When do kittens stop drinking milk from their mother

Wee kittens, with their lil' mews and waddly walks, just make us want to hold them as soon as they're born and never let go!

However, it's vital to respect and abide by their natural development process. So when can kittens leave their mom?

Can kittens leave mom at 4 weeks

Renee Rucinsky, DVM, DABVP(F), is the owner of Mid-Atlantic Cat Hospital and Feline Thyroid Center in Queenstown, Md. She tells Daily Paws that for quite a while, "kittens need to be around their siblings and mom to learn boundaries, how to interact with others—and how not to be annoying!"

Here's how the timeline works.

When Can a Kitten Leave Their Mother?

Ideally, kittens should bond with their littermates and Momma Cat (referred to by breeders as the queen, which seems absolutely appropriate) for eight to 10 weeks.

Rucinsky says if siblings are adopted together, they can sometimes move on at 7 weeks old, but in a perfect world, the whole family would stay together for at least nine weeks.

At 7 weeks old, kittens have already experienced lightni

how long does kittens stay with mom

how long do kittens stay with mom in the wild