I catch worms from my kitten?

Roundworms are a genuine zoonotic risk. CAPC notes that Toxocara infection is most common in children, who swallow eggs picked up from a contaminated environment. Litter box hygiene, hand washing and a monthly preventive reduce it substantially.

References

1. WSAVA Vaccination Guidelines Group. https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WSAVA-Vaccination-guidelines-2024.pdf
2. AAFP Feline Vaccination Advisory Panel, Rabies fact sheet. https://catvets.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Rabies_FactSheet.pdf
3. Companion Animal Parasite Council, Ascarid guidelines. https://capcvet.org/guidelines/ascarid/
4. 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10812130/