How long it takes for a kitten to bond with its owner:
It takes a few hours for a kitten to bond with its owner, while for others, it could take days, or even weeks, depending on the cat’s personality.
Some kitten breeds known to be friendly are quick to bond with their owner.
Hasten the bonding process by playing with your kitten and grooming it.
After adopting your kitten, bonding is the next very important process. However, sometimes things might not go smoothly as expected. This is when it seems that your furry friend is not so comfortable in their new home.
It can be disheartening to see your cute pet friend withdrawn and avoiding spending time with you. That is why I have prepared this article to help you explain how long it takes for a kitten to bond with its owner.
Don’t worry if your kitten is a bit shy. In just a matter of hours or a few days, your kitten should be cuddling around you, enjoying every moment.
It’s not possible to say exactly how long it will take for your kitten to warm up to you. This all depends on the cat’s personality. It may take a few days for some cats, while others may need more time to get used to their owner.
Don’t be upset or disappointed if your kitten is taking a long time to bond with you. Your kitten’s personality changes as it matures.
Just be patient with your little one, and remember not to force the process. Your kitten will bond with you sooner or later.
Socialize a Kitten at 3 to 7 Weeks Old
The best time to socialize a kitten is when it is 3 to 7 weeks old. It’s vital for the kitten to bond to human scent at this stage in life. Up until 12 weeks, introduce your kitten to routines you want to involve it in its later life.
If you expect your kitten to be friendly towards visitors, expose your kitten to a lot of people while it is young. That way your cat will be comfortable with these things even when it grows.
This stage of early life socialization is crucial, as it determines how your kitten will behave well into adulthood.
Bond with it Through Interaction
Bonding with your kitten is important to its overall health and well-being. This is regardless of whether your kitten is a friendly one or not.
A strong bond with your kitten makes it feel happy and confident in its new home. It also helps to build trust with your pet, so your kitty will feel safe in your company.
Forming a close companionship with your kitten in its early life has a positive effect on its temperament.
If you are not sure where to start, don’t worry. It just takes a little practice, and you will soon realize that it’s a fun process.
Here is what pet owners say they do to bond with their kittens:
1. Schedule regular playtime
Play is a fun activity that you and your kitten should do together. We often assume that once our kitten has their favorite toys, we can just leave them by themselves to play. However, playing with your kitten helps it feel relaxed and happy in your presence.
Regular play fulfills your kitten’s hunting instincts, and provides it with excellent exercise. Interactive toys, food puzzles, and cardboard boxes are good examples of toys to stimulate your kitten.
2. Pet your kitten
Your kitten appreciates physical contact, and petting it is a nice way to bond with it. Pet your kitten in places it likes, such as under the chin, on top of its head, and on its cheeks.
To show you it likes being petted, your kitten might purr.
3. Stick to a schedule
Changing a routine in a kitten’s life can stress it, and cause it to be antisocial. Stick to a schedule of feeding, playtime, and litterbox cleaning.
This is important in building trust as you bind with your little one.
4. Groom your kitten
Groom your kitten using your hands, or a soft brush to help it get comfortable with human handling and get used to your scent.
Provide treats for your kitty as you groom it, to associate the action with positive things. This is the best time to train your kitten that such a process is normal and fun.
Regular handling of your kitten, even for just 15 minutes a day, can help it become more confident, social, and better equipped to handle stress in later life. The more handling, the less fearful a kitten becomes.
Factors Influencing How Long Kittens Take to Bond
As I have mentioned earlier, your kitten’s personality determines how long it takes for it to bond with the owner. When we talk of shy and timid kittens, or brave and friendly kittens, we also need to understand that there is a reason for these differing personalities.
Here are factors that influence your cat’s personality, which in turn, determines how long your furry friend will warm up to you:
1. Breed
Some cat breeds are known to be very friendly towards people. If you happen to adopt one of these breeds, then your kitten will warm up to you in a few hours after you bring it home.
To save you the time of finding out which breeds are these, I did some research for you and found these adorable breeds:
- Ragdoll- the affectionate cat
This cat breed has a reputation for being one of the friendliest breeds. Once you open your home to welcome a Ragdoll kitten, you are assured of lots of cuddles. Even if you are too busy for some petting, the ragdoll will follow you wherever you go.
The Ragdoll cat breed has a docile nature, and some cat owners say they use this to their advantage by training it to fetch things. This breed also learns its name very quickly.
You will surely love spending time with your cute, and affectionate Ragdoll kitten.
- Burmese –the curious kitty
Kittens are generally curious, but the Burmese’s inquisitive nature still puzzles many. You will notice that it likes to sit at windows and examine everything going on outside. It comes to peep on your laptop screen to know what you are doing.
It is hard to do anything in the house without this kitty coming close to you, sitting on your shoulder, or snuggling on your laps. It is also very affectionate with children.
- Abyssinian –the energetic kitten
If you don’t mind having a kitten with high energy levels, try adopting an Abyssinian kitten breed. Its energy levels match its vibrant personality, always living life to the full. It is also known as a friendly and intelligent breed.
This breed will stick close to its owner, whether you are baking in the kitchen or watching your favorite TV series. There is always an opportunity to cuddle your kitty friend because they love their owners.
- Persian- the lap cat
Persians are not only cute to look at, but their fluffy and soft fur makes stroking them a hobby for their owners. A Persian kitty waits patiently for the owner to sit down, so that it can jump on their lap.
They are such a relaxed and sociable breed. Persians steal your heart just by looking at them; full of fur and cute flat faces.
- Maine Coon-the calm giant
The Maine Coon proves to be a loyal companion while still maintaining its independent streak. Don’t be intimated by its big physique, which might look odd for a kitten. It still enjoys being cuddled in your arms.
Look for prey toys to entertain your Maine Coon kitten breed, since they love showing off their hunting skills.
Puzzle toys work best as a mental challenge for these intelligent furry creatures.
- Siamese – the party animal
If you bring a Siamese kitten to your home, it will always remind you of its presence by its boisterous personality. It is known to be a very vocal breed.
While other cat owners might not like a loud kitten, you can help your Siamese kitten settle in through lots of interaction. Remember that this breed will not be ok if left alone for a long time.
Be there to cuddle, and hold it often, or leave another Siamese kitten with it.
- Scottish Fold- the happiest feline
People who own the Scottish Fold cat breed admit that their kitty wants to participate in all activities they engage in. This breed has unique features such as folded ears, which are just cute to look at.
It bonds so well with the owner, but you should be aware that it does not cope so well with a sudden change of routine. So, think twice before you change your furniture arrangement.
2. Past Experiences
Your kitten’s background matters when it comes to defining its personality. If it had negative experiences when young, such as too much handling from children who often dropped it, your kitten could have become afraid of humans.
Positive past experiences, such as living in a loving environment, make a kitten quick to bond with humans.
3. Paternal inheritance
Interestingly, according to some studies, kittens inherit their social and bold nature from their fathers.
That means a kitten can be friendlier towards humans, even without positive experiences during early socialization.
