Cat Vaccinations: The Ultimate Guide

September 3rd, 2025

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At All About Cats Veterinary Hospital, we are proponents of prevention to promote long-term health and wellness. Just as with regular exams, quality nutrition, and ongoing preventive care, cat vaccinations are essential components of your pet’s overall health and wellness program. They help reduce the risk of serious and potentially fatal diseases, ensuring your furry companion enjoys a longer and healthier life by your side. Our team will create a customized feline vaccination schedule tailored to your cat’s unique needs to provide maximum protection at every stage of life.

How Do Vaccinations Work?

Cat vaccines protect your feline friends by helping them build immunity against serious infectious diseases. They do so by exposing them to weakened, inactive, or modified pathogens, which helps induce an immune response. Upon future exposure, the immune system quickly recognizes the pathogens, producing antibodies that fight off deadly diseases.

What Are the Required Cat Vaccinations?

Vaccinations are divided into core and non-core categories. All cats should receive core vaccines, which are often required by law. Non-core vaccinations, on the other hand, are required based on a cat’s lifestyle, environment, and general health.

Core Vaccinations:

• Rabies: Rabies vaccines are required by law for cats here in the state of Washington. We typically administer the first shot around 12 weeks, followed by a booster after a year, and then vaccinations every 1-3 years. Rabies is a deadly disease with no known cure, which is why it is critical to keep up with your furry friend’s vaccinations.
• FVRCP: This essential core vaccine safeguards your cat against three serious diseases: feline distemper (panleukopenia), calicivirus, and viral rhinotracheitis (feline herpesvirus). We typically start a series of vaccinations at about eight weeks of age, with follow-up doses every 3-4 weeks until your cat is 16 weeks old. A booster is administered at the one-year mark and then every three years from then on.  

Non-Core Cat Vaccinations:

• FeLV (Feline Leukemia): The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) recommends that all kittens be vaccinated against feline leukemia virus, but only if they first test negative. Every kitten that completes the initial series of vaccinations should receive boosters at about one year of age. From then on, cats who go outdoors or share a home with cats that spend time outside should be revaccinated every 1-2 years for ongoing protection.
• Bordetella: For cats that visit groomers or stay in boarding facilities, yearly Bordetella vaccinations are highly recommended and often required. This bacterium can cause a contagious respiratory infection in cats, much like kennel cough does in dogs. In some cases, we may recommend a booster every 6 months for added protection.

Do Strictly Indoor Cats Need to Be Vaccinated?

Cats are escape artists, so even strictly indoor felines may manage to sneak outdoors, exposing them to deadly diseases. Even if your cat is strictly an indoor pet, some vaccinations are required by law, while others are highly recommended to protect your feline companion and your family members. One example is the rabies vaccine. Rabies can be transmitted from cats to humans with no cure and a nearly 100% fatality rate. It’s simply not worth the risk to skip vaccinations.

Cat Vaccinations Near Me in Kirkland, WA

At All About Cats Veterinary Hospital, we highly recommend keeping up with vaccinations. Whether your feline friend stays exclusively indoors or is allowed to roam around your neighborhood, we will create a custom vaccination schedule to provide maximum protection against infectious diseases. You can always count on our team for purr-fectly compassionate care because, after all, we are all about cats!