Kitten first-year planner for Victoria: vaccines, microchip, council registration and curfews
In Victoria, cats must be microchipped and registered with their local council once they are 3 months old, and registration is renewed by 10 April every year. Many councils add their own rules, such as a cat curfew or desexing before registration. Around those dates sit three F3 vaccinations between 6 and 16 weeks and regular worming.
Rules last checked 24 September 2026
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- InsuranceNow
Insure your kitten before any waiting period can bite
Pet insurance won't pay for anything that shows signs during its waiting period. All six policies we compare cover cats: illness cover starts after 14 to 30 days, and some specified conditions after up to 6 months. Anything that appears before cover starts can be excluded for life, so insuring while your kitten is young and healthy matters most.
- ParasitesNow
Use cat-safe flea and tick products only
Never put a dog flea or tick treatment on a cat. Many dog spot-ons contain permethrin, which cats can't break down; even a standard dose for a small dog can kill a cat, and it is the most common way cats are poisoned. If you also have a dog, keep your kitten away from it for at least 72 hours after treating the dog. On the east coast, paralysis ticks affect cats too, so ask your vet for a kitten-safe preventative.
- Legal requirementNow
Victoria: check whether your council requires desexing
Some Victorian councils require cats to be desexed before they can be registered for the first time. Indigo Shire, for example, has required this since 1 May 2024. Search your council's website for "cat desexing" or "cat registration" before you register.
- Legal requirementNow
Victoria: check your council's cat curfew
Many Victorian councils require cats to stay on their owner's property at night or at all times. Wyndham, for example, enforces a 10pm to 6am curfew and moves to 24-hour containment with fines from December 2026. Search "cat curfew" or "cat containment" plus your council's name, and plan an indoor setup or cat enclosure early.
- Parasites2–24 weeks
Worm your kitten every 2 weeks, then monthly
Kittens are commonly wormed every 2 weeks until 12 weeks old, then monthly until 6 months, then every 3 months as adults. Use an all-wormer made for cats that covers roundworm, hookworm and tapeworm.
- Vaccine6–8 weeks
First F3 vaccination
The core F3 vaccine protects against feline panleukopenia (feline enteritis), feline calicivirus and feline herpesvirus (cat flu). The first dose is given at 6 to 8 weeks, often before your kitten comes home, so check the vaccination card you received.
- Behaviour8–10 weeks
Keep up gentle kitten socialisation
A kitten's sensitive period starts at about 2 weeks and begins to wane between 7 and 10 weeks, so much of it happens with the breeder. Carry it on at home: short, calm handling sessions, touching paws and nails, time in an open carrier, short car trips and a clean litter tray in a quiet spot. Let your kitten approach at its own pace.
- Vaccine10–12 weeks
Second F3 vaccination
The next F3 dose comes 2 to 4 weeks after the first. Your vet may also discuss non-core vaccines, such as feline leukaemia or FIV, depending on whether your cat will go outdoors.
- Legal requirement3 months
Victoria: microchip and register your kitten at 3 months
All cats aged 3 months and older must be registered with your local council, and they must be microchipped before their first registration. Your council gives you a registration tag to attach to a safety collar.
- Legal requirementEvery 10 April
Victoria: renew your cat's council registration by 10 April
Council registration must be renewed by 10 April every year. A cat found wandering without identification can be impounded, and fines can apply.
- Vaccine16 weeks
Final kitten vaccination at 16 weeks or later
The last kitten dose should not be given before 16 weeks, because antibodies from the mother can stop earlier doses from working in some kittens. Your kitten isn't fully protected until 7 to 14 days after this dose.
- Vaccine26–68 weeks
Your cat's first adult booster
The first adult booster is traditionally given about 12 months after the last kitten vaccination, though current guidelines allow it from 6 months of age. Your vet will then set an ongoing schedule, and an annual health check is recommended either way.