At what age can a kitten leave its mother and littermates

In this article, you will learn at what age a kitten can leave its mother and littermates. We will not just tell you what this age is; we will provide explanations of kitten development to prove it to you.

In standard conditions, a kitten can leave its mother at 12 weeks of age; it should never leave its mother before it is 8 weeks old. Wondering why?

There are three very important aspects in the early life of kittens:

The end of nursing must be gradual. Normally, nursing should end between 8 to 10 weeks of age. Sometimes, nursing takes longer and will not end until after 12 weeks.
The socialization period is between 2 to 8 weeks.
Kittens play with their littermates actively until 12 to 14 weeks, when object play gradually replaces it.
These are three key cornerstones that tell us when a kitten can leave its mother and littermates. There is also a vaccination point of view; however, the age of vaccination differs from country to country, and, in most cases, first vaccinations are given earlier than 8 weeks of age.