Age and Personality?

ibelonginthezoo

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At what age do cats show what personality their going to have? I know that kittens have a personality, but its still developing. At what age is it set or begining to set?

My family is going to adopt 2 cats tomorrow and we want them to have a very loving and friendly disposition. We also want them to be good with small children and other animals.
 

strange_wings

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I could be wrong, but I'm going to say when they would start showing some of their personality around the age they reach sexual maturity. Obviously for spayed and neutered cats it would change that a bit.
I've noticed Tomas began to act more cat like around 7 - 8 months, by this I mean he stopped charging right into a situation with typical kitten bravado (he started to think a little first
) and didn't want to be snuggled as much.
Of course it depends on the cat too.
Sho, though nearly five now, still has the kitten naivety.
Also, in the past I've noticed outdoor and indoor/outdoor cats seem to mature a little more quickly too.
Originally Posted by IBelongInTheZoo

My family is going to adopt 2 cats tomorrow and we want them to have a very loving and friendly disposition. We also want them to be good with small children and other animals.
If they can go with an older kitten, or even better a youngish cat (1-5 years) they'd probably be luckier at getting the personality they expect. Just on size alone, tiny kittens are not a good choice if young children will be around or dogs.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Fostermomm

Kittens start to show the personality they will have as adults at around 4-5 months.
Really? At that age Tomas was clingy and insecure. I worried for a while that I'd wake up one morning to discover that he'd found a way to attach himself to me at the hip.
 

fostermomm

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Really? At that age Tomas was clingy and insecure. I worried for a while that I'd wake up one morning to discover that he'd found a way to attach himself to me at the hip.
LOL some cats take longer but thats generally a pretty good time to tell. We tell most people who ask us which kitten is the sweetest that if they want to be fairly sure about the personality of the kitten they are getting is to pick one of the older kittens. Like my current 3 4 month old foster kittens have always been rediculesly wild. Jayce was always the sweetest most cuddly of the kittens. Never had to get onto him. He was just perfect. Kane was the wild man never wanted to sit still always into something. Over the past few weeks theyve totally had a turn around. Theyve switched personalities on me. But in the rescue I foster for that seems to be pretty accurate. 4-5 months.
 

sharky

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Kandie was born with hers


Zoey is still developing at 3.5 yrs
 

kitytize

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Cats reach social maturity between 2-4 years.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by SwampWitch

Do you know how kittens eyes have that round, sort of glazed, wide-eyed look? I've found as their personality developes, their eyes get a soulful look, too.
Are you sure you don't mean mischievous look?
 
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