When Can Kittens Leave The Mother Cat

During their first few days of life not only are the kittens both blind and deaf but they are dependent on their mom to regulate their body temperatures for food and even for stimulation to be able to potty.

When can kittens leave the mother cat. The time varies from one kitten to another since several factors come to play. 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. Why the wait is necessary. How long a mother cat can be away from her kittens depends on their age.

The next month of life is still full of essentials for a growing kitten even if it isn t consuming its mother s milk all of the time. During the first week of life mommy cat will leave her babies for only a few brief times each day. First of all there is no set age on when the separation should be done. This is because they will need to stay with their mother to feed on her nutritious milk as well as stay with their siblings to learn valuable social skills.

The best time to separate a kitten from their mother and siblings is when they are 12 13 weeks old. Expect to separate the kittens from their mother when they are around 12 weeks old. This does not mean that this is the time that the kittens can go home though. Newborn kittens need their mother full time because they re born deaf blind and unable to move.

Despite this however you should ensure that the earliest your kitten leaves its mother is 4 weeks old. Mother cats will typically start to wean their kittens off their milk at one month of age. Most mothers don t leave the nest for the first few days unless they have to feed or go to the bathroom. However a kitten is typically ready to leave his mother at about 8 to 12 weeks of age.