Cats hide illness well, so prevention matters even more than with dogs. Here is the vaccination schedule most vets in India follow for kittens, and why indoor cats need vaccines too.
The main kitten vaccine is a combination often called FVRCP or "tricat". It protects against feline panleukopenia (a severe and often fatal gut infection, sometimes called feline parvo), feline herpesvirus and calicivirus (which cause cat flu: sneezing, eye infections and mouth ulcers).
Rabies is the second core vaccine. In India rabies is a real risk for any animal, and many housing societies, boarding places and airlines ask for proof of it.
Like puppies, kittens get the combination vaccine several times because the protection from their mother's milk can block early doses. Your vet will adjust the plan to your kitten, but it usually looks like this:
Yes. Panleukopenia virus survives for months and comes into the house on shoes, clothes and bags. Cats also slip out of windows and balconies, go to the clinic, to a groomer or to boarding, or meet a new cat brought home. An indoor cat that has never been exposed to these infections has no natural protection at all if it meets them.
Your vet may suggest optional vaccines, such as feline leukaemia (FeLV), if your cat goes outdoors or lives with other cats.
If you don't know a cat's history, treat it as unvaccinated. Most vets give two doses of FVRCP three to four weeks apart, plus rabies, after a health check and deworming. Keep a newly rescued cat apart from your other cats until the vet has seen it.
A sleepy cat with a slightly lower appetite for a day is normal. Contact your vet if your cat has a swollen face, vomits repeatedly, has trouble breathing or is very weak. Tell your vet if you ever notice a lump at an old injection site that lasts more than a few weeks.
Ask your clinic to write the next due date on the vaccination card, photograph it, and set a phone reminder a week before. If your clinic sends vaccination reminders and certificates on WhatsApp, you'll always have the record on your phone when boarding or travel asks for it.
Usually at 6 to 8 weeks of age, with the FVRCP combination vaccine, repeated every 3 to 4 weeks until the kitten is at least 16 weeks old.
Most vets in India recommend it. Cats can escape or meet other animals, and rabies is almost always fatal. Boarding, travel and many housing societies also ask for proof.
Feline panleukopenia, feline herpesvirus (rhinotracheitis) and calicivirus: a severe gut infection and the two main causes of cat flu.
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