How to Get Kittens from Mama Cat (When They're Ready)

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Plus, learn expert tips for safely re-homing the kittens
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If your cat has kittens and you're planning on sending them to a new home, or if you're adopting a kitten, you’ll want to ensure that everyone involved—the kitten, the mother cat, the new owner, and their old cat—feel safe and happy. Come with us as we explain how to help the kitten and its mother make it smoothly through the separation , weaning , and rehoming process, backed by expert tips from cat behaviorists Jessica Char and Carrie Seay and cat care specialist Rita Reimers!

When can kittens leave their mother?

According to cat care specialist Rita Reimers, kittens can leave their mother when they're 8 weeks old (and no sooner). By week 12, their mother is weaning them off her milk and leaving them alone more often. They're also becoming more independent and using a litter box, so 12 weeks is a good time to rehome them.

Section 1 of 5:

Preparing a Kitten for Separation

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  1. The earliest kittens should be separated from their mother is 8 weeks – and "no sooner," according to Reimers. [1] Many experts also recommend leaving kittens with their littermates until 10-12 weeks so they can be properly socialized. Socialization is the process whereby kittens explore their surroundings and accept what they find as normal. They also learn important skills, like how to use the litter box. [2]
    • You'll know a kitten is ready to re-home around 12 weeks when they're confident, playful, and enjoy independent activities like exploring the house or hunting toys.
    • If they're rehomed too early (before 8 weeks), the kitten is more likely to be fearful and hide from their new owner.
  2. Kittens learn to use the litter pan at different rates, but most will have learned this skill from their mother by 12 weeks. [3] Watch the kitten to make sure they use the litter box properly before you adopt them out.
    EXPERT TIP

    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian

    Pippa Elliott, a licensed veterinarian, suggests: "Make changes gradually, which includes moving from the birthplace to a new home. Be sure to send the kitten to their new owner with some of the food and cat litter it is used to. Avoid making too many changes at once."

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  3. Kittens learn a lot about their environment by scent. They recognize their mother, littermates, and nest by smell. Use this fact to ease the kitten's transition into their new home by having the new owner provide you with an old T-shirt that smells like them. Put the t-shirt in the kitten's bed or favorite space to help them get used to their scent.
    • This way, when the kitten moves to their new home, they'll already be familiar with one of the scents and immediately feel more comfortable.
  4. Likewise, if the home already has a cat, give them a piece of bedding with the kitten’s smell on it and vice versa. This step lets the cats swap scents before setting eyes on each other. This will start to diffuse potential tension between the two animals. [4]
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Section 2 of 5:

Weaning a Kitten

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  1. Kittens need to be weaned off their mother’s milk and onto solid foods before adoption for their health. It also helps them avoid bad habits like "wool sucking," where cat’s chew and suck on things like fabric. The mother cat will wean her kittens on her own, usually by 8-10 weeks. If you're adopting a kitten before then, though, you'll need to accelerate the weaning process: [5]
  2. At 4 weeks, it's normal for the mother cat to start leaving her kitten alone for longer and longer periods of time. [6] If that's not possible due to the small space you're keeping them in, start the process yourself by putting the kitten in another room away from her mother. Keep them in there for a few minutes at a time to start, then slowly work up to a few hours as they and the mother cat get more comfortable with being separated.
    • Place a litter box, food, and water bowl in the room with the kitten.
  3. Put your finger just below the surface of a bowl of kitten milk replacer . The kitten will attempt to suckle your finger, but then find it (instinctively) easier to lap at your finger, rather than suck. [7]
    • Avoid giving them cow’s milk, as it can upset their digestive system.
  4. Introduce solid food to the kitten's diet. Once the kitten can lap up milk, introduce them to moist solid foods. Start with a gruel-like consistency and slowly remove moisture until by 8-10 weeks, the kitten is eating dry food (formulated for kittens). [8]
    • To make the gruel, mix dry or canned kitten food with milk replacer until it reaches the consistency of oatmeal.
    • Each day, gradually decrease the amount of milk replacer until by week 6, the food is only lightly moistened.
    • Sometime between weeks 8 and 10, the kitten should be eating dry food.
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Section 3 of 5:

Helping the Mother Cat Manage Separation

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  1. The mother cat’s milk supply dries up on its own, but only at a slow, gradual pace. If you take all her kittens away at once, her mammary glands may become painfully engorged. Instead, take them one at a time over several days. [9]
  2. Nature programs the mother to make her kittens independent to survive. As part of this process, according to Char, she'll start to physically distance herself from her kittens to make them stand on their own 4 paws. [10] Re-homing the kittens just speeds up that process.
    • Give the mother cat lots of love and treats (if she's open to affection) to help her feel safe as she finds herself more and more alone.
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Section 4 of 5:

Introducing the Kitten to Its New Home

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  1. Arrange ahead of time to take a towel or blanket your new kitten slept on from their old home. Having a familiar scent will make the adjustment much easier. Use this blanket or towel in the carrier on the way home and leave it there for your cat to sleep on. [11]
  2. The carrier will keep your kitten safe and help him/her feel more secure. Place a towel in the carrier for warmth and to absorb urine in case of an accident. [12]
    • Don’t use another pet’s carrier, as the smell of another animal can be stressful to the kitten.
  3. According to Seay, "Setting up your environment is going to be the best thing that [you] can do" to make your new kitten comfortable. [13] Provide your kitten with their own small room or space. It should be quiet and out of the way. The space should have a bed, water, kitten food, a litter box, scratching post, and safe toys.
    • Whether you use a cardboard box or a bed purchased from a pet store, consider lining it with an old sweatshirt so your kitten can grow accustomed to your scent.
    • Seay recommends giving your kitten plenty of high, vertical spaces to perch on, such as cat trees, as well as hiding places on the ground. Boxes are great (and cheap) options! But avoid giving her human furniture such as couches and beds to hide on, if possible. These are areas "where if there was an emergency, [you] wouldn't be able to easily get them out," says Seay. [14]
    • Set the food and water bowl in a separate part of the room than the litter box so there's no cross-contamination.
  4. Place their carrier in the room, open the door, and let them come out when she’s ready. Leave the carrier in the room as another hiding place.
  5. You'll likely want to hold and pet your kitten continuously, but don’t! They need time to adjust to their new environment, including the people in it. Introduce one family member at a time, and take it slow, letting your kitten come to you. [15]
    • Teach young children how to interact with your kitten properly, including how to hold them safely. Only let them play with the kitten under your supervision until they're older or learn how to handle them .
  6. When your kitten is eating, drinking, and using the litter box regularly, that's a sign that they're comfortable in their room, and you can start introducing them to the rest of your home one room at a time. Place their open carrier in a room and let them explore on their own. After exploring, bring your kitten back to their den for at least a few hours before exploring the next room. [16]
    • If your kitten climbs on something – a bookshelf, bed, etc. – that you don’t want them on, gently pick them up and place them on the floor. If you do this from day one, you should have less trouble establishing off-limits places for your cat.
  7. Giving the kitten the food they're used to will provide a source of comfort and help her avoid an upset stomach caused by the bacteria in their gut having to adjust to a new food. It will also be one less new thing they'll have to become familiar with, which may help their stress levels. [17]
    • Plan ahead and ask the person you're buying the kitten from what kind of food they have been feeding it, so you can have that food ready when your kitten arrives at your home.
  8. Cats produce facial pheromones (chemical signals) that they rub on things they know are safe—like their bed, a chair, or even your leg. There are plug-in diffusers that spray a synthetic version of these pheromones, which let cats know they are in a safe environment. They last about 30 days – plenty of time to comfort your kitten until they've adjusted to their new environment. [18]
    • The most commonly used kind of pheromone diffuser is Feliway . It can come in a spray bottle or a device that plugs into the wall and emits the pheromones automatically.
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Section 5 of 5:

Introducing Your New Kitten to Your Old Cat

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  1. This gives the older cat a chance to realize there is another feline in his territory in a non-challenging way, as she’s not competing for his food or prime sleeping spots (a.k.a. his resources). [19]
  2. Introduce the two cats by scent first. Let your cats sniff at each other under the door to the new kitten’s room. You can also swap bedding between the two animals so they can get used to one another’s smell. It also helps to stroke one cat and then the other to mingle their scents. [20]
    • Give your resident cat extra attention to ease his anxiety. If you ignore him and focus all your attention on the kitten, this will create problems. [21]
  3. This new routine will lead each cat to associate the other cat’s scent with something they both love: food! [22]
  4. While the new kitten is being introduced to other parts of the house, put your old cat in the kitten’s room. This will let the cats explore one another’s scents in new spaces. [23]
  5. Place a barrier between the cats, such as a baby gate in the doorway. Let them get used to each other by sniffing and touching noses through the gate. [24] Hopefully, the older cat will reach a stage of indifference and merely wander off—this is a sign that he has accepted the kitten.
  6. 6
    Put the cats in the same room. If they hiss and swat, that's fine as long as they don't start fighting and hurt each other. The goal is to get them to tolerate each other. Even ignoring is a good sign. Once you've supervised the cats during several meeting sessions and they seem to be at peace with one another, you can leave them alone together. [25]
    • If either cat shows signs of serious hostility - prolonged hissing, trying to scratch or bite the other cat - give them a few more days to get used to one another’s presence before putting them in the same room again.
    • Try feeding the cats together if they're not getting along. At first, put their bowls on opposite sides of the room. Gradually move them closer together. The idea here is to have your cats associate one another’s presence with the positive experience of eating.
  7. Once the older cat has accepted the kitten, you can let the kitten wander around the house. However, it's important to keep an eye on the kitten, especially when the older cat is around, and make sure they don't get too rambunctious. [26]
    • If the kitten starts to play and becomes overly boisterous with the adult cat, pop her into a different room so the original cat has precedence in his territory.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Do mother cats remember their kittens?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Once the kittens are weaned, the mother cat doesn't think of them as her offspring, but just as other cats in the house. She may recognize them as individual cats, but doesn't know their relationship to her.
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  • Question
    Do mother cats get sad when their kittens leave?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    The mother cat may be sad for a few hours, and wander around looking for her kittens. This is more to do with her nurturing instincts to look after the kittens than any concept of love. This instinct quickly fades and the female settles back into her regular routine.
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  • Question
    Do cats leave their kittens if you touch them?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    The mothering instinct of most female cats is to protect her newborn kittens. If those kittens are touched, typically the mother may try to move them to a safe place, rather than reject them.
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      References

      1. ↑ Rita Reimers. Cat Behaviorist. Expert Interview. 22 Jun 2021.
      2. ↑ https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/when-do-mother-cats-leave-kittens-in-wild/
      3. ↑ https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/when-do-mother-cats-leave-kittens-in-wild/
      4. ↑ https://www.americanhumane.org/public-education/introducing-cats-to-cats/
      5. ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/weaning
      6. ↑ https://www.catster.com/cat-behavior/when-do-mother-cats-leave-kittens-in-wild/
      7. ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/weaning
      8. ↑ https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/weaning
      9. ↑ https://www.cats.org.uk/media/1029/eg18_pregnant_cats-_birth_and_care_of_young_kittens.pdf
      1. ↑ Jessica Char. Cat & Dog Behavior Consultant. Expert Interview. 28 September 2021.
      2. ↑ https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/how-introduce-your-new-cat-resident-cats
      3. ↑ https://icatcare.org/articles/helping-your-new-cat-or-kitten-settle-in
      4. ↑ Carrie Seay, MS-CABAC, KPA-CTP, CBCC-KA. Feline Behavior Consultant. Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.
      5. ↑ Carrie Seay, MS-CABAC, KPA-CTP, CBCC-KA. Feline Behavior Consultant. Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.
      6. ↑ https://icatcare.org/articles/helping-your-new-cat-or-kitten-settle-in
      7. ↑ https://www.animalhumanesociety.org/resource/how-introduce-dog-and-cat
      8. ↑ https://www.pawschicago.org/news-resources/all-about-cats/getting-started-a-guide-for-bringing-home-a-new-cat/introducing-a-new-cat-into-your-household
      9. ↑ https://www.pawschicago.org/news-resources/all-about-cats/getting-started-a-guide-for-bringing-home-a-new-cat/introducing-a-new-cat-into-your-household
      10. ↑ https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/home-and-environment/bringing-a-cat-home
      11. ↑ https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/home-and-environment/bringing-a-cat-home
      12. ↑ https://www.paws.org/resources/helping-your-cat-adjust/
      13. ↑ https://www.paws.org/resources/helping-your-cat-adjust/
      14. ↑ https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/introducing-cats-to-cats/
      15. ↑ https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/introducing-cats-to-cats/
      16. ↑ https://www.americanhumane.org/public-education/introducing-cats-to-cats/
      17. ↑ https://icatcare.org/articles/introducing-cats

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Before separating a kitten from its mother for adoption, be sure that the kitten has learned to use the litter pan, which it usually does around 12 weeks. Next, wean the kitten from its mother at 4 weeks and begin to separate the kitten for a few hours at a time. To encourage the kitten to eat solid foods, start by giving it a bowl of milk to lap up. When it can manage this, move on to moist solid foods like gruel, then gradually remove the moisture until it can eat dry food. Finally, separate kittens one by one so the mother's milk dries up gradually. For tips on how to introduce a kitten to a new home, keep reading!

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