Is early separation from the mother harmful?

Kittens can be physically and mentally damaged by being separated from Their Mother too soon. "Operations" should not be performed before eight weeks, and even that is early. Kittens need to learn bite inhibition and how to use the litter box from Momma. I recall a litter I let go at six weeks in 2020. Those cats show fear aggression still.

Mother cats provide vital education via experience. They groom properly, eat properly, and so on. Kittens soon learn what their boundaries are and to be cautious with each other through the mother's gentle paw corrections. Orphans are deprived of these lessons. I provide some compensation through my 'kitten school' handling sessions, which simulate a small portion of this maternal interaction. Nothing can replace it, of course, but it takes the edge off of it somewhat.

Use protocols for gradual separation as needed. Start at five weeks of age with hourly separations, increasing these slowly once a day over a period of three weeks. It's rare that a frightened or traumatized animal responds well to a person. All my kittens learn best on this system. Never separate an animal from its mother or siblings.

Orphaned kittens need to be compensated for their lack of socialisation, so I handle them six times a day for fifteen minutes. During this time, we play with feathered fish and listen to the sounds of the household. I try to pair orphans with similar-aged litters when time permits, for the sake of both their learning feline language and to reduce their loneliness.

Never let any of your kittens go before eight weeks. Sickening thought when kittens pack trash into the corner! Even a sick kitten is better off with SOME of its mother, and I have kept a runty kitten with the mother until ten weeks, and it turned out all right. It is the time that, if missed, makes the kitten a family pet.

Read the full article: Kitten Weaning Age: 3 to 8 Weeks Guide