# Why do kittens stay with Mom for 12 weeks?



## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

I keep seeing here, and other places, that kittens are kept with their Moms alot longer than puppies. Usually puppies are ready to go to their new homes at about 8 weeks. It seems the norm for kittens is more like 12 weeks?

Is it a socialization thing? I'm not planning on getting any kittens, but I'm just curious. Does anyone kow the reason?

Thanks!!


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## AddFran (Jul 10, 2004)

They tend to be healthier, more socialized, well adjusted and confident when they stay with Mom a bit longer. Kittens pulled from their mom's too soon are sometimes scared, play too rough, try to nurse on numerous objects and sometimes have health problems too.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

I second that. Kittens who stay with their mother for 12 weeks are physically and emotionally healthier, and better socialized than kittens who are separated from mom-cat sooner.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I'll bet puppies would benefit from staying with mother for 12 instead of 8 weeks, too. Overall, I would suspect the cost of puppy chow in feeding large litters from large breed dogs drives the get-them-gone at 8 weeks of age.


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## Mysterious (Mar 1, 2007)

Actually puppies should be staying with their moms till 10-12 weeks also.
They are MUCH better off, and tend to be more well behaved and have less problems than those who were taken away from their mom earlier. The moms teaches the puppy manners and social status, which helps them better respect their human "pack members" later on.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Here's a good article on why 12 weeks....


http://www.breedlist.com/faq/young.html


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

Wow, thanks everyone. It makes alot of sense that a couple of extra weeks would make a world of difference.

Doodlebug, that was a very interesting article. Poor little one getting tossed back to it's breeder.


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## manitu22 (Apr 25, 2003)

great article Lisa! My friend just adopted a 6 week old siamese. She told me that the person she got it from said it was "ready to go". I have told her before not to get kittens that young. The kitten came with a URI and is not very cuddly and hisses and swats a lot. It is not getting along with the other cats either. It is a shame.


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## OsnobunnieO (Jun 28, 2004)

I really wish more puppies would stay later too... yeah they're cute and all but I've seen 6-9 week old puppies come in for their first visit and wonder what people actually *do* with these puppies... they're so young and tiny and just look so frail 

plus, having littermates to play and chew on really does teach them "boundaries" and what's too hard to bite or when enough is enough.


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## Jimmyness (Dec 31, 2005)

Mysterious said:


> Actually puppies should be staying with their moms till 10-12 weeks also.
> They are MUCH better off, and tend to be more well behaved and have less problems than those who were taken away from their mom earlier. The moms teaches the puppy manners and social status, which helps them better respect their human "pack members" later on.


That is very true, when i was little and my dog had puppies and we kept one so he was practically raised by him Mum his whole life. We never had to house train him or taught him to walk properly on the lead (he never pulls just walks along side you, makes sure never to walk ahead of you, the way a respectable lower pack member should behave), he just knew these things without us having to do anthing, his Mum taught him all the rules. Of course though he also learnt alot of bad habits from his mother like food agression and possesiveness, his mother was found skin and bone in the bush so she guarded food with her life and taught Favoury to act the same.

Of course respectable breeders would have well mannered dogs to start off with so they would have that problem. :wink:


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## Nicnic (Apr 22, 2007)

Another reason puppies leave their breeder earlier then kittens is a lot of times the city where the breeder lives has rules about how many dogs a breeder can keep at one time and there are sometimes silly bi-laws that state that all puppies must be sold by 8 weeks of age or something like that.

Kittens would be easier to "hide" as they are usually raised indoors under-foot and not in kennels. (Though I have seen larger catteries have cat houses kindo like a dog kennel but a small house for the cats - how cool a house just for the cats!!!!)


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