Most kittens will be able to leave their mothers between 8 and 10 weeks old. Kittens must never be removed from their mother in the first three to four weeks of their lives. During this period, the kittens relay solely on their mothers milk for nutrition.  They must be totally weaned from the milk before they could become a healthy cat. Once they are weaned, they will eat cat food and rely on that for all of their nutrition. At this point, they no longer need to be given milk.  Milk can upset their digestive system.

If you remove kittens from their mother too early, they can have health problems later in life.  Some experts say that once the kitten is weaned, they can then be given up for adoption. Other experts say that it’s better to leave the kittens with their mother up to twelve weeks to help them develop important life skills by socializing.

Make sure your kitten’s diet is a healthy one. When they are over 12 weeks, you may want to sneak in a treat every now and then. Remember, your pets count!