Waiting until a kitten is at least eight weeks of age before they are adopted or purchased will help to ensure that the kitten has had some opportunity for behavioural development, and has at least received adequate amounts of their mother's milk for growth and overall health.
Six to eight weeks is the optimal age to take the kittens from the mother for socialization and adoption placement, and any time after eight weeks for Trap-Neuter-Return (spay/neuter, vaccination, eartip, and return to their colony).
For example, at eight weeks of age, kittens are ready to bond and will actively search for emotional connections. Before they reach three months old, it's a crucial period for them to develop fundamental social skills.
At most shelters and rescues, kittens can be adopted starting at 8 weeks. Breeders will often wait until the kitten has been with their mother for at least 12 weeks, with many breeders waiting until 14 weeks. That's because there are many perks to sticking around their furry family members.
As a general rule, if your child is under five years old, it's best to adopt a cat that's over two years old. Many people have a warm and fuzzy image of a kitten and a child growing up together, but there are a few things you need to consider before adopting a kitten (less than 1 year old) if you have a young child.
It is a common misconception that kittens can be separated from their mothers as early as 8 weeks old. However, kittens separated at this time are still at risk for developmental, social, and health issues. Instead, kittens should remain with their mothers until they are 12-14 weeks old.
From Ten to Fourteen Months is the Worst
Most kittens edge into adolescence at about ten months of age. This can vary, though, depending on the kitten. My orange tabby, Kirk, was actually closer to a year when I saw the adolescent changes in his behavior.
By one year old, your kitten will be an adult cat. She may still act like a mischievous kitten, but her needs will have changed. Now that she's fully grown, she'll require an adult cat food that will provide her with the appropriate levels of nutrients, vitamins and minerals she needs through adulthood.
Single kitten syndrome is the idea that young kittens, when raised with other young kittens and cats and then adopted into a home by themselves, can become aggressive, anxious, stressed, and even develop behavioral issues like inappropriate chewing/scratching and inappropriately using the litterbox.
Kittens will require more time and attention, not to mention time spent cleaning up after them, than adult cats, so if you're gone most of the day, an older cat can be the best fit for you. If you have small children, an adult cat may also be a better choice.
Kittens begin social learning as early as two weeks of age. Also, kittens play, eat, and rest similar to a toddler. Social play usually peaks at about 3 months of age. As they get to 4-9 months, they hit their teenage years.
If you have a young cat at home and want a second, consider adopting one kitten of the opposite sex, as same-sex cats are much more prone to fight each other for dominance. Your resident cat will still be young enough to recall having fun with her littermates, and the new kitten will be more than happy to oblige.
Don't adopt kittens too early.
Adopting kittens too young bite and claw more than those corrected by Mom and siblings. They also may be fearful or less tolerant of other cats because they don't understand proper feline etiquette. Cat babies should stay with siblings and Mom for at least 12 to 16 weeks.
No Yelling, Threatening, Or Physical Punishment.
Punishment teaches a kitten nothing, except how to avoid the punishment. It is far better, and far more humane, to teach the kitten what to do rather than to punish it for something it is doing.
Kittens between two and four months of age should only be left alone four to six hours at a time, not a full workday. When they're a little older, around six months, you can be gone all day. But they'll certainly be happier if you can check in on them at lunchtime or ask a friend to stop by.
After year 1. The transition to adulthood ordinarily occurs from 1 to 2 years old. At this time, and possibly after neutering, a cat may retain a lot of energy but should be notably calmer with it reaching full maturity at 2. From 3 to 10 years old, a cat is relatively calm but remains active.
Cats 10 to 12 months of age are into everything. While this can be amusing — for instance, watching a young cat attack a paper grocery sack — without clear boundaries, cats can be destructive, shredding your drapes in a flash. Your young cat may seem to willfully misbehave simply to test her limits.
Once you have found your litter, choose a kitten that seems happy and confident and that wants to meet and be cuddled by you keeping an eye out for aggressive or timid behaviour. If you've had pets before, you'll know they come with their own patterns of behaviour.
Make Sure Your Personalities Are Compatible
Sit on the floor, hold her and pick her up if she lets you. Ask the shelter or her previous pet parent questions about her temperament and how she gets along with other cats and people. Bring all of your family members to meet her, including other pets of yours, if possible.
Intensive growth 2-4 months
This is the naughty stage of the kitten development chart when your kittens start to show their true colours!
Male, and more rarely female, cats may demonstrate aggression toward other male cats as they approach social maturity between two and four years of age.
What is the weakest kitten of the litter? The weakest kitten can be defined as the smallest, and, as revealed by its name, the weakest member of your cat's litter. With this being its defining features, it goes without saying that it's going to need a little extra help growing up.