How Young Can A Kitten Leave Its Mother

Birth 4 weeks old.

How young can a kitten leave its mother. In this animalwised article we re going to explain how soon kittens can leave their mother as well as the reasons behind. But when cats are kept as pets this is the typical process. In general kittens should remain with comforting sweet mommy until at least weaning age. Benefits of staying with the mother and siblings.

During this time the kittens will still occasionally nurse on their mother but they will also start to eat liquid kitten food. Kittens depend on their mother s milk to grow into strong healthy cats. Until they are about 4 weeks old the kittens are completely dependant on their mother. Even though kittens are relatively independent by 8 10 weeks and can survive without their mother.

In this article we cover in great detail each factor that will determine the ability of the kitten to lead a normal life in the absence of his mother and littermates. A kitten should stay with his mother until a minimum of 10 weeks but preferably 12 weeks. Expect to separate the kittens from their mother when they are around 12 weeks old. After all the bond between the mother and kittens is a strong one not to mention the deep connection between litter mates.

Lacking sufficient antibodies in his system he may not develop or grow at a normal rate. However before separating a kitten from their mother we must take certain factors into consideration so they can have the best physical and psychological development. If it was the runt of the litter then it should stay to 7 wks. Socialization is the process whereby kittens explore their surroundings and accept what they find as normal.

This process could take from a few months up to a year and would be the natural way for a kitten to be separated from its mother. Without his mother s milk a kitten may be at an increased risk of getting sick and being underweight. But i have raised kittens and they are able to leave their mothers at 6 weeks old. Separating kittens from their trusted mother cat definitely is not always the easiest experience.

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. The kittens will benefit from staying with their mother for as long as possible. Laws about how early you can sell kittens vary so check your state s laws. Their mother will nurse them teach them to eliminate and help them learn valuable socializing skills.

We have collected all the information you need to know about kittens between the time of their birth to the time when they are considered ready to leave their mother for your perusal. The liquid kitten food should gradually get thicker until it is a watered down canned kitten food or a moistened kitten kibble. Many people prefer to adopt a kitten so they can get used to living in their new home from a young age. The weaning process usually continues for about another month until the kittens are fully weaned between eight and 10 weeks of age.