Research broadly places the core feline socialization window around two to seven weeks, when exposure to people, sounds, and settings shapes adult acceptance.
Brief gentle daily handling inside the window markedly improves friendliness, alongside gradual exposure to appliance noise, visitors, and calm animals.
Kittens past the window can still bond, but need months of patient desensitization; forced handling cements fear, while positive treat associations work better.
When choosing, watch for kittens that approach people and initiate play; socialization does not mean roaming during immune gaps, so balance exposure with the vaccine schedule.
