Kittens 8 weeks old

At 8 weeks old all baby teeth will be present, the eyes will be completely transitioned to their adult colour of green, yellow, brown or blue and their ears will be proportionate. 8 week old kittens will be energetic and independent and their coordination will be nearly fully developed. Kittens this age should have access to wet and dry kitten food and plenty of fresh water. At this age the DSPCA can give them their first vaccination and start the fostering / rehoming process.

At this point you you can call the DSPCA on (01) 499 4700 and select option 3 or email info@dspca.ie to make arranges for an appointment to be made to bring the kittens into the shelter. Please don’t just arrive with them.

Should I handle kittens at this age?

The key socialisation period in kittens is from 2-3 weeks up to 10 weeks of age. Play is the best method to help them physically and socially develop. Socialisation is important to help kittens be comfortable around humans and other animals. Don’t remove them from where they are as they do need to be with their mother but you can start to interact with them and the best way in through play. Small home made toys such as tin foil scrunched up into little balls,  cardboard toilet roll holders and paper towels are great play items in addition to traditional kitten toys. As a guideline ideally kittens should have pleasant interactions with people for 30–60 minutes per day. If the kittens approach you, you can pet and touch them. This will help the kittens be ready for adoption when they are old enough and to settle into a home environment and be comfortable around humans.