The Under Threes can have a great childhood at any time. Because, despite most age scales, the first three years of a cat’s life counts up to only twenty in human years.
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So there’s actually a big window to influence a young cat all during their growing up stage. Cats don’t mature for at least three years. The big kittens, even longer.
Any cat, under three, is not grown up yet.
We should broaden our definition of cuteness past that first, fleeting stage, so beloved of greeting card companies, and we will realize that there is so much more cuteness in the world than we thought.
So remember that it doesn’t matter how big they are; it’s about how mature they are. If they have been rushed along that path too soon, a good home will let them slow down and catch up.
If they are secure and cared for, they can keep, or rediscover, their baby behaviors. They can take their time growing up. If the process has been interrupted, the young cat can catch up on parts of their childhood they missed, just as their bodies can catch up and get over past malnutrition.
They just need time and a supportive atmosphere.
That under three-kitten in the shelter might not have enjoyed much of a childhood up to this point. They might need to be treated like a kitten… by someone.
Someone who will love them like the baby they still are.
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There’s more to choosing a cat with The Way of Cats than the article you are reading now. See my CHOOSING A CAT.
