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Question
when can my new kittens be touch
Nathan,
Provided that you are over 12 and handle the kittens very gently while staying close to their mother you can handle them within a day or so of their birth for very short periods of time. Please bear in mind that tiny kittens have a couple of basic jobs that you don't want to interfere with too much - they need to nurse from their mom as much as possible as often as possible, they need to sleep and they need to grow and mature. So long as you don't handle the kittens for more than 5 minutes or so at a time 5-6 times a day as newborns they should be okay.
As the kittens grow, develop and get more independent you can gradually increase the amount of time that you hang out with them and handle them. When they kittens are 3-4 weeks old you can begin to introduce very gentle play with things like kitty teases or kitten mittens and I can give you tips on how to do this properly if you're interested once these babies get bigger and older.
If you are under 12 then my suggestion would be to wait until the kittens are a bit older before you handle them and you must only handle them under responsible adult supervision because tiny kittens are very fragile and you don't want to accidentally hurt them or keep them away from their mom for too long. I would say that if you're under 12 you can begin to handle the kittens for very short periods of time once their eyes are open. The adults in your family should handle the kittens as I've recommended for children over 12 because kittens need to be handled properly early in life in order to mature into social and happy cats that love people. If you have any further questions about kitten development, handling the kittens or taking care of a nursing mom I'd be more than happy to help in any way that I can, so please don't hesitate to contact me again.
Kind regards,
Ali
PS: The kittens should stay with their mom until they are at least 12 weeks old, mom will wean them on her own and they will be ready to go to new homes once they reach 12 weeks of age.
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Answers by Expert:
Ali
Expertise
I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.
Experience
I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.
Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.
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