Research overview: the sensitive period for kitten socialization

Kittens have an early sensitive period during which experiences shape their lifelong sociability, and this overview surveys research defining it. It examines classic and later work indicating that roughly the second to seventh weeks of life are critical for socialization, when gentle handling and exposure to people, other animals and varied stimuli make kittens more friendly, confident and adaptable as adults, while lack of such exposure tends to produce fearful, poorly socialized cats. The survey discusses how the timing and amount of handling matter, the persistence of early effects, and the implications for breeders, shelters and the placement of kittens. It situates the sensitive period within the broader development of behaviour, presenting early socialization as a powerful determinant of a cat's future temperament and its capacity to bond with humans.