Leaving Mama

Cat Fancy magazine, August 2007, reports that a cat's personality toward other cats is determined by the size of the litter it grows up in and whether it remains with its mother for longer than 8 weeks, according to Dennis Turner, editor of The Domestic Cat: The Biology of Its Behavior. Kittens that grow up in a litter of four or more and remain with their mothers demonstrate social personalities toward other cats. Kittens that grow up in small litters or that are taken from their mothers early, at 7 or 8 weeks old, are unsocial toward other cats. Also, kittens that are petted between the 2nd and 7th weeks of life will grow up to have more trusting and human-social personalities.