How Long After Birth Can Kittens Leave Their Mother

By waiting until the kitten is 12 14 weeks old you will have minimized the risk for health and behavioral issues and maximized the chance for getting a healthy and happy cat.

How long after birth can kittens leave their mother. Laws about how early you can sell kittens vary so check your state s laws. While most kittens are weaned by 8 10 weeks most experts recommend leaving kittens with their littermates until 12 13 weeks so they can be properly socialized. Their mother will nurse them teach them to eliminate and help them learn valuable socializing skills. By the time the kittens are 3 weeks old they are not quite as dependent on mom.

Mommy cat may spend a little longer away from the kittens exploring a bit or finding you for a bit of cuddling before returning to her maternal responsibilities. At this point she is nursing the kittens for shorter lengths of time. This is because they will need to stay with their mother to feed on her nutritious milk as well as stay with their siblings to learn valuable social skills. The time varies from one kitten to another since several factors come to play.

Let the mother cat set the pace for your attention. The first two to three weeks are the most crucial for a mother cat and her newborn kittens. The kittens will benefit from staying with their mother for as long as possible. Wait until the kittens are 8 weeks old before giving them away.

However a kitten is typically ready to leave his mother at about 8 to 12 weeks of age. The kittens should be developing rapidly and if the mother is going to have any postpartum problems it will happen during that period. The best time to separate a kitten from their mother and siblings is when they are 12 13 weeks old. More specifically there are three main reasons for our 12 14 week recommendation.

While some kittens can go home earlier the closer you wait until 12 or 13 weeks the better off the kitten will be. Ideally kittens should go to their new home around 12 weeks of age. If she has been your pet for a while she may welcome your visits. Expect to separate the kittens from their mother when they are around 12 weeks old.