When Can You Handle Newborn Kittens?

Video Transcript

"New born kittens can be handled pretty, pretty close to their, when they were born. Although, you have to recognize the fact that immediately first two weeks the kitten's born, first week to ten days, it won't open it's eyes. And then up to until about two weeks, it can't hear either. So handling them might be a difficult situation, as far as trying to, you're not trying to play with them. Most of the time, when people are handling new born kittens, is because they've been orphaned. Now if that's not the case, and the kittens are with the mom, then we have a whole different situation. I usually don't recommend handling before two weeks. Just let them, because there's a lot of stress going on with the mom, sometimes she doesn't like the kittens to be taken away, even if you're in the same room. She gets stressed out about that and it can be really, more problems behaviorally for her in her relationship with her kittens. After the first two weeks though, then you can start handling them. Again, if they're orphaned, obviously you need to do that for feeding them and taking care of them. But handling them at that age is not a real problem and actually it helps with the socialization and getting them used to having people around and being, people handling them. And not being frightened or frightened of being handled. Just be very careful if you have children around, that handling them is fine but not to over handle or over stimulate the kitten. Because they need to rest, just like new born babies, I mean, they're cute and everything, but there is a place and a time for them. So give them the space they need, be aware if their mom's around, that she needs her own space and time, with the kittens alone and quiet. And just be very careful when they're handled, but usually I don't recommend doing it before two weeks."