Kitten Socialization Tips
Disclaimer: this is not a comprehensive post! For a lot more info check out all things kitten at http://www.kittenlady.org/
So what is socialization? It’s the critical socialization period — a short time after birth of all mammals (including humans) when babies learn about the world. Learning is a life-long process but critical socialization period is when most groundwork is laid, and where the basic personality is set. If a human baby is raised by wolves, they will never be fluent in any language although they can learn to talk later in life. In puppies, after the first 3 months (12 weeks) the critical window begins to close, and if the puppy never had a chance to learn to interact with people and other dogs, they will be playing catch-up for the rest of their lives.
And in kittens the window is even shorter — it begins to close at 8 weeks; so a feral cat is the one who lacks early socialization to humans, but young kittens can be taught with early intervention! Pretty much any kitten 8 weeks and under can be socialized and grow up to be a regular pet cat. 8-10 weeks is more challenging, but most kittens can be reached. After 10-12 weeks it becomes much more challenging.
(Note: outdoor cats that are people-friendly are NOT feral; we usually call them strays to distinguish between friendly cats and truly feral ones.)
So how do we do it? Kitten Lady has a lot of detailed how-to videos; below is my experience based on fostering 50+ cats and kittens.
1. Under 8 weeks old (<2 lbs): you’re golden! Main thing is interacting with the kittens daily, so keep them somewhere they cannot hide — play pen, crate, small bathroom… they should not be able to blow you off! Playing, feeding, talking are all good. Do not leave them alone with food! Only feed next to you, talking and petting. As long as they get human contact and know you bring them Good Things, you shouldn’t have any issues. If they were trapped with their feral mom, make sure that they spend a significant portion of the day with people away from mom.
2. 8-12 weeks old (2-3 lbs): a bit more challenging, and gets progressively harder 10-12 weeks! You may need to proceed with greater caution to not create a lasting negative association, which is tricky since you’ll have to give them dewormer, baths, and other kitten nightmares. So get it done quick and make sure you have squeezy treats like Churu on hand. Licking is a calming activity for kittens, and a continuous ribbon of tasty goo provides strong and lasting reinforcement. After a bath, nail clipping etc, give them treats! If the kittens are skittish or hissy, wrapping them in a towel can help. I really like cloth bags like the one in the picture.
As you can see it is not tied but surrounds the kitten, comforting her. I can feed with one hand and pet with the other; I can also quickly weigh her if needed!
At this stage feral kittens are much more cautious, and it takes a lot of bribery to bring them around! Some may remain feral.
3. 12 weeks and older (>3 lbs): at this point you are not socializing, since the critical period is closed. You are habituating; Churu is your best friend, and wrapping+treating a few times a day is your best bet. Some cats may be stressed by wrapping — monitor for signs of distress (panting, dilated pupils) and release if any occur. Some kittens may never be domesticated at this stage; it’s not your fault, it’s biology. Do your best and if after several weeks there is no progress, working cat placement may be the best option.
Yes, we all know that one adult cat who was feral and after years of hiding under the bed came around and is now a happy domestic cat. But in a rescue situation it’s simply not a good use of resources. Sure, I can spend a year trying to win over a feral cat, or I can socialize and adopt out 5 litters of 3+ kittens in less time while the feral leads a happy life as a barn cat.
And from the cat’s perspective, while you think you’re helping, it’s being held captive against its will in a stressful situation. And remember: you have a goal in mind; the cat doesn’t. It’s not thinking about the future, it is stressed and miserable now and cannot imagine anything different. Let it be its feral self!
And what are your favorite kitten socialization tips?