Your kitten's first months

When should a kitten receive the next vaccination?

Kitten core vaccines are usually given as a series rather than a single early dose. The 2024 WSAVA guidelines recommend doses every 2 to 4 weeks, with the final kitten dose delivered at 16 weeks of age or older. Use the calculator as a discussion aid, then confirm the actual product and schedule with your veterinarian.

Start with the vaccination record

Use the documented date, vaccine name, clinic, and administering veterinarian when available. A verbal description such as "first shot completed" is not enough to reconstruct the series.

See a broad next-dose discussion window

Dates are calculated in this browser. They are not stored or transmitted by this tool.

Why is there no single fixed second or third dose date?

Antibodies received from the mother can interfere with early vaccination, and the time at which those antibodies decline varies between kittens. A series of doses reduces the chance that the entire vaccination course falls inside that window of interference.

WSAVA identifies feline parvovirus, feline calicivirus, and feline herpesvirus-1 vaccines as core worldwide. Its global schedule is broad by design: multiple kitten doses 2 to 4 weeks apart, ending at 16 weeks or older. Local rules and product labels still matter.

What to check after a documented first dose

  1. Confirm the actual administration date and vaccine product.
  2. Discuss the next dose within the product and guideline interval.
  3. Record the date that each dose is actually administered.
  4. Check whether the final kitten core dose occurs at 16 weeks or older.
  5. Ask about later revaccination and lifestyle-specific vaccines.

The labels "first," "second," and "third" do not guarantee that every kitten completes the series in exactly three visits. A veterinarian may adjust the number or interval when vaccination started early, records are uncertain, or exposure risk is high.

Tell the clinic about your kitten's condition that day

Eating and activity

Note whether food intake and movement are normal for this kitten.

Vomiting or diarrhea

Record when it began, how often it happened, and any stool changes.

Eyes and nose

Mention discharge, sneezing, or other recent respiratory signs.

Earlier reactions

Report swelling, collapse, or unusual lethargy after a prior dose.

If your kitten seems unwell, contact the clinic and describe the current signs rather than independently delaying or proceeding based only on an online calendar.

Other vaccines depend on location and lifestyle

Rabies requirements and feline leukemia virus recommendations vary with geography, age, outdoor access, household exposure, travel, shelter history, and local law. Bring those details to the appointment so the plan can be individualized.

Why this calculator cannot replace veterinary care

It does not know the vaccine label, examination findings, regional disease prevalence, or legal requirements. It only turns two dates into a broad discussion range.

Veterinary sources reviewed