When can a Kitten Leave its Mother?
It is often claimed that kittens can be removed from their mother when they are 8 weeks old – but 8 weeks with their mother should be seen as a minimum. It is better if the kittens remain with their mothers until they are 10 weeks, or even longer; some suggest until they are 12-13 weeks. In the wild / feral cats leave their kittens when they are about 12 weeks old.
Why is time with Mother important?
At 10 weeks the kitten’s ears and eyes are fully developed. Interaction with mother and siblings at this stage means that the kitten will learn how to play, how to clean itself, and how to interact with its environment in general (including how to interact with humans). Mothers milk during the first 8 weeks is important because of its nutrition value, but also because of its antibodies.
What if a Kitten is separated from its Mother too early?
If taken from their mother too early, kittens may be prone to illness, developmental and behavioral problems. Both the nutrition and the antibodies from the mother’s milk protect the kitten from illness and developmental problems.
Behavioral problems include aggression, fear, litter box issues. The problems may manifest because kittens learn from the mothers, for example, how to groom themselves, how to behave with people and strangers and in different situation; they pick up social cues by observing their mother.
How to act if your cat was separated from its Mother too early?
Be patient with you cat. If the kitten is just a few weeks old, the best option is to find a cat that recently had kittens, as a foster mum. Mothers’ milk is ideal. With no foster mum, seek the advice of a veterinarian on nutrition. The kitten needs to be kept warm. Make sure that you stimulate and interact with the kitten a lot; play with it – you take the socializing role of its mother and siblings, teaching social skills and indicating limits.