Kitten Vaccinations

We know you want to start your kitten off on the right foot to give them the best leg up for a healthy, long life. Vaccinations are one of the cornerstones of preventative care. A proper vaccine schedule allows your kitten to develop a healthy immune system and avoid many common and unwanted viral illnesses in cats.

When do kittens get their first vaccines?

The optimum time to begin your kitten’s vaccine schedule is at 8 weeks of age. At this age, the maternal antibodies are almost gone, and your kitty will be able to mount the best response to the vaccines given.

How often do my kittens need vaccines?

Luckily for our team, we get to see your kitty not once, not twice, but three times for a series of exam/vaccination appointments. That’s a lot of kitty snuggle time! Beginning at 8 weeks of age we will examine and vaccinate your kitten for a total of 3 visits with each visit being 3-4 weeks apart (8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks). Once this series is complete, your kitten will return in 1 year for their “annual” appointment, from there the vaccine schedule will be based on your kitty’s ongoing needs.

Does my kitten need only core vaccines?

Working together with your Veterinarian you can determine which vaccines are best for your cat. Many owners of new kittens have not yet decided if their cat will go outside, if they will need to go to a boarding facility, etc. For this reason, we recommend talking to your vet about complete vaccine protection for your cat until you are certain it will not be necessary.