When kittens are born, they receive temporary immunity through maternal antibodies passed down from their mother’s milk. These antibodies provide early protection but can also interfere with the effectiveness of vaccines by blocking the immune response.
Because these antibodies fade at unpredictable times, a series of vaccines is needed to ensure your kitten develops strong, lasting immunity once their body is ready to respond. Each booster increases the chance that the vaccine will “take” once maternal antibodies have decreased enough.
While it’s technically possible to give just two vaccines spaced three weeks apart starting at 13 weeks, this approach is not recommended. It leaves kittens vulnerable to serious and potentially fatal diseases — like panleukopenia, calicivirus, and rhinotracheitis — during the critical socialization period between 6 and 12 weeks, when their curiosity and exposure to the environment increase.
At Paw Partners Veterinary Clinic, we recommend beginning your kitten’s vaccinations at 8 to 10 weeks of age, with boosters given every 3–4 weeks until at least 16 weeks old.
Some kittens with higher risk factors — such as outdoor exposure or living in multi-cat households — may need additional protection. We’ll customize the vaccination schedule to fit your kitten’s lifestyle.