SINGLE KITTEN POLICY

At Out of the Woods Rescue Melbourne Ltd (OOTW), our goal is to place every kitten into a home that will best support their emotional, behavioural and developmental needs. Based on current research into feline behaviour and social development, we have developed specific guidelines regarding the adoption of kittens into single-cat households.

Policy Overview

Kittens under 6 months

We do not adopt out kittens under six months of age to homes without existing feline companionship. Kittens in this critical developmental stage require the presence of another cat to meet their behavioural, emotional and social needs.

Kittens aged 6 to 10 months

Applications to adopt a single kitten aged between six and ten months where there is no resident cat will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Factors reviewed include:

  • the specific kitten’s personality, independence, and social needs
  • whether the home has other pets (e.g., dogs) that could provide appropriate companionship
  • the amount of time the family spends at home daily
  • the family’s plans for enrichment, play, and social interaction
  • the overall environment and capacity to meet a young cat’s needs.

Final decisions will prioritise the wellbeing of the kitten.

Rationale

Our policy is informed by a modern understanding of feline social development and the consequences of social deprivation in kittens:

  • Kittens are highly social animals during their early developmental stages. Social interactions, particularly play with other cats, are critical for the development of normal behaviours, including communication, bite inhibition, emotional regulation and appropriate social cues.¹ ²
  • Cats are not inherently solitary. Research demonstrates that during their formative months, cats develop complex social skills through play, hierarchy negotiation and social bonding.¹
  • Kittens raised without feline companionship are significantly more likely to experience behavioural problems later in life, including:
    • overattachment to humans, leading to separation anxiety
    • poor bite inhibition (hard biting during play)
    • hyperactivity and destructive behaviours
    • difficulty interpreting normal feline social signals.

Given this evidence, we aim to prevent these issues by ensuring kittens under six months of age are placed into homes where they have appropriate feline companionship.

Why 6-months?

The majority of a kitten’s critical social development occurs during the first six months of life. During this time, kittens learn essential behavioural and communication skills through interaction with other cats. Without these interactions, kittens are at a heightened risk of developing behavioural deficits, including poor social skills, excessive aggression and anxiety.

Peer-reviewed research confirms that while social play and bonding continue after six months, the most intensive period of social learning occurs before this age. After six months, kittens begin to mature socially and although companionship remains beneficial, the risk of serious developmental deficits from solo living significantly decreases.

Accordingly, OOTW requires that kittens under six months of age be adopted into homes with an existing young cat or adopted as a pair.

References:

[1] Crowell-Davis, S.L., Curtis, T.M., & Knowles, R.J. (2004). Social Organization in the Cat: A Modern Understanding.

[2] West, M. (1974). Social Play in the Domestic Cat.

Approved by OOTW board: 12/06/2025
Policy last updated: June 2025