Kittens are small, and their immune system is still catching up. Without vaccination they are open to diseases that are common, highly contagious and often fatal. Here is the kitten vaccination schedule in the UAE: what each vaccine protects against, when it is due, and why the timing matters.
Why kittens need a course, not one injection
Kittens are born with some protection from their mother's first milk (maternal antibodies). It fades over their first weeks, but in some kittens it lasts to 16 weeks or longer, and while it lasts it can block the vaccine. So kittens have a course of vaccines rather than a single injection, timed to take over as that protection fades.
The kitten vaccination schedule
The core course is given at 8, 12 and 16 weeks, followed by an antibody titre test at 18 weeks. Every visit starts with a physical examination (a full health check), so your vet knows your kitten is well enough for the vaccine. If your kitten is older than 8 weeks at their first visit, the course starts from there. The full schedule, visit by visit, is on our vaccinations page.
8 weeks: the first PCH
PCH is the combination core vaccine for kittens. It protects against Feline Panleukopenia (feline parvovirus, FPV), Feline Calicivirus (FCV) and Feline Herpes Virus (FHV-1). Panleukopenia is the one to watch in the UAE. It attacks rapidly dividing cells, including the gut lining and bone marrow, and it is often fatal in kittens. Calicivirus and herpesvirus cause cat flu. It spreads easily wherever cats live together, in shelters, catteries and multi-cat homes, and it can hit kittens hard. Cats who recover often carry the virus for life and shed it when they are stressed.
12 weeks: the second PCH and Rabies
Your kitten has their second PCH and their Rabies vaccine. Dubai law requires every cat to be microchipped, vaccinated and registered, and to wear their Dubai Municipality registration tag. Indoor cats are not exempt. Our microchipping page walks you through registration, step by step.
16 weeks and the titre test
Your kitten has their third PCH, which may be the last vaccine of the course. Two weeks later, at 18 weeks, an antibody titre test (VacciCheck, from a small blood sample) shows whether the course has worked. It checks protection against Panleukopenia and cat flu. If your kitten has not built up enough antibodies, your vet will recommend a fourth PCH, with another titre test two weeks after that. Full protection comes about two weeks after the last dose.
Feline Leukaemia and FIV
The Feline Leukaemia (FeLV) vaccine is recommended for kittens, and for adult cats that go outdoors or live with cats that do. FeLV spreads through saliva, nasal secretions and shared food bowls. It weakens the immune system and can cause cancer, and there is no cure. The first dose is from 12 weeks, the second 3 to 4 weeks later, then every 2 years. Your kitten's first health checks include the FeLV test too.
For Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), there is no widely available vaccine. FIV mostly spreads through deep bites in fights, so the best protection is keeping your cat away from cats they might fight with. Indoor cats are at low risk.
Boosters, and why indoor cats still need them
After the course, core vaccines and Rabies are repeated every year while your cat lives in the UAE, as Dubai Municipality requires. If a booster is late, it is rarely a reason to start again: a titre test tells your vet how far back in the course to go. Indoor cats still need every booster. Viruses come into the home on shoes, clothes and hands, and the Panleukopenia virus can survive for up to a year.
Vaccines are one part of keeping a kitten well. The first six months bring four health checks, and parasite prevention runs all year round here. Our first 30 days with a new kitten guide covers the rest of that first month.
Adopting a kitten in the UAE
Ask the rescue or shelter for their vaccination history. Most will have started the course, and your vet will pick up where they left off. If there is no history, the course starts from the beginning, guided by a titre test. Bring their vaccination card to the first visit, along with any other paperwork you were given.
After a vaccination
Most kittens are fine. Some are more tired than usual for a day or two, or a little sore where the injection went. A small lump at the injection site can appear and usually fades within a few weeks. Have it checked if it lasts beyond three months, grows past 2 cm, or is still growing a month on. A swollen face or hives within 4 hours needs a vet straight away. Vomiting, collapse or difficulty breathing within 30 minutes is an emergency: our emergency page shows what to do right now.
Three vaccine visits, a titre test, a booster every year. strong>The hardest part is getting them into the carrier./strong>
