When can kittens leave their mommy?

I have three kittens that turned 7 weeks this past Sunday. At what point can they go to different homes? Also, should I take any steps in the meantime to make the transition for the kittens and the mommy easier, such as trying to separate them for certain periods of the day?

Thanks!

If at all possible, kittens should be with their mom until 12 weeks of age. Some breeders would say longer. This is not just because of food and weaning, but moms teach their kittens all kinds of socialising behaviour and manners that makes them into well balanced adult cats. Cats taken away early can exhibit childish and unsocial behaviours like inappropriarte litterbox use, oral fixations, and lack of confidence that make them difficult to train as adult cats in a new home.

Originally Posted by hotdog

I have three kittens that turned 7 weeks this past Sunday. At what point can they go to different homes? Also, should I take any steps in the meantime to make the transition for the kittens and the mommy easier, such as trying to separate them for certain periods of the day?

Thanks!

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I would definately wait until the kittens are between 10-12 weeks of age. If at all possible, see about getting these kittens spayed/neutered before they go into homes. At 7 weeks, they are due for their first feline distemper shot and worming. You should ask your vet if they can also perform pediatric spaying/neutering. Also, now is the time to arrange mom's spay for when the kittens leave for their new homes. And always remember to charge an adoption fee.

Katie

Ideal time to leave is 10-12 weeks - nicer to wait even till 14-16 weeks. I'd let them stay with mom for how ever long they want. As long as they are eating solid foods and drinking water, they will be fine to hang around mom.

Its important for them to have sibling social time and to learn "cat rules" from adult cats. Plus YOU can teach them some house rules - like litter pan and scratching post.

Easing the transition:

Find adopters for them now, while they are young. Have those people visit for a while until the kits are about 12 weeks old; that way the kittens are used to their new owners at least a little. And you get the benefit of getting to know the people who will adopt the little ones.

Another benefit of waiting until 12-ish weeks: You can spay/neuter the kittens; get a vet who does pediatric spay/neuter. That way your adoption fee can pay for the spay/neuter, and the new owner doesn't have to worry about it, nor be annoyed that s/he is paying a fee to adopt non-purebred kittens (or, even worse, worrying that you're trying to make money off the kittens, which of course you're not).

Send their old food and litter with them; also a towel or blanket that's been in their cage, for familiar smells.

I agree with 12 weeks, at least. By then, mama-kitty has weaned them, and is grateful for the break. And the kittens do seem to grow up into such calm, confident cats without the annoying habit of suckling objects as adults.

Thanks for all of the advice. I am going to keep them until right before Thanksgiving. I can't keep them any longer because we are going out of town. They will be 12 weeks old. A nice lady has agreed to adopt 2 of the kittens. Now I am hoping someone will adopt the other kitten with the mommy. They are all so sweet. We are really going to miss them.

I'd post some pictures, but I can't figure out how to do it!!!

I read once in a book that age doesn't really determine when a kitten is ready to go to a new home. The author said that some kittens can be ready to go to new homes as early as 8 weeks while others aren't ready til 16 weeks. He said that one major thing to look for is how the kittens sleep. If they usually sleep together in a bundle ot with their mother then they are not ready to go. However, if they usually sleep seperately then that is a sign that they are dependent enough to go to a new home.

It made a lot of sense. I have had 2 litters. With the first one there were 4 kittens, 1 male and 3 females. The male was already spoken for so I was just waiting for him to "mature" enough. Sure enough, around 10-11 weeks he started sleeping seperate from the others and preffered to play alone or with people rather than his siblings. He also had learned to answer to his own name and very rarely nursed.

Anyways, to sum things up, I think its better to wait until the kitten shows that it is ready for a new home rather than just waiting for it to turn a certain age.

While 8 week old kittens might be physically capable of leaving, its been proven (with mixed and pedigree) that 12 weeks is better - physically AND more important mentally.

Seems that most problems with litter pan, feeding, some socialization, and the annoying suckling behavior has been from kittens that were placed before 10 weeks old (or orphans).

We placed Ling's siblings when they were 12 weeks old - they were still very cute and playful.

I got Radar at 8.5 weeks. We have no litterbox problems, but he has not learned that suckling is something that really isn't comfortable for the suckee when the sucker has such big fangs. He also has no manners, it's like his mum never told him 'no' to anything, which of course is because he could have done with another couple of weeks to learn more from her. He is lovely mind you, just no manners.

12 - 16 weeks for me! Then I'm sure the kitts have had their shots, dewormed twice, socialised and litter box trained.