When can you give a kitten to new owners? When and how is it best to separate a kitten from its mother? Preparing kittens for weaning

One of the most beloved and popular pets are cats. Almost all people are touched by the sight of a small, defenseless, fluffy lump. But at what age should you take a kitten to a new home?

When can I pick up a kitten?

To answer this question, you need to know some nuances about the development of kittens. As you know, a cat can have from one to seven kittens in one litter. This fact, as well as the breed, affects the weight of newborns, which ranges from 70 to 140 grams.

At birth, babies are almost completely hairless, completely blind and deaf. But with a well-developed sense of smell and touch. It is by smell that they find the mother cat to feed on her milk. Already on the fifth day of life, kittens begin to hear sounds around them. And on the tenth day they gradually open their eyes and begin to see.

After a few more days, babies can determine the direction of sounds. The animals learn to walk, not confidently and cautiously, and by the twentieth day they are able to move a short distance from the common crib.

By four weeks, kittens’ bodies are able to digest not only mother’s milk, but also additional complementary foods. At this age, following the example of a cat, they learn to lick themselves and go to a tray with soil or sawdust.

By the sixth week, most kittens become quite independent, they can play with their brothers and go to the litter box; milk nutrition is increasingly replacing complementary foods. By 7–8 weeks, the animals have all their milk teeth, their fur changes and their true color can be seen.

A very important condition in the development of a kitten is the presence of the mother and brothers to receive the very first and necessary knowledge in life. During the first months, all the kittens hardly leave each other a single step. They sleep, eat and play in a friendly ball. educates them, teaching them to use a tray, a scratching post and to hunt, and, if necessary, bites especially mischievous children.

At about the age of two months, mother increasingly drives the babies away and sleeps on her own. They, in turn, get used to independent life and, under the guise of play, can hunt each other, lying in wait in ambush. By three months, the “fluffies” become completely independent, do not need mother’s milk, know how to use a tray and reach a weight of one and a half to two kilograms.

They get used to the people around them and play with them and toys without fear. During a period of carefree childhood, each kitten develops its own exceptional character.

From all this we can draw a simple conclusion that a kitten should be taken to a new home when it:

• able to feed independently;
• will be able to lick himself, thereby taking care of his hygiene;
• confidently uses a scratching post and litter tray;
• socially adapted, that is, he received proper education from a cat.

If these conditions are not taken into account, your pet may have problems with digestion and infectious diseases. He will be too timid and fearful or, conversely, overly aggressive, which can lead to dire consequences in the future. Will not be trained to use the litter box.

To prevent your baby from having health problems, it is best to pick him up after vaccination. Kittens are vaccinated no earlier than six weeks.

Thus, the most optimal age for changing a kitten's home will be about two to three months. Then the furry family pet will be properly raised and delight its owners, receiving love and affection from them. These requirements should be observed when the family consciously approaches the choice of a pet and is not limited in time.

But there are situations when a kitten is taken away from a cat before two months for a variety of reasons as a way to save “drowning”. In this case, the baby will need especially careful care and education, which he did not receive from his mother. For all the warmth and affection received, the kitten will definitely be infinitely grateful and will become another member of the family.

Having found a suitable kitten in a nursery or from friends, new owners rush to take the small, funny, fluffy bundle home as soon as possible. They motivate their desire simply: I want it here and now, I already had kittens before and I know for sure that they grow and develop perfectly every month without a mother. Sometimes such persuasion has an effect, and the baby is sent to a new home before reaching two or even one and a half months of age. Such a decision is fundamentally wrong for many reasons, one of which is a threat to life and health, not to mention stress, lack of proper immunity, mental disorders, and the inability to learn the necessary cat skills from their parents. At what age to adopt a kitten, we’ll talk today.

Why shouldn't you adopt a kitten per month?

By 4.5 weeks, the baby has just learned to stand unsteadily on his paws, takes his first steps, he learns about the world and is gradually accustomed to adult food. At this stage of ontogenesis, the pet is not physically developed enough, weighs little and it will be difficult for him to endure separation from his mother and adapt to a new place of residence.

Every month, a kitten still needs mother's milk - with it it receives important immunoglobulins, antibodies that protect against deadly viruses.

An important period of life is weaning from breastfeeding. No one can do this better and more correctly than the cat itself. Abrupt removal from the breast of a fragile body threatens not only a violation of the mental state (emotional stress, deterioration of behavior), but also problems with physiological health:

• the digestion process is disrupted, which manifests itself at best, and at worst – dehydration;
• there is a high risk of contracting an infection due to the lack of one’s own immunity.

But it is worth noting that immune issues are relevant only for the offspring of vaccinated mothers. It makes no sense to say that the baby will be protected from the same thing, panleukopenia or, if an adult cat has never received such vaccinations.

Why shouldn't you adopt a kitten at 2 months?

At 2 months, the kitten is already strong enough and has gained strength, can eat on its own, but it still does not have high immunity: the natural one is too weak, and the post-vaccination (artificial) one has not yet fully formed.

Yes, vaccinations begin around this age, but lasting protection is developed only after revaccination. And it is carried out 3 weeks after the first injection. Therefore, at the moment, it is better for the baby to stay with his mother for at least another 2 weeks, during which the amount of antibodies necessary for protection will be collected.

As the baby grows up, he acquires useful skills that he learns from the older generation, for example, the same basic rules of hygiene, using a potty or scratching post. It can be difficult for a person to teach a cat to go to a certain place to relieve itself, but by staying with the cat, he quickly and happily copies its behavior.

Early weaning also affects the emotional state. The parent teaches the baby good manners, communication with other animals and the same person. If you deprive a kitten of the opportunity to receive the first lessons of parenting:

• he may grow up to be wary, timid, and sometimes cowardly;
• or go to the other extreme - become aggressive, always wary and distrustful.

It is this kind of inappropriate, uncharacteristic behavior for cats that indicates a mental disorder as a result of premature separation from the mother.

A child brought up in a favorable emotional environment can react adequately to others and is not afraid of people.

Why do you need to adopt a kitten from three months?

The baby is confident:

• adapts more easily and quickly to a new life, new owners;
• is not afraid or afraid of anything;
• desires to independently explore the world, showing curiosity about everything unusual and unknown.

According to statistics, the minimum age for handing over a kitten to new owners is 8-10 weeks, the optimal age is 13-14. At the same time, the baby must be healthy, active and well developed physically.

It is clear that in this context we are talking exclusively about the planned decision to adopt a pet. In force majeure circumstances, you don’t really have to choose: either take and save the baby, no matter how many days/weeks he is, or leave him to his fate.

To summarize, we note the following: you can pick up (give away) a kitten when it:

• knows how to eat solid food independently and is weaned;
• confidently uses the potty, is accustomed to a scratching post and takes care of his hygiene independently;
• his immune system is so developed that the risk of infections is minimal;
• ideally adapted to the social environment: the small animal is happy to make contact with new people and adequately perceives other pets, if there are any in the house.

Instead of a conclusion

Yes, there are families who, for some reason, took pets that were immature in terms of adaptation and everything turned out wonderful and charming for them.

But there are also negative consequences of a hasty decision. For example, there have been cases when people adopted a month-old British dog (it must be said that most representatives of the breed have a complex character), and now suffer from aggressive attacks from an adult and a huge inadequate person.

Perhaps the problem could be solved if the owners took up the responsibility of raising them at a young age, but the whole point lies precisely in the fact that the person was unable to correctly adapt and educate the once-shaking little lump of fear.

On the other hand, no one claims that if you take a three-month-old kitten, everything will be smooth and perfect. There are also stories of unsuccessful “adoption” of grown-up pets. So in this matter, not only age matters, but also experience, attitude towards a small animal, and proper adaptation to life near a person.

Naturally, many new cat lovers want to watch their cat almost from the cradle in order to see his first steps, new victories, and follow the development of his character. But knowing that the behavior and health of an adult cat depends on how and in what conditions its childhood was spent, it is better to refuse the desire to take the baby away from its mother in infancy.

Video from professional breeders: at what age should you buy a kitten?

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Future owners of furry creatures, having chosen their pet, often ask breeders the question: when can you take a kitten away from a cat? On the one hand, I really want to settle a mischievous baby in my house as soon as possible. On the other hand, there are concerns about the health and socialization of the future resident. Experienced breeders advise taking a responsible approach to this problem.

Read in this article

Life stages of kittens

To have an idea of ​​when it is possible to separate kittens from a cat, it is necessary to know the characteristics of the physiological development and behavior of the cubs from birth until the young animals live independently. The following periods are distinguished:

Periods of development	Characteristic	Photo
Newborn (from birth to 10 days)	When born, the weight of babies ranges from 70 to 120 grams. This is the most defenseless period of life. The kittens are blind, have poor hearing, and practically cannot move. Only the sense of smell is well developed. Immunity is provided by mother's milk. They do not go to the toilet on their own; they are licked by a caring cat. Newborns are very sensitive to temperature conditions; hypothermia is dangerous to their life and health.
Milk (from 10 to 21 days)	By this period, the kittens have become stronger, their weight is approaching 400 grams. Babies' eyes open, they are able to see, but they are poorly oriented in space. By the end of the third week, they begin to rely on all four limbs, and the first teeth erupt. However, the main source of nutrition is mother's milk
Complementary feeding period (from 21 days to 1.5 months)	The babies move actively within the nest. During this period, complementary feeding with solid foods begins, since milk no longer provides all the nutritional needs of the growing body. This stage is very important in terms of adaptation of the digestive system to solid food. At about one month of age, there are already 26 teeth. The cubs can find a bowl of food on their own. Many future owners mistakenly believe that this is the right period when they can wean kittens from their cat. From a physiological point of view, young animals at this age are already independent and well developed. But full socialization for an adequate existence in a new home, correct relationships with people and other animals have not yet been formed
Socialization stage (from 1.5 to 3 months)	Many breeders rightly believe that this period is the best time to separate kittens from the cat. By the 2nd month of life, babies almost completely switch to solid food, and all their teeth grow. The immunity built up by mother's milk weakens during this period, so young animals must be vaccinated. At the same time, kittens are very active, love games and communication, have excellent spatial orientation, and easily find a bowl of food. They begin to care for their fur and learn to use the litter box.
The period of formation of young animals (from 3 months and older)	By this time, animals have full immunity and a formed character. The kids received basic knowledge about the world around them from their mother, learned habits and survival skills

Thus, the optimal age at which kittens can be separated from a cat is 2.5 - 3 months. During this period, the animal is fully socialized, and the character traits of the future new resident are clearly visible. By 3 months of age, responsible breeders carry out the necessary course of deworming (treatment against worms) and vaccination according to the vaccination schedule. The animal is insured against dangerous infections and has strong immunity to viral diseases.

Consequences of early separation

Owners of future furry pets often show impatience and rush to take the little creature into the house immediately after starting complementary feeding, at the age of 1 - 1.5 months. Undoubtedly, kids are very interesting, touching, and evoke a lot of positive emotions. However, early weaning from the mother leads to negative health consequences and affects the behavior of the future adult animal. Among the unpleasant moments that owners often have to face when untimely separation of a kitten from a cat, the following should be noted:

• Digestive problems. An undeveloped enzyme system still does not digest solid food well. Cubs deprived of mother's milk do not digest adult food well, they develop diarrhea and dysbacteriosis, which often leads to death.

• Weak immunity. Mother's milk during this period, although it does not provide the growing body with nutrients, still contains a high level of protective substances. Untimely weaning leads to a weakened immune system, making kittens vulnerable to viral and bacterial infections.

• Early weaning is accompanied by a strong stress reaction of the fragile organism. The bond between the cub and the mother at the age of 1 - 1.5 months is still very strong, and the animals have a hard time with parting. Against the background of stress and a weak immune system, the risk of developing diseases increases.

• When taking home a baby who has not passed the socialization stage, owners often encounter inappropriate behavior of the future pet. The kitten shows aggression towards members of the household, does not make contact, and does not know how to play. A baby separated from its mother early cannot get along with other animals and reacts incorrectly to danger. An unpleasant moment for the owner may be the fact that the fluffy ball does not caress, but attacks, tears up furniture, etc. This behavior is due to the fact that the weaning occurred too early, and the cat did not have time to teach its offspring the rules of good manners and adequate behavior in society.

Experienced and responsible breeders advise future owners what time they can pick up a kitten from a cat, guided by knowledge of physiology and developmental characteristics. Most of them agree that the best age for weaning and starting independent life in a new home is 2.5 - 3 months. By this moment, all body systems have fully developed, the animal has strong immunity, character traits and temperament can be traced. The kitten is adapted to the environment and understands how to behave in the family and with other animals.

Cat behavior after weaning

The period when the time has come to give up kittens from a cat is difficult and sometimes painful for both the baby and the caring mother. To minimize the stress of separation, knowledgeable breeders prepare their pets for separation in advance. Kittens begin to be left in a room separate from their mother, gradually reducing the time the animals spend together. As a rule, young animals quickly get used to this situation, and if weaning occurs in a timely manner, the babies adapt well to the new environment.

Furry pets have gained great authority throughout the history of mankind. They were the subject of worship in Egypt, personifying the goddess of love among the Vikings. But cats were admired not only for their natural attractiveness, because they were also excellent hunters of mice and rats. Thanks to this ability, furry pets have taken root in Europe.

In the Middle Ages, the British and other European peoples believed that cats were companions of witches, and they began to destroy them. The event became one of the reasons for the emergence of the plague: after all, there was no one to kill infectious rodents.

Gradually, the authority of pets has been revived, and now they are found in almost every home. At what age are kittens taken from a cat, what breeds are pets, what is their cost and the peculiarities of upbringing - all this is described below.

When is the best time to take a kitten away from a cat?

People have different opinions on this matter. Some say that this does not matter, because if desired, even a newborn kitten can be fed with cow's milk; some argue that you should definitely wait until the age reaches 1-2 months. Who is right?

Professional cat breeders say that the optimal period when a kitten can be taken away from a cat is 3-6 weeks. At this time, newborns already open their eyes, begin to move independently and eat the food of an adult cat mother. A parent must raise mischievous children well, teach them her secrets, and pass on what she was once taught. Without such supervision, the kitten may remain stupid, it will be impossible to train him to the litter box, and there is a high probability that he will be wild.

Veterinarians agree with this opinion. It doesn’t matter how long after you can take kittens away from your cat. If the baby is already able to fully support himself and has received initial education from his mother, then the rest is up to the owner. It is possible to instill in a kitten at the age of 1-1.5 months all the necessary habits: teach how to use a litter box, develop the habit of eating the same food, not climbing on the table, etc.

At one month of age, the kitten is poorly developed physically. He is still hesitantly taking his first steps and mastering the world around him. At this age, the baby is just beginning to gradually get used to other foods. He is still too small and not independent. A one-month-old kitten is not able to take care of itself - lick itself and wash itself.

An important moment in a kitten’s life is weaning it from natural feeding. At this time, he especially needs his mother's presence. A sudden interruption of feeding with mother's milk leads to a shock to the nervous system and physical breakdown of the baby's still fragile body. Also in this case there is a high risk of contracting infectious diseases.

2 Two month old pet

At two months of age, the cub gains strength and becomes stronger. He is already eating on his own, but his immune system is not yet fully strengthened. During this period of the kitten's life, it is necessary to vaccinate it. It is still important for him to be close to his mother cat in order to gain a certain amount of antibodies for immunity, which he receives with milk.

A caring mother raises and instills personal hygiene skills in her cubs. Kittens learn to use a tray and a scratching post, because at this age they willingly repeat everything after their mother.

Early separation from the cat mother has a negative impact on the emotional and mental state of the baby. In the future, he becomes fearful and skittish, or, conversely, angry and wary. This behavior, which is unusual for cats, is associated with a disturbance in the animal’s mental state. All negative consequences occur as a result of early removal of the cub from the mother.

There are often cases when future owners cannot wait to pick up the pet they like, and the breeder gives away the small animal at the age of 4–8 weeks. After some time, the new owners return the tiny baby back with complaints of diarrhea, runny nose or inept use of the litter box. A frightened kitten, returning home, remains in a state of severe stress for a long time.

He feels unprotected and tries to hide in dark corners and inaccessible places. The mother cat herself often does not perceive her cub and hisses and sniffs him with suspicion. It’s good if the cat accepts him back into the family, but there are times when she simply rejects the baby, dooming him to loneliness.

Optimal timing

However, cat breeders claim that kittens can only be taken away from a cat after they are 45 days old. It is by this age that the mother cat almost completely weans her offspring from the breast, and the babies are able to take solid food on their own. The one-and-a-half-month-old kitten has already learned the basics of social adaptation: he realized his hierarchical place in the cat family and learned not to be afraid of humans.

At the same time, a weaned kitten partially loses its immunity. Protection against such dangerous diseases as rhinotracheitis, calcivirus, panleukopenia and others can be provided by vaccination, which is carried out at the age of 16 weeks.

If a kitten is taken not only as a pet, but also for active participation in exhibitions and competitions, then breeders recommend being patient and waiting until the kitten is 6-8 months old. Staying with his mother all this time, the future champion, under her guidance, will learn many useful skills: use a tray and scratching post, understand basic commands.

A kitten at three months of age becomes strong, strong and healthy. By this time he had received the necessary vaccinations and his immune system had transformed. There are no more problems with feeding - he has been weaned off his mother's milk and can eat solid food. The baby has settled down and is ready for a new life. Kittens at the age of three months adapt well to a new environment and feel confident in communicating with people.

You can give a kitten to a new home if it:

• Weaned off mother's milk and eating solid food on his own.
• Skillfully uses a tray, is accustomed to a scratching post and licks himself independently.
• Received the necessary vaccinations. In this case, he will already have a well-developed immune system, which will reduce the risk of various infections and diseases.
• It has a high level of adaptation to the environment - it easily contacts people and reacts adequately to proximity to other pets.

No one can give a 100% guarantee that even a three-month-old baby will settle down without problems in the home of its new owners. The hardest thing for him is to get used to and get comfortable in an unfamiliar environment. It all depends on the people, because they will have to become the parents of this baby. And in order for a small pet to quickly get used to a new home and family, the owners need to give it the maximum amount of attention, love, tenderness and care.

What to feed

If the baby has not reached the age when the kitten can be taken away from the cat, then it will have to be fed with something similar to mother’s milk. This can be cow, goat or other types, as well as infant formula. To do this, you will need a bottle with a nipple, like for a child, or a regular pipette.

After some time, the kitten will begin to sniff at foreign odors: meat, eggs, soup, etc. When an interest in something other than milk appears, you can try to gradually give it cheese, cottage cheese, boiled meat and other dietary products that will not spoil the baby's stomach. It is important that the food is not too hard or large. It's better to cut it into small pieces.

Veterinarians speak very negatively about artificial food for kittens, for example, Whiskas, Kitikat and others. They spoil the baby’s fragile body. Therefore, whether it is worth starting to give the animal food, even if it has already reached the age when the kitten can be taken away from the cat, everyone must decide for themselves.

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How to educate

In the first days of a baby's life in a new place, he needs to be closely monitored and cared for. Food should be fresh and suitable for his age. If it is planned that the pet will be exclusively indoors, without going outside, he needs to master the litter box. At what month you take the kitten away from the cat is not so important, the main thing is to show what can and cannot be done.

Often, furry mischief-makers climb onto the table, not knowing that this is a forbidden area. Such antics must be stopped, otherwise in the future you will become the owner of an ill-mannered animal.

Otherwise, as you know, a cat is a free animal, so trying to change its character traits is useless. The wild beauty will not become more affectionate if you scold her for every bite and hiss. This way you will simply lose her trust.

To help your kitten master the litter box faster, there are special liquid sprays that help with this. They have an aroma similar to cat urine, and if you spray it a little in the toilet area, the pet will smell the familiar smell and will go there when needed.

Many people want to take a small kitten into their home - an 8-week-old, or even a 6-week-old. In this case, as a rule, they refer to their own successful experience or the experience of friends. There is nothing strange in such a desire - little kittens are adorable, everyone wants to play with them and see how they develop every day. However, not everyone thinks that taking a kitten away from a cat at such an early age is dangerous for health and even life, not to mention the stress that the baby will receive. It is at the age when many kittens are adopted that immunity is established and changes occur in the mental and physical development of the animal.

At what age can kittens be given away?

Only by 12 weeks is the kitten more or less ready to leave its mother cat and begin an independent life with its owner. At this time, the immunity that the baby receives from mother's milk declines. Immunity begins to develop after vaccinations, which means that the baby can now do without the mother’s breast and is somewhat stronger. Earlier weaning risks diseases, including such common ones for kittens as diarrhea and respiratory diseases, accompanied by frequent sneezing.

If the kitten has already been vaccinated (the first vaccinations are against panleukopenia, calcivirus and rhinotracheitis), this does not mean that the kitten will now not succumb to these diseases. There is no immunity yet until repeated vaccination. And some cats also need later vaccination - at 16 weeks, and not at 12, as usual. In addition, the kitten must be well physically developed and gain weight - then it will be easier to bear separation from its mother and moving to a new home.

There are also problems that arise if you take a kitten too early. An important stage in the life of a cat cub is weaning from the mother's breast. No one will do this as correctly, carefully and firmly as the cat mother herself. If weaning is not done correctly, serious behavioral problems can be expected in the future. A sudden change in diet also negatively affects the baby’s body - the resulting diarrhea (diarrhea) is a consequence of poor nutrition and the cause of dehydration, which poses a real threat to life.

Among other things, the kitten also learns how to use the litter box from its mother. It is not easy for a person to accustom him to this, but the kitten happily copies the mother’s behavior.

The kitten's behavior and emotional state can be greatly disturbed if the kitten is separated from its mother early. It is the mother who teaches her cub to communicate with other animals, to “talk” in cat language. If you deprive a kitten of these first lessons, he may become intimidated, timid, insecure, even cowardly or, conversely, inexplicably aggressive. In a word, the psyche will be upset. Older kittens adapt much better to a new environment, and they experience curiosity rather than fear towards their owner, since they have already received their first lessons from their mother and feel some self-confidence.

In the company of its mother, the kitten is not afraid to meet a person. He sees that the mother is not afraid of people and also does not feel afraid of them. If new people appear in a kitten’s life without a mother, while he has not yet had time to fully get used to them, he may be afraid of them all his life. Something like a phobia develops - a person in a tie or sunglasses may seem very scary to the animal if such people have never appeared with the mother.

So, the optimal age when you can take a kitten from a cat to a new home is about three months. Occasionally - earlier, if the kitten is developed, active, playful and has no health problems.

What is he like, a kitten at three months old?

• Firstly, he is most likely weaned from his mother's breast. This means there are no problems with feeding, he can eat solid food.
• Secondly, the kitten's immune system is fine. The necessary vaccinations are behind us, and the risk of various diseases is sharply reduced.
• Thirdly, the kitten is ready to communicate with people and other animals (this is very important if there are already cats and dogs in the house).

Of course, everyone wants to see the development of a baby kitten literally from the first steps, to observe this defenselessness and the formation of character. But over time, the kitten will turn into a cat, whose behavior and health will largely depend on what happened to it at an early age. Therefore, it is better to overcome the desire to take a very small kitten into your home. Let him spend a couple of extra months with his mother, where he is warm, calm and comfortable. In this case, there is a greater chance that the cat and the owner will not have any particular problems. She will be cheerful, healthy, playful, confident and always ready to give a person joy and her friendship.

Therefore, the future owner needs to be patient - a month or two of waiting is not such an expensive price to pay for a dozen happy years.