How old do my kittens have to be before I can wash them?

Answers:
3 months.

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i say 3 months too. just make sure they stay warn and cozy because they can easily get sick if they are wet and cold!

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Well it is recommended that they be 12 weeks old if using flea shampoo. I have done it earlier without problems, but certainly not before at least a couple of weeks. Now my last litter I had a problem with the mom cleaning them after they were born and I used a damp cloth to clean them at just 2 days old, no bath just a damp cloth. Beware if they are feeding from the mother you risk her shunning them if you bath them, each mom is different.

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I washed my kitten when he was two months old and he was fine. It didnt hurt him!

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start washing your kittens at 7 weeks old.

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How old are they? And why do you want to wash them??

I have bathed kittens as young as 1 wk old. You have to make sure you dry them immediately with a hair dryer (not too hot) and them snuggle them in a warm towel or even put them under your shirt.
Also, only use baby shampoo on kittens. DO NOT use flea shampoo. Baby shampoo will kill any fleas without the chemicals.

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Age has nothing to do with it, although kittens are very, very fragile. Never wash a cat unless absolutely necessary! If it has something on its fur and skin that it should not ingest during grooming, or that is injurious, bathing probably will be necessary. If it has gotten into something dangerous to you, odiferous, or too messy for the preservation of your furnishings, bathing might be necessary. If it is injured, YOU should not try washing it, but take it immediately to a veterinarian.

Otherwise, let mother cat bathe her kittens until they learn to wash themselves. Their tongues and saliva are evolved to do the job perfectly, without damage to their fur, skin, eyes, or ears from the chemicals in chlorinated water and shampoos, and without the danger of their becoming chilled because their skin is still wet, even though their fur feels dry.

Flea medication should be administered to kittens under six months old only as specifically recommended by a veterinarian; many "dip" and shampoo chemicals are potentially fatal to felines of any age, and especially dangerous to kittens.

Cats--healthy cats--have no odor, unlike dogs, which must be bathed regularly if they are to be enjoyable indoor companions. If your cat or kitten has odiferous fur, it is not well and should be examined by a veterinarian.

Much can be done to clean a cat if only it fur, and not its skin, is soiled. A thick terry towel, dipped into warm, clear water and rubbed gently but firmly through the fur, in much the same we humans towel our hair, will remove dirt, soot, and even some oils. If necessary, the towel can be dampened with soapy water, and a second towel used to thoroughly rinse the soap out.

Please confer with your veterinarian, and concern yourself with the welfare of your pet, and not with some arbitrary feeling that you should bathe it. Have respect for its ability to clean itself, for its health, and for its peace of mind and dignity. Do not treat it like a dog, a child -- or a plaything.