Behavior of Kittens at 12 Weeks

Kittens should remain with their litter mates for the first three months or 12 weeks of their life, advises the Humane Society. If a kitten is separated from, or orphaned by, his mother earlier than that, he may not be able to develop the skills that he needs to know, such has sending and receiving signals.

  1. What is Allowed and What Isn't

    • During the first three months a kitten learns how it is okay to give an inhibited bite, which means that he isn't supposed to chomp down so hard on his litter mates (or owners) that he hurts them and draws blood. The kitten also learns what is appropriate regarding play, including wrestling, by interacting with his mother and siblings. His social skills and physical coordination rapidly improve during this time frame and he finds out about boundaries. He also learns who is in charge. By the time a kitten is three months old, he has been influenced by his litter mates and other species that he may have interacted with during this time.

    Social Skills

    • At 12 weeks, the kitten will observe what her mother and the others are doing and she will begin playing more. She will also become more social as her social skills have improved, as has her physical coordination.

    Social Play

    • The kitten may enjoy tossing objects, pawing and mouthing on toys as well as holding them and scooping them up. She may also start to lick you.

    Rank

    • The kitten will begin to use, and see, how ranking, including submission and dominance, works and will test it with other cats and humans.

    Suckling

    • Kittens are generally weaned between six and seven weeks, however, they may continue to suckle on their mother merely for comfort. This is especially true when their mother has left them for a long period of time and then returns. Cats that are orphaned, or are weaned too early on, can display odd suckling behavior later on in life. This includes sucking on his owner's arm, or on pillows and blankets.

    Time To Go

    • A kitten can be separated from her mother at 12 weeks and placed in a new home.