Raising, Weaning & Placing Kittens

Honestly, the birth is often the easy part next to the eight to fourteen weeks that follow it.

The first weeks

• Change bedding daily, more often if the queen isn't keeping the nest as clean as she should.
• Eyes open gradually, not all at once, typically somewhere between 7 and 14 days — any crusting or discharge needs prompt attention, not a wait-and-see approach. Vision itself stays blurry for a while after the lids separate and isn't fully sharp until closer to 5 weeks, which is roughly when you'll notice a kitten suddenly stalking and pouncing with real precision instead of just tumbling around.
• Introduce a low-sided litter box around 3 to 4 weeks. Most kittens pick the habit up fast once they're steady on their feet.
• Start introducing softened solid food alongside nursing around 4 weeks, watching piece size carefully to prevent choking.

Weaning and socialisation

Weaning typically begins around 4 weeks and wraps up between 6 and 8 weeks for most kittens, though some will keep comfort-nursing a little past that as the queen gradually distances herself — follow the litter's own pace rather than a date on your calendar. Push it faster than they're ready for and you'll see real distress and setbacks, not a shortcut.

The socialisation window, roughly weeks 3 through 9, is the single most important stretch of a kitten's life, and the research on this is specific, not just breeder folklore: kittens that don't get calm, positive handling from a variety of people before about 7 weeks old are measurably harder to socialise later, sometimes permanently more people-shy. Gentle, varied handling during this window shapes a cat's lifelong temperament more than anything else you'll do as a breeder, full stop — and it's exactly why we handle every kitten daily from day one rather than waiting until they're "old enough to matter."

Vaccination and deworming

We use AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) protocols as our baseline, adjusted with our vet for our own cattery's needs — first round typically at 6 to 8 weeks, with boosters roughly every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks old, since a kitten's maternal antibodies fade unpredictably during that stretch and can otherwise leave a gap in protection. Kittens go to new homes fully vetted, vaccinated on schedule, and litter-trained, not one day earlier, no matter how much a buyer wants to take one home sooner.

Evaluating show-quality kittens

A kitten that looks like a star at six weeks can change a surprising amount in type by the time it's grown. Most experienced breeders wait until at least 4 months and a show or two under its belt before confidently calling a kitten show quality out loud — get your mentor's eyes on it first, before you make that claim to a buyer.

Sale contracts and screening buyers

• A fair contract covers a health guarantee, care expectations, and what happens if the buyer can no longer keep the cat — without unreasonable restrictions on future offspring.
• Ask real questions of buyers: home environment, prior cat experience, and intentions with the cat. A buyer who only asks price is a meaningful signal, not a technicality to wave through.
• For placements requiring air travel, use in-cabin transport with the buyer or a trusted handler whenever possible rather than cargo shipping, and confirm current USDA rules on commercial shipping thresholds before offering to ship kittens at all.