Litter Social Tests: 4 Checks at 5-7 Weeks

Four short tests, run at 5 to 7 weeks of age in 3-minute blocks, give a repeatable read on how each kitten handles touch, sound, novelty, and a stranger. Score every test 1 to 5 and record the same 6 fields for every kitten, then run the set again at 7 weeks. The single score matters less than the slope: a kitten that scores 2 on handling at 5 weeks and 4 at 7 weeks is telling you it needed 14 days of daily handling, not that it is a difficult cat.

Why the window is 5 to 7 weeks

At 5 weeks a kitten is mobile, eating solid food or close to it, and still tolerant of being picked up and turned over. Before 4 weeks the coordination and the attention span are not there, and a 3-minute block turns into a wrestling match. After 9 weeks the same tests read differently because a normal fear period shifts the baseline. That is why scores are only compared inside the same 2-week window, and why the second run is scheduled 10 to 14 days after the first, not 4 weeks later.

The 4 tests, 3 minutes each

Run them in the same order every time, in the same room, with the same 2 people. Each block has a hard 3-minute stop, whether or not the kitten has finished.

Test	Age	Minutes	Score 1-5	Record field
1 Handling	5-7 wk	3	relax time	seconds to relax
2 Sound	5-7 wk	3	recovery	seconds to resume play
3 Novel object	5-7 wk	3	approach latency	seconds to first sniff
4 Stranger	5-7 wk	3	approach within 30 s	0 or 1, plus distance

How each test runs

Handling: pick the kitten up under the chest and hind legs, hold for 15 seconds, stroke the back 3 times, put it down on the same spot. Score 5 if it relaxes within 5 seconds, 3 if it struggles for 10 seconds and then settles, 1 if it stays rigid for the full 15 seconds. Sound: drop 1 metal spoon on tile 1.5 m away, then 3 more clatters at 5-second gaps. Score by how long before the kitten returns to what it was doing: under 10 seconds is a 5, 60 seconds is a 2, no return within 3 minutes is a 1. Novel object: place a folded paper bag 30 cm in front of the kitten and start a 60-second clock; score 5 for a sniff within 5 seconds, 1 for a retreat to the corner. Stranger: an unfamiliar person sits on the floor, extends 1 hand, says nothing for 30 seconds and does not reach again; score 1 for approach, 0 for none, and note the distance in 10 cm steps.

Running a clean session

Use 1 room at 22 to 24 C, after a meal, with the queen out of sight. One kitten at a time, 2 sessions a day at most, with 10 minutes between sessions and a different handler order in the second session. No scruffing, no restraint beyond a normal pick-up, no second attempt if the kitten freezes for 10 seconds or hisses: write a 1, stop the test, and try again the next day. Write the score within 30 seconds of putting the kitten down, because after 3 kittens the numbers blur and every cat starts to look average.

The record: 6 fixed fields

Every row carries kitten ID (collar color is enough), date, age in days, test number 1 to 4, score 1 to 5, and the raw measure in seconds or centimeters. Two optional fields earn their space: handler initials and litter size, because a litter of 6 produces different scores from a litter of 2 in the same room. Keep 1 sheet per litter, 1 row per kitten per test, so 4 rows per kitten at 5 weeks and 4 more at 7 weeks. Photograph the sheet at the end of each session; paper sheets get lost between weaning and placement.

What the pattern says

A change of 1 point between the 2 runs is noise. A gain of 2 points on 1 or 2 tests is the expected effect of daily handling. A loss of 2 points on 3 tests, or a kitten that scores 1 on 2 different tests at both ages, is a reason to look at health before temperament — check weight against littermates, body temperature, and whether the kitten is eating alone or being pushed off the bowl. A kitten 20 percent under littermate weight at 6 weeks needs a vet visit before it needs a behavior plan.

What the scores cannot tell you

They do not predict adult temperament, and they do not rank kittens by value. A 2 on the stranger test in a quiet adult home is often a better match than a 5 in a house with 2 children under 8 and a dog. They also do not replace a health screen: a kitten that scores 5 on handling can still have a heart murmur, and a kitten that scores 1 may simply have an ear infection that makes touch painful. Treat the 4 tests as 1 input among 3, next to the vet exam and 2 or more home visits.

Vet line and welfare notes

Book the vet check in the same week as the second run: weight, temperature, fecal float, umbilicus, and a listen to the heart. Any kitten that stops gaining weight for 48 hours, has diarrhea for more than 24 hours, or breathes with an open mouth at rest goes that day, not at the end of the test schedule. Programs that use these records well run genetic screening before any litter is planned, keep litter numbers small, and place kittens at 12 weeks or later; the tests support those decisions, they do not replace them.

Set the routine up in this order: 1) print 1 sheet per litter with the 6 fields and 4 test rows; 2) run the 4 tests at 5 weeks, 3 minutes each, 2 sessions a day at most; 3) write scores within 30 seconds and photograph the sheet; 4) repeat at 7 weeks, 10 to 14 days later; 5) compare the 2 runs and send any kitten with a 2-point drop on 3 tests to the vet first. Age and weight windows for the first weeks are covered in litter weights in week 1, and screening before a litter is planned is covered in pre-breeding genetic tests.

Frequently asked

Why test at 5 to 7 weeks instead of 8 or 10?

Because kittens at that age are mobile and still tolerate being picked up, and the baseline has not yet been moved by the fear period that shows up later. Scores taken at 5 to 7 weeks can be compared with each other; scores taken at 10 weeks cannot be compared with them.

How many kittens can one person score in a session?

Three or four at most, in 2 sessions a day, because scores blur after the third kitten. Write each score within 30 seconds of setting the kitten down, keep 1 row per kitten per test, and have a second handler call the timings out loud.

Does a low score mean the kitten should not be placed?

No. A low score is a note about the home that fits, not a verdict. A kitten that scores 1 or 2 on sound and strangers usually does better in a quiet adult household, and any kitten with a 2-point drop across 3 tests needs a vet exam before any placement decision.