What vaccines does my cat need?

Core vaccines: every cat, every time

• FVRCP (herpesvirus-1, calicivirus, panleukopenia): kitten series to 16+ weeks, booster at 1 year, then every 3 years (adjuvanted or non-adjuvanted per label).
• Rabies: single dose at 12-16 weeks, booster at 1 year, then per state law and product label (1- or 3-year).

Panleukopenia (feline distemper) remains highly fatal in unvaccinated kittens; the FVRCP core is a genuine welfare intervention, not just a legal formality.

FeLV: core for kittens, lifestyle for adults

The 2020 AAHA/AAFP guidelines updated the FeLV recommendation to core-for-all-kittens (under 1 year) regardless of lifestyle, because early exposure in a kitten confers higher lifetime infection risk than exposure in an adult. Adult cats are vaccinated based on realistic exposure: outdoor access, cohousing with untested cats, or an owner who fosters. Indoor-only single-cat adults typically do not need annual FeLV boosters.

Non-core vaccines and vaccine site sarcoma

FIV vaccine is not routinely recommended in the US; the vaccine complicates FIV testing and its efficacy against currently circulating strains is uncertain. Chlamydia and Bordetella vaccines are reserved for high-risk settings (shelters, catteries). Injection-site sarcoma is a rare but real risk of any injectable in cats; modern practice uses distal limb sites and non-adjuvanted vaccines where possible to reduce risk and enable curative amputation if a sarcoma develops.