kittens shouldn’t be single

By Morgan Harrell

Elsie was originally adopted at 8 weeks of age, to a single, retired gentleman in a quiet home with no other animals. Elsie came in as a single kitten at six weeks of age, and because of a URI outbreak at the shelter, she didn’t spend any time with kittens her own age before she was spayed and adopted out. She was returned by her adopter at four months of age because of her problematic behavior, which included biting, pouncing on her adopter’s feet, or grabbing his forearm and bunny kicking. He was covered in Band-Aids from these wounds, which he said bled profusely because he was on a blood thinner.

Elsie, now 5 months old, was struggling in the Adoption Center of her small shelter. Because of her behavior issues, she had to spend a lot of time confined to her kennel, making her difficult to interact with and too anxious to meet potential adopters without becoming overstimulated.

Meet Elsie: Isn’t she adorable?

This young cat’s behavior is typical of kittens who grew up without any companions of their own species - sometimes referred to as “Single Kitten Syndrome” or “Tarzan Syndrome.” The severity of Elsie’s behavior put her at risk for behavioral euthanasia if not quickly remedied, so the decision was made to place Elsie in foster with an experienced staff member, in a home with several active cats and tolerant, cat-savvy dogs.

In an active foster home, for the first time in her life Elsie finally had playmates who could match her energy level! Being able to interact with members of her own species (and the dogs!) gave Elsie healthy outlets for her energy and allowed her to experience some of the socialization to other animals that she missed out on as a kitten.

These experiences could not replace the normal socialization process, which teaches kittens about appropriate play and bite inhibition when they interact with littermates or kittens their own age. However, this brief foster placement did result in significant improvements to Elsie’s behavior. The shelter was able to facilitate a virtual meet and greet via Zoom between Elsie and a potential adopter, who was able to observe Elsie in her foster home.

Making friends is a game changer for many kittens who got their start alone.

 Luckily, Elsie was then adopted, and she now lives with a young husky - the two chase each other back and forth around their house and nap together on a big fluffy pet bed. 

Elsie’s fate could have ended in euthanasia, and might have, in some shelters, if she kept biting and scratching, but intervention and foster placement allowed for a positive outcome. Single Kitten Syndrome is an easier problem to prevent than it is to solve, however, and as animal welfare professionals we should make sure the kittens in our care have their social and behavioral needs met.   

Kittens need plenty of early opportunities to interact with other kittens in an enriched “catified” environment. They learn appropriate play and bite inhibition from playing with other kittens - but tolerant adult cats can be good teachers as well! Time spent with other members of their own species is not a step that should be skipped.  Single, orphaned kittens in the critical socialization period require a two week quarantine before they can be paired with another kitten or added to a litter, as they wait for vaccines to take effect, but during that time they can still benefit from placement in a foster home where they have ample access to enrichment and play time with interactive toys. Once your singleton is ready for a playmate, try to match them with someone who is a similar size and who has a compatible play style.  

We can set up kittens and adopters for success by managing expectations. Encouraging adopters and fosters to bring home two kittens that can keep each other company, and letting adopters know about the importance of companionship for their new kitten can prevent unwanted behaviors and, by extension, returns.

Toys are only one of the things that a cat needs. A solo cat is lacking social interaction, and that actually IS a problem when it comes to successfully raising a healthy adult cat.

When it comes to kittens, “catification” includes both environmental enrichment AND companionship. Rescues and shelters place a great emphasis on meeting the physical needs of kittens in their care, and rightfully so, as they tend to be medically fragile. Behavioral health is an essential component of ensuring a positive outcome though, and should also be considered in the care of kittens.

When it comes to young felines, two is definitely much better than one! If you’re not yet combining litters for foster care, or encouraging adopters without cats at home to take home a second kitten along with the first one, we hope we have encouraged you to pilot such programs!