FelineVMA position statement on the socialization of feral kittens

The FelineVMA supports the proper socialization of kittens. A kitten is defined as any cat between birth and 1 year of age. ¹ Socializing kittens before a certain age helps them develop appropriate social behaviors, including recognizing humans as a friendly species. This offers the best scenario for the formation of healthy cat-human bonds.

The FelineVMA supports the integration of newly homed companion kittens through appropriate socialization and habituation. ² Companion kittens are those kittens who have been socialized with humans prior to being brought into their new home. ³ The sensitive socialization period for kittens occurs roughly between 2 and 9 weeks of age. A lack of positive interactions with humans during this sensitive socialization period leads cats to view humans as a non-friendly (threatening) species and can lead to a lifelong fear of humans.

A feral cat or kitten is often born outside, has been unsocialized to humans and would likely experience distress by living inside with humans. ³ Generally, the FelineVMA does not support the socialization of feral kittens over 4 months of age as it may be detrimental to their emotional health. ⁴ Because feral kittens are often born outside, kittens over the age of 4 months should undergo trap-neuter-return (TNR) or trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) ⁵ rather than attempts at socialization. ⁴ Exceptions to using TNR may include cats and kittens born inside, but who are unsocialized, often due to situations such as cat hoarding, and where TNR would not be appropriate. The FelineVMA strongly encourages further research on various aspects of feline socialization.

Additional resources

Feral and free-ranging cat behavior literature

✜ The welfare of feral cats

Slater MR. In: Rochlitz I (ed). The welfare of cats. Dordrecht: Springer, 2007, pp 141-175.

✜ The social lives of free-ranging cats

Vitale KR Animals 2022; 12. DOI: 10.3390/ani12010126.

✜ Outdoor domestic cats and wildlife: how to overrate and misinterpret field data

Turner DC. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1087907.

Human-cat relationship literature

✜ The effects of additional socialisation for kittens in a rescue centre on their behaviour and suitability as a pet

Casey RA and Bradshaw JWS. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2008; 114: 196-205.

✜ Coexistence between humans and ‘misunderstood’ domestic cats in the anthropocene: exploring behavioural plasticity as a gatekeeper of evolution

Natoli E, Litchfield C and Pontier D. Animals 2022; 12. DOI: 10.3390/ani12131717.

✜ A review of over three decades of research on cat-human and human-cat interactions and relationships

Turner DC. Behav Processes 2017; 141: 297-304.

✜ Unanswered questions and hypotheses about domestic

✜ Special issue on behavioural ecology and welfare of free-ranging cats

Litchfield C and Natoli Ε (eds). Animals 2022; 12. www.mdpi.com/journal/animals/special_issues/free_ranging_cats (accessed 28 February 2025).

✜ The feral guide

Cats Protection, www.cats.org.uk/media/10267/feral-guide-cats-protection.pdf (2021, accessed 28 February 2025).

cat behavior, ecology, and the cat-human relationship

Turner DC. Animals 2021 ; 11. DOI: 10.3390/ani11102823.

✜ The mechanics of social interactions between cats and their owners

Turner DC. Front Vet Sc/2021; 8. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021. 650143.

✜ What's inside your cat's head? A review of cat (Felis silvastris catus) cognition research past, present and future

Vitale Shreve KR and Udell MAR. Anim Cogn 2015; 18: 1195-1206.

✜ Methods of assessment of the welfare of shelter cats: a review

Vojtkovská V, Voslářová Ε and Večerek V. Animals 2020; 10. DOI: 10.3390/ani10091527.