When Can Newborn Kittens Leave Their Mother
First of all there is no set age on when the separation should be done.
When can newborn kittens leave their mother. Answered august 11 2018 author has 106 answers and 69 4k answer views new mommas brand new usually don t leave their kittens sometimes a few days. Until this age kittens get all the nutrition they need from their mother s milk although they may start tasting their mother s food at four weeks old. Kittens can leave their mother by the eighth week and by this time they would have developed socially physically and emotionally. 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.
The perfect age seems to be between eight and twelve weeks. That clever lady mother nature has designed cat mommies to encourage her kittens to leave the nest so that she can get busy with the next lot. However a kitten is typically ready to leave his mother at about 8 to 12 weeks of age. The time varies from one kitten to another since several factors come to play.
By the way don t worry about mommy being upset when her babies leave. Kittens are generally ready to leave their mother and start eating regular food at about eight weeks of age. This way you ensure they re getting proper medical treatment and socialization. At this point she is nursing the kittens for shorter lengths of time.
But at this age they still have valuable skills to learn and they also have to receive their first vaccinations. While some kittens can go home earlier the closer you wait until 12 or 13 weeks the better off the kitten will be. Eventually mom will leave just long enough to take care of their basic needs potty eating then they return right away to tend the little ones. That will help them live a long and happy life in the future.
When in doubt keep them with their mothers as long as possible. Most people agree that at least 8 weeks is the minimum age that kittens can leave their mothers. So the best time for them to be separated from their mother is at 12 weeks. Even if you re hand raising the kittens no mother is around you should still wait 8 weeks before giving them away.
Six weeks is the optimal age to take the kittens from the mother for socialization and adoption placement kittens under 4 weeks of age should stay with their mom so they get proper nutrients to survive and be healthy. By the time the kittens are 3 weeks old they are not quite as dependent on mom.