Socialization of Kittens

Unlike dogs, cats are a species that is much less sociable. Cats exhibit far less social behavior and far less dependence than dogs. Because of this independence, many people consider cats to be antisocial animals, but this is, of course, nonsense. The social organization of any animal species is generally very complex. This is certainly true for cats as well. Cats’ social interactions are therefore often misunderstood and oversimplified!

Early experiences and impressions are also very important for the development of adult behavior in kittens. We will discuss the socialization of kittens below.

Compared to puppies, kittens develop more quickly. Their eyes and ears mature earlier, allowing them to take in their surroundings at a younger age. A kitten’s brain reaches full capacity by five weeks of age. Although their sensory abilities develop fairly quickly, motor development takes longer. Skills such as climbing trees, catching prey, and running fast take more time to develop. Furthermore, the kitten does not yet have enough experience to survive on its own. One of the most important ways to gain this experience is by learning from its mother. The time a mother cat spends raising her kittens is long, especially compared to a female dog; therefore, kittens need plenty of time to learn from their mother. Kittens’ development depends on a constant interaction between mother and kittens, which begins around the time of birth. Many of the behavioral patterns that develop in kittens are closely linked to nursing from their mother.

Immediately after birth, the mother cat licks the kittens thoroughly. This stimulates their breathing and likely strengthens the mother-kitten bond. Nursing begins within an hour of birth. The mother cat signals when it’s time to nurse; this continues throughout the first 3 weeks. The mother “tucks” the kittens in, as it were: she lies down with them and, by moving her front paws backward and her hind paws forward, sweeps them up against her belly, where the kittens feel their way to the nipples; smell also plays a role here, as kittens quickly develop a keen sense of smell. Kittens usually nurse from the same nipple. This reduces competition among them and stimulates milk production.

Between 20 and 30 days of age, the kittens usually signal when they’re ready to be fed. Their eyes and ears are now fully functional, allowing them to leave the nest and seek out their mother. The mother cat usually cooperates by lying down immediately. After 30 days of age, the kittens always initiate feeding. The kittens follow their mother more and more often, and as they get older, the mother begins to avoid them more.

During the first few days after birth, social interactions between the kittens and their mother are strongly influenced by the kittens’ strong preference for one specific spot in the nest—namely, the spot where there was a lot of amniotic fluid and placental fluid. If the nest has been thoroughly cleaned after birth, this is of course not the case, but we are now discussing the natural course of events. Just a few hours after birth, both contact with the mother and the scents of this spot have a soothing effect on the kittens. At first, the kitten seeks out this corner using its sense of smell. If a kitten is placed outside this spot, it will crawl around until it picks up the right scent, and then crawl back to that corner. This urge to return to one specific spot keeps the litter together and prevents them from straying.

As soon as kittens start leaving the nest, we also see play behavior emerge. At first, the kittens bite and “claw” at each other. Then comes chasing and fighting. The behavior a kitten exhibits when playing with a ball or a toy is hunting play. You often see kittens jumping into the air and “catching something” that isn’t actually there, or chasing after something on the ground that isn’t there either. It’s as if they’re hallucinating. Through this type of play, the kitten learns about its surroundings. Playing with other kittens helps them develop social bonds. Play is extremely important in a kitten’s development. If kittens are deprived of this opportunity, you’ll often see behavioral problems later in life, particularly related to anxiety and normal learning ability. In addition to developing social bonds with their littermates, kittens also begin to form attachments to people. Although it is not as obvious as with puppies, there also appears to be a critical period for socialization with humans in kittens. This period lasts from four to eight weeks of age.

Regularly picking up and playing with young kittens encourages the socialization process between the kitten and humans. By cuddling a kitten a lot, you’ll end up with a cat that “listens” better (as far as cats do). Picking them up and petting them has a calming effect on the young animal and teaches it not to resist being held. It’s important for a kitten to interact with as many people as possible. This helps them be much less fearful of strangers as adult cats. During the critical period, it’s also important for them to get to know children. Adult cats that have never been around children between the ages of 5 and 9 weeks are often aggressive toward them later on and are therefore not suitable as pets in a family with children.

Socializing kittens with people before they are 5 to 9 weeks old can have undesirable side effects. Cats that are removed from their litter too early often become overly attached to people later on and frequently have problems getting along with other cats. Female cats raised in this way often lack maternal instincts when they have kittens and may even become aggressive toward their own kittens.

We see the same thing in cats that were bottle-fed from the time they were kittens. Someone who has managed to raise a kitten entirely on a bottle usually becomes very attached to that little animal. Unfortunately, these cats are often unsuitable as pets later on. They frequently become aggressive, always have trouble getting along with other cats, and are often more susceptible to all kinds of illnesses.

It is of the utmost importance to place kittens in their permanent homes at the right age. The best age is somewhere between 8 and 12 weeks. Kittens placed after 12 weeks—and who have only been socialized with other cats—often have difficulty adjusting to people and are therefore often unmanageable. People on farms often know that kittens that haven’t been handled before weaning are usually downright afraid of people. They are feral and completely unsuitable as pets. If they end up in someone’s hands, they are usually very aggressive and can even be dangerous!

Just like young puppies, young kittens also explore their new home. A young cat, too, must learn what it should and shouldn’t do. It must follow certain rules in the house; contrary to what many people think, a cat can learn—and unlearn—quite a few things, provided it has had a normal upbringing and proper socialization!