5 Signs Your Kitten Was Taken From Their Mum Too Young

Bringing a kitten home is an exciting and joyful experience, but sometimes, it’s not immediately obvious whether they were ready to leave their mum and littermates. While in an ideal world, kittens would stay with their mum for the right amount of time, circumstances don’t always allow for it.

This is especially difficult if you adopt a kitten – or young cat – from a shelter, where there isn’t always a clear backstory for the earliest days of their young lives. Even if you’ve welcomed your kitten from a friend, neighbour or breeder, it’s possible they were separated a little too soon without anyone realising. 

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Ideally, kittens should stay with their mother until 10–12 weeks but unfortunately, early separation can happen for various reasons – from misunderstandings to situations beyond anyone’s control, such as financial pressures or housing issues. Circumstances beyond our control often lead to the separation happening too early, despite everyone involved having the best of intentions.

If you are starting to suspect that your kitten came to your new home before they were fully ready to do so, there’s no blame here; what matters most now is providing the best possible care for your new companion. You should be visiting the vet to keep up to date with your kitten’s vaccines and health checks as it is, so ask your vet for support and advice if you have any suspicions or concerns.

By recognising the signs that your kitten may have left their mum too early, you can better understand their needs to provide the best care and support for your new housemate.

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Physical signs your kitten left their mum too young

Your kitten is on the smaller size

If your kitten is smaller than you might expect for their age, this can be a sign that they left their mum a little too early, explains Lucy Hoile, feline behaviourist. If this is the case, keep a keen eye on how they are growing with regular weight check-ins, and raise any concerns with your vet as the first port of call.

However, some cats are just smaller than others, so it’s important to bear in mind other factors such as breed – if you know these details about the parents – and if they display any other potential medical signs.

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Your kitten keeps falling unwell

Sadly, poor health is another physical symptom of leaving their mum behind too young. Lucy explains that kittens who were separated too early are “more susceptible to falling unwell and other health concerns”. 

This could be caused by not reaching the necessary developmental milestones (guided by their mum) or nutritional deficits, and it’s important to get a good dialogue going with your vet about your kitten’s health and never hesitate to book them an appointment if you are worried. 

“If they have left very early” from the litter, kittens might be spotted “struggling to eat solid food” which is something that would require urgent attention from your vet, adds Lucy.

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Behavioural signs kittens were separated too early

Weaning and suckling behaviours

“Kittens separated too early are more likely to show increased kneading and suckling behaviour. They might choose to suckle on soft, fluffy fabrics, their owner’s skin (such as on fingers or earlobes) or sometimes they will try to suckle on the tummy of other kittens or cats,” says Lucy.

If this suckling behaviour is giving you cause for concern or alarms you at first, try not to worry too much. Most of the time it’s pretty harmless, says Lucy, and trying to stop them might actually be more upsetting for your kitten, even if well intentioned. “Trying to stop it may make them feel more anxious as it is generally performed when they are relaxed and content so this would be disrupted too,” Lucy says.

However, it might present a problem if they are ingesting the fabric – because no one wants their kitten to get an upset stomach. If you spot that they are taking in the fibres of the fabric, “replacing the material they are suckling on with something just as comfortable but with a different texture can help.” Speak to your vet if you have any concerns about their behaviour or stomach issues.

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Aggressive behaviour

Unfortunately, one consequence of kittens leaving their mum too early can be that they display some bad behaviours, including aggression. This is because the mum cat – often called the Queen – does a lot of the leg work in teaching their kittens how to behave, and playing with their littermates can also help them learn boundaries. 

Try and make sure your kitten gets plenty of socialisation, but if this behaviour becomes a real issue, consider consulting a behaviourist who can give you some advice on how best to promote positive habits.

Anxious behaviour

Kittens separated too soon can end up being seriously shy, or really “clingy or over-attached” with their parents, says Lucy. “Leaving their mother early can make them anxious and less confident,” she explains, which can “lead to attention seeking behaviours, including excessive meowing.”

Lucy advises that if the kittens you’re considering adopting are very young (and they can’t stay with their mum until the right age), you should “ideally” get two so they have a littermate they can continue to build confidence with. Of course, as is the case with taking on the responsibility of any pet, you should make sure that your circumstances suit two cats and you can afford to take in two kittens before welcoming the whirlwind into your home.

If this isn’t possible, “Providing lots of opportunity for independent play can help too, as well as getting everyone in the family involved in the kittens’ care and interactions in a really positive way.”

Equally, if your kitten is clingy and you have a “safe outside space”, once they are neutered you could let them outdoors, says Lucy. “Giving them access outside can provide an outlet for independent behaviour and allows them to take interest in activities away from the owner”.

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What is the ideal age to separate kittens?

Technically, kittens can leave their mums once they have started eating solid food regularly, and many kittens leave their litters behind around 8–9 weeks. However, many kittens are not fully weaned at this point, and still take some of their mum’s milk despite the solid food.

Ideally, they would stay with their mother until at least 10–12 weeks, and be around 14 weeks when they move to their new home, but if this hasn’t been possible, you can still ensure that your kitten has a safe environment in which they can start to thrive.