Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

Most new pet owners can hardly wait to get their new kitten home. How to explain why most breeders wait until the kitten is older? | Let's take a look at WHY breeders delay, and why new owners will be happier in the long run that they did.

- Kate Preston, Noelle Giddings

Where do pet kittens come from? Shelters, breeders, and feral environments are the three major sources of feline pets in today’s U.S. households. As recently as 28 years ago, statistically as many as 17% to over 30% of cat owners obtained their pets as strays. Today, cats are also likely to come from shelter adoptions or are purchased from recognized, knowledgeable breeders. However, many first-time cat owners may not understand why organizations such as the Cat Fanciers’ Association advocate waiting until the kitten is 16 weeks, or at the very least, 12 weeks, before it goes to a new home. Shelters, which may be pressed for space/time/services, sometimes encourage the earliest possible adoption and place kittens as soon their first inoculations are safely in place.

For first-time cat buyers, the breeder should give every available bit of advice and help. But it begins with selecting the right cat or kitten, and most people want young kittens without having the knowledge of how young is good for both kitten and owner. The views of conscientious breeders are discussed below, in conjunction with reasons CFA requires kittens to be 16 weeks old before they can enter a show hall, whether for exhibit, competition, or sale.

Proper Socialization vs. “Survival”

A properly raised, well-socialized kitten will be at ease with people and other cats or pets. It will be able to tolerate noises and distractions in a normal home. Older kittens are generally better with young children in inverse proportion—the younger the child, the older the kitten/cat; the older the child, the younger the kitten that can safely be introduced to the household. Both situations should be tempered, however, with observation of the child’s awareness and empathy for a small animal.1