Environment and Socialization

Our kittens are raised in our dining room, which is separated from the rest of the house by a sliding door with glass panes. This means the rest of the household (including the cats) gets to view the progress of the kittens while being safely separated from them. By the time the kittens start moving around, it's like a reality TV program for the older cats. You will usually find one or more of them sitting at the door watching the antics of the new babies.

When the babies become aware of their audience, then the fun really begins. The little ones have no fear of the adults, and they start trying to play with them through and under the door. It is a lot of fun to watch, and has the added benefit of socializing the babies to the adults. When they get their first shots and leave the dining room to join the rest of the household at eight weeks, the adjustment period is over and everyone plays nicely. The adults regress to kittenhood and are wonderful with the babies.