The Complete Kitten Vaccine Schedule for India

Every kitten in India, indoor or outdoor, needs a proper vaccine schedule to be genuinely protected, since several core feline diseases circulate in the environment regardless of whether a cat ever goes outside. Here is what that schedule generally looks like, and why each shot matters.

The two core vaccines every cat needs

The FVRCP combination vaccine, often sold in India as Feligen or Tricat, protects against feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia, three of the most common and serious viral diseases in cats. The rabies vaccine is the second essential shot, not just for your cat's health but as a genuine public health measure, since rabies remains a real risk in India and is fatal once symptoms appear, in cats and humans alike.

A typical kitten schedule

• 6 to 8 weeks: first FVRCP dose.
• 9 to 10 weeks: second FVRCP dose.
• ~45 days: first rabies vaccine, following the common Indian protocol, with a booster roughly 21 days later.
• 16 weeks: final FVRCP booster, timed to land at or after 16 weeks of age so that fading maternal antibodies are no longer blocking the vaccine's effect, which is why this dose cannot simply be brought forward even if earlier doses went smoothly.
• 1 year: first annual booster for both FVRCP and rabies, then annual or triennial boosters after that depending on the vaccine brand and your vet's protocol.

Exact timing varies slightly between clinics and vaccine brands, and this is genuinely one area where your own vet's specific plan should take priority over any general chart, including this one.

What a normal reaction looks like, and what is not

Mild soreness at the injection site, a little lethargy, or a slightly reduced appetite for a day is common and not a cause for concern. Contact your vet promptly if you see facial swelling, hives, repeated vomiting, difficulty breathing, or collapse, which point to a genuine allergic reaction and need urgent attention, though these are rare. Keeping your kitten calm and quiet for the rest of the day after a vaccine appointment is a sensible precaution.

What it costs in India

Individual vaccine doses at Indian clinics typically run somewhere in the range of 300 to 800 rupees per shot depending on the city, the clinic, and the specific vaccine brand used, with the full kitten series across the first four months adding up to a few thousand rupees in total. Government-run or NGO-run animal welfare clinics in many cities offer subsidised or sometimes free rabies vaccination as part of public health rabies control efforts, which is worth checking if cost is a genuine barrier.

Non-core vaccines worth discussing

Feline leukaemia virus, FeLV, is treated as essential for kittens by several major veterinary bodies, but as optional for adult cats who live strictly indoors with no exposure to other cats. It matters more for kittens who came from an unknown background, street-rescued litters, or households with multiple cats of mixed health status. Your vet may also raise vaccines for chlamydia in multi-cat homes. Decide these based on your specific cat's lifestyle rather than a blanket rule.

Deworming alongside vaccination

Most Indian vets pair the vaccine schedule with a deworming routine, since intestinal parasites are extremely common in kittens, particularly street-origin ones. A typical pattern is deworming every two weeks until 12 weeks old, then monthly until six months, then every three months for adult cats, though your vet may adjust this based on your kitten's history and any stool test results.

Why indoor cats still need every shot

Several core feline viruses spread through indirect contact, on shoes, clothing, or through an open window or balcony, so an indoor-only lifestyle reduces risk but does not remove it. Rabies in particular is not worth gambling on given how many Indian households have some contact with community animals, whether through a balcony, a building compound, or visitors who have handled other animals.

Article content © S Vejay Anand. All rights reserved.