What Age Is Best for Kitten Socialization?
A kitten is most receptive to socialization between two and seven weeks of age. If he’s handled by people, enjoys lots of pleasant interaction with other pets and has many new experiences during this period, he’s more likely to remain friendly toward humans and other animals as he matures—and he’ll be less stressed by new experiences as well. If, on the other hand, a kitten has no social contact with people by seven to nine weeks of age, he may fear humans for the rest of his life. Attempting to tame a wild-born, unsocialized adult cat can be as difficult as working with any other wild animal. While many former feral cats can, over months or years, become more tolerant of a familiar person, most will never be very sociable. Please see our article on Stray and Feral Cats for more information about what to expect of unsocialized cats and kittens. Although early handling and environmental enrichment is undeniably beneficial to kittens, this doesn’t mean that they should be separated from
