My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

What age is the right age to rehome kittens from their mother?

93 replies

ChaosTrulyReigns · 24/01/2012 15:29

Went to see some 6wo kittens today and have fallen in love, the owner wants to rehome them asap, I have somehing pinging in my brain that 8 weeks is about right, but I really want these kittens and I know if I ask her to wait, she'll juts give them to the next person who offers iyswim?

Dliemma, please help.

OP posts:
Report
ChaosTrulyReigns · 24/01/2012 15:34

Oh, please, I've been right good - correct topic and I looked through 3 pages of The Litter Tray before starting my own thread.

OP posts:
Report
BitterAndTwistedChoreDodger · 24/01/2012 15:36

Minimum of 8 weeks, pref 12 weeks. Sorry

Report
Mikocat · 24/01/2012 15:36

8 weeks is what I've always been told. Even then we had problems with one of ours not being able to lap properly, poor little thing kept sticking his head in the cat-milk and sneezing! :)

Report
Mikocat · 24/01/2012 15:38

Can you ask her straight out? If she says she WILL just give them to the next person that offers you may have to be prepared to do some hand-rearing until they are properly weaned. Do you have time to do this?

Report
ValarMorghulis · 24/01/2012 15:40

at least 8 weeks. And definitely not until they are weaned from mum.

the woman sounds quite horrid. Is she expecting financial reward for not neutering her cat?

can't stand people like that

Report
pinkhebe · 24/01/2012 15:41

My cat is currently on my lap SUCKING HIS NIPPLE!! This is, I think due to him being weaned at about 6 weeks Sad He didn't leave his Mum until 12 weeks, but I know Mum went on a holiday at about this time

Report
GetOrfMoiiLand · 24/01/2012 15:42

Oh no 6 weeks is too young.

8 weeks is the minumum and then they are (imho) too little and should still be with mum.

Report
ChaosTrulyReigns · 24/01/2012 15:44

oh feck.

No they are free to good home.

this family are off on holiday on Saturday, so they want rid.

OP posts:
Report
GetOrfMoiiLand · 24/01/2012 15:46

I would take them then - bloody hell though at free to good home, those poor kits could go to anyone.

You need pinot on here with her kitten weaning knowledge.

Very JEALOUS of kittens.

Report
ValarMorghulis · 24/01/2012 15:49

What will happen to mum?

poor kittens. I take it she hasn't bothered asking whether you are actually offering a good home or that you have the faintest idea of what you should be doing with the kitten? Just that you are willing to take them much earlier than they should be separated from their mother.

Report
GrimmaTheNome · 24/01/2012 15:51

Chaos -if they are going on holiday what happens to mummy cat? Just a thought but would there be any practical way for you to look after mother cat as well as the kittens while they are away?

I had a friend who had a pair of too-young kittens - they were so clingy, incessantly doing that kneading thing which is cute for a few minutes at a time but not all the time. Poor little mites.

Report
ChaosTrulyReigns · 24/01/2012 15:51

I think that's what I'm thinking - although it's not ideal, I feel better with me than who knows what.

I am thinking about offering the family enough money to cover neutering the mom.

OP posts:
Report
ChaosTrulyReigns · 24/01/2012 15:53

Sorry new posts came up while I was typing. It sounds like the neighbour is going in with dry food for the mom.

OP posts:
Report
crazynanna · 24/01/2012 15:57

I got my Poppy at 7 and a half weeks as owner wanted rid....2 cats both had litters' within a week of each other and she couldn't cope.

She was ok,but I could see she needed to have been there a couple more weeks,but the woman had them in a cold shed thing and I thought it best I take her as one had gotten out of the shed and made it to the road and got killed Sad.When she told me that I took her.

She was good,litter trau used from day one,but she needed to be kept really warm and she slept with me as she was so tiny.

She's nearly 4 months now and is a strapping lass...but really follows me everywhere and truly thinks I am her mummy. Smile

Report
Greenshadow · 24/01/2012 16:00

Not ideal, but they will survive.

Our feral rescue kittens were separated from their mum even earlier when the owner of the land the mum had nested on wanted rid of them.

Cats Protection fostered them from (I think) about 4 weeks until we were able to have them at about 8 weeks.

Despite the young age, they had still picked up good habits from their mum and other desired traits (using litter tray) from the foster carers.

They remain lovely animals.

Report
ChaosTrulyReigns · 24/01/2012 16:07

Will the fact I'm having all 3 of them help?

OP posts:
Report
GrimmaTheNome · 24/01/2012 16:10

I don't know if it will help but I guess you'll be living up to your name!

Report
GetOrfMoiiLand · 24/01/2012 16:10

3 kittens!



What do they look like - what colour. And what are you going to call them?

Seriously, why oh why do people not spay their cats. Those kittens could end up anywhere. It is lucky for them they have someone nice like you chaso taking them in.

Report
ChaosTrulyReigns · 24/01/2012 16:14

Cheers Grimma!

Get, I was going to start the name my thread kittens later. Wink

When the Chaotics are at sleep - it will be a surprise to them. Smile

Get your thinking cap on.

OP posts:
Report
fruitshootsandheavesupafurball · 24/01/2012 16:16

Aww I want kittens

I hand reared 3 from 10 days old once. Used to brush them every day with a toothbrush!
Took them back to the shelter to be rehomed at about 7 weeks I think. Was hard but rewarding.

Are you going to name them Chaos, Truly scrumptuous and Raine?

Report
crazynanna · 24/01/2012 16:18

oohhh Chaos kittens are so great! Hard work but so rewarding! Poppy is my PFK and I luffs her soooo much. She looks like she is trialling for the 2012 Gymnastics team on my clothes rack...her fave thing at the moment Grin And the way she stalks,kills and runs around with dd's sock is so funny.

She is...of course...the prettiest kitten ever produced Wink
Pic on profile

Report
fruitshootsandheavesupafurball · 24/01/2012 16:18

(obviously I wasn't still brushing them with a toothbrush at 7 weeks old...just to clear that up Grin)

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

tabulahrasa · 24/01/2012 16:18

12 weeks is best, but my youngest was 6 weeks as the owner was getting rid no matter what...she's about 16 months and fine, she was a bit clingy for a few weeks, but used the litter tray and ate fine.

She is rather on the dinky side, but I see her mum (who is still not spayed :() around and my cat looks like a slightly bigger version of her, so I think it must just be small genes that have done that.

Report
stinkyfluffycat · 24/01/2012 16:23

Oh please do take the mother cat in while they're on holiday, keep her until they are at least 8 weeks. I'd feel sorry for 6 week old kittens without their mum, and I'd feel sorry for the mum who had her kittens taken away and her human family disappear on holiday at the same time Sad
And then put up lots of photos Smile

Report
fruitshootsandheavesupafurball · 24/01/2012 16:26

stinkyfluffycat are you my cat?

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.