Vaccination for cats

What is recommended, when, and what changes if your cat has FIV or FeLV.

Last reviewed: October 2026

Important. Vaccine schedules, licensed products and legal requirements (especially for rabies) differ between countries and manufacturers. The tables below summarise published guidelines and are not a prescription. Your vet will tailor a plan to your cat's age, lifestyle, local disease risk and health.

Core and non-core vaccines

"Core" vaccines are those recommended for every cat because the diseases are widespread, severe or both. "Non-core" vaccines are used after an individual risk assessment. The ABCD also uses an in-between "circumstantial" category.

Classification of feline vaccines (summary of AAHA/AAFP 2020, WSAVA 2024 and ABCD)
Vaccine	Status	Notes
Panleukopenia (FPV)	Core everywhere	Highly effective; modified-live and inactivated types exist.
Herpesvirus (FHV-1)	Core everywhere	Reduces disease and shedding but does not prevent infection.
Calicivirus (FCV)	Core everywhere	No vaccine covers every strain. Usually combined with FHV-1 and FPV.
Rabies	Core where rabies is present or required by law	Rules vary by country; essential for travel in many regions.
FeLV	Core for kittens (AAHA/AAFP); core for young cats and for adults with outdoor access or contact with such cats (WSAVA 2024); recommended for at-risk cats (ABCD)	Test negative first. Need in adults depends on lifestyle.
Chlamydia felis, Bordetella bronchiseptica	Non-core	Considered for cats in groups or catteries with a documented problem.
FIV	Non-core; unavailable in many countries	See below.
FIP	Not routinely recommended	One licensed product in some countries; effectiveness questioned.

Kitten schedule (typical)

Antibodies from the mother can block vaccines in young kittens, so several doses are given. The key point, shared by WSAVA and ABCD, is that the last dose of the core series should be given at 16 weeks of age or older.

Typical kitten core schedule. Exact timing varies by guideline and product.
Age	What is given
From about 6 to 9 weeks	First dose of FPV + FHV-1 + FCV (ABCD: 8 to 9 weeks; AAHA/AAFP: from 6 to 8 weeks)
Every 2 to 4 weeks after	Repeat doses (WSAVA: every 2 to 4 weeks; ABCD: 3 to 4 weeks for FPV)
16 weeks or older	Final core dose (a third dose at 16 to 20 weeks is common, especially for FPV)
Usually 8 to 9 weeks, then 12 weeks	FeLV, two doses, for kittens at risk (ABCD). Test first.
From about 12 weeks	Rabies, one dose where required (timing depends on product and country)
About 1 year (10 to 16 months)	First booster of core vaccines, and of FeLV where used

Modified-live FPV vaccine should not be given to kittens under 4 weeks old or to pregnant queens, because the live virus may damage the developing brain (ABCD). Ask your vet which type is used.

Adult boosters

FPV: no more often than every 3 years (WSAVA, ABCD). The ABCD notes that antibody testing can show whether a booster is needed.
FHV-1 and FCV: every 3 years for low-risk cats (solitary indoor cats that do not board). The ABCD and WSAVA advise annual boosters for higher-risk cats, such as those in multi-cat homes, in catteries, or going outdoors.
FeLV: adult cats that remain at risk are boosted; intervals depend on the product and risk and differ between guidelines and data sheets. Follow your vet's advice.
Rabies: as required by local law and the product licence.
Boarding catteries usually require a recent booster, often within the past 12 months.
An annual check-up is advised even when no vaccine is due. The visit is also an opportunity to reassess risk.

Where guidance differs

Definition of core. WSAVA 2024 defines core vaccines as those all cats should receive, taking lifestyle and region into account, and now treats FeLV as core for young cats and for adults with outdoor exposure. AAHA/AAFP classify FeLV as core for kittens under one year and non-core for older cats. The ABCD speaks of "at risk" cats for FeLV.
Kitten start age. 6 to 8 weeks in the AAHA/AAFP guidelines; 8 to 9 weeks in the ABCD.
Immunocompromised cats and modified-live vaccines. The ABCD says there is no definitive proof that they are unsafe in FIV-positive cats, but prefers inactivated vaccines if exposure to FPV, FHV or FCV cannot be excluded; for FeLV-positive cats it judges the evidence of harm weak. Traditional advice, including in older guidelines, is to avoid modified-live vaccines in immunosuppressed cats.
Booster intervals depend on the product's licensed duration in your country.
Availability. FIV and FIP vaccines are available in some regions and not in others.

FIV/FeLV-positive and immunocompromised cats

Infected or immunosuppressed cats may respond less well to vaccines, and live vaccine strains carry a theoretical risk. Against that, such cats are less able to cope if they catch a core disease. The decision should be made with your vet. The points below follow the ABCD guideline on vaccinating immunocompromised cats unless stated otherwise.

General principles

Postpone vaccination in a cat that is acutely ill. After short-term immunosuppressive treatment, wait until recovery or at least 3 months after it ends.
Antibody testing for FPV can show whether a cat needs another dose and avoid unnecessary vaccination.
Where a modified-live vaccine is considered, ask whether an inactivated product is available. Inactivated (killed) vaccines cannot cause the disease they protect against.

FIV-positive cats

Keep the cat strictly indoors where possible, which lowers exposure.
If exposure to panleukopenia, herpesvirus or calicivirus cannot be excluded, give core vaccines only, preferably inactivated. The ABCD says there is no definitive proof that modified-live vaccines are unsafe in FIV-positive cats.
Vaccinate only if the cat is clinically healthy, ideally only if FPV antibodies are lacking. Without antibody testing, avoid boosters in previously vaccinated, indoor-only adult cats.
Vaccination is strongly advised for outdoor cats at risk of other infections. The ABCD describes vaccination of FIV-positive cats as controversial and to be weighed individually.

FeLV-positive cats

The ABCD judges the evidence of harm from modified-live vaccines to be weak and still recommends regular core vaccination, even for indoor cats.
Protection may be less complete, so annual boosters or FPV antibody checks can be considered.
Rabies vaccine is advised if the cat cannot be kept indoors, following local regulations.
FeLV vaccine does not benefit an already-infected cat and is not given.

Other conditions and drugs

Long-term glucocorticoids: keep the schedule but use inactivated vaccines where available.
Chemotherapy: vaccinate at least 2 weeks before it starts, otherwise wait at least 3 months after it ends.
Diabetes: vaccinate once the cat is well controlled.
Chronic kidney disease: check FPV antibodies and vaccinate only cats lacking them. Some studies link frequent vaccination to kidney disease, but cause and effect are unproven.

The FIV vaccine and antibody tests

No FIV vaccine is available commercially in North America or Europe. It remains available in a few countries (Cornell lists Australia, New Zealand and Japan).
Vaccinated cats make antibodies that standard FIV tests read as positive. In one study these persisted for up to 6 months, and reports of longer durations exist. A positive test in a vaccinated cat should be followed up by PCR or virus isolation (ABCD).
Vaccinated cats should therefore be identified (microchip record, clinic notes), or they may be mistaken for infected cats.
Protection is incomplete, as several virus strains exist. The ABCD does not recommend the whole-virus vaccine used outside Europe.

FeLV vaccination considerations

Test before vaccinating, and repeat testing if a cat may have been exposed recently.
FeLV vaccination does not cause false-positive FeLV antigen test results (Cornell).
No vaccine protects every cat, so avoiding exposure remains important.
Indoor-only adult cats living alone are at low risk. A cat that goes outdoors, or lives with cats that do, is higher risk.

Safety and timing

Vaccines are generally very safe. Mild lethargy or a small lump at the injection site for a day or two is common. Seek advice promptly for facial swelling, difficulty breathing, vomiting or collapse, or for a lump that is still present after several weeks or is growing. Rare injection-site tumours (sarcomas) have been reported; ask your vet which products and injection sites they use.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 2026. Guidance changes; check the sources and ask your vet for the current position.