How Old Should a Kitten Be Before it Is Adopted?

Kittens are highly social animals that go through critical stages of development. If they don't develop certain skills during these periods, they are unlikely to develop them. Though kittens are typically weaned between six and eight weeks old, they should remain with their mothers and littermates for a few weeks thereafter. During this period of development, they learn vital social skills. Kittens that are adopted too early may develop behavioral problems or fail to thrive.

  1. The Right Age

    • Many breeders adopt their kittens to new homes around eight weeks of age because kittens are fully weaned by this time. However, this age is inappropriate for adoption. Kittens should not go to their new homes until they are 12 weeks old, which maximizes time with their mother and littermates while still ensuring they go to a new home in time to bond with their owners. Kittens that, for whatever reason, are unable to nurse should still remain with their mothers or littermates until 12 weeks of age. If a kitten has no littermates and is not nursing, however, going to a new home early may help it develop proper social skills --- particularly if that home has other cats.

    Maternal Social Skills

    • In the wild, kittens learn how to hunt from their mothers. Though house cats don't need to hunt to eat, they still learn important skills from their mother. By watching her interact with her other kittens, they learn proper cat body language, vocalizations and behavior. Kittens taken from their mothers too early may behave in an infantile way for the rest of their lives because they don't learn from their mother how to behave like adult cats.

    Littermate Social Skills

    • Kittens learn vital skills from their littermates. Perhaps most important of these skills is bite inhibition. By playing with its siblings, a kitten learns how hard it can bite before causing pain. This knowledge helps adult cats control their play behavior so they don't harm their owners or other cats. Adult cats taken from their litter too early may behave aggressively because they have never learned how to interact gently and appropriately.

    Nurturing and Health

    • Kittens are susceptible to a host of illnesses in their first weeks of life. They acquire passive immunity to many diseases by nursing. However, even after they are weaned, kittens continue to receive protection from illnesses through sensitive and competent care from their mothers. The stress of being taken from their litters too early makes kittens more susceptible to disease and can cause them to fail to thrive.