Should this concern me? Rescue kittens

[AnotherBloodyChinHair]

So I'm in the waiting list for 2 rescue kittens, and I have been contacted to say that a litter of 8 has been found abandoned in a garden. They're too young to even be viewed. The are being bottle fed at the moment. Reading about kittens I have learned that if taken away from their mum too soon, they can display behaviour issues. So now I'm thinking, if there's no mum, should I worry about the kittens we might end up with?

[Buggers]

No, the cats that have been mistreated for years then in a rescue for another year usually settle in a loving home fine after a while so kittens that have never known any different life style will not that much of an issue

[cozietoesie]

If the foster mother knows what they're doing, eg gets them to eat and use their tray properly, and socialises them well, they should be just fine. My own Twoago was abandoned at birth by his mother and raised by his breeder along with his litter brother - he turned out to be a delightful boy with no quirks. (Or none that could be put down to his raising, anyway. )

[cozietoesie]

Sorry - that was Oneago.

[starsmurf]

Kittens that are orphans might end up having problems but you can ask questions of the fosterer before you choose your kittens. If you have other cats, you need to ask if the kittens were introduced to other cats before the age of seven weeks. Orphans can have "social problems" and be unable to read another cat's body language properly and to make mistakes with their interactions with other cats.

Orphans might have a problem with rough play and attacking hands and feet but these kittens are growing up as a big group, so they will teach each other to inhibit their bites.

As long as the kittens are socialised properly, they should make good pets. If you have any worries, talk to the rescue centre. I had a cat that was taken away from her mother too soon. She belonged to a friend at first but when she became stressed after a move, I adopted her. She was a great pet and even followed me when I went out to visit a friend. She would "race" me, flying through the neighbours' gardens and then wait triumphantly for me to catch up. I became known as "the lady with the cat" for as long as I lived there!

[AnotherBloodyChinHair]

Thank you for reassuring me. I can barely wait to see the kittens. I wish it was me bottle feeding them.

[cozietoesie]

What sort of relationship do you have with the fosterer? Might they allow you to visit and get to know the kits a little while they're with them?

[AnotherBloodyChinHair]

I don't know them at all. I have only been in touch with the rescue centre and I have to ring them back in a weeks time as the kittens are too young for viewing. I can't barely wait. They have four gingers, one tabby, one black and white and two jet black. I'm thinking a boy and a girl, one ginger and one black, or maybe black and white.

[BeverlyGoldberg]

We have a rescue cat who was taken from mum too soon and taken in my someone irresponsible. We rescued him as an adolescent cat and he's the most loving cat I've ever known. If anything he has serious boundary issues, very unlike a 'normal' car and more like a puppy.

He has moment of utter naughtiness but you can't stay mad at him because he's so loving.

Go for it, there's no such thing as a normal cat we had a pedigree once who had a charmed life from day one and was a little shit and I've had three rescue cats who've all been brilliant and very good with the litter tray.

[BeverlyGoldberg]

Sorry re typos. Typing on my phone with a toddler tying to intercept!

[cozietoesie]

The fosterer is probably exhausted! The thought of bottle feeding and then cleaning and training 8 (eight) very young kittens makes me go weak at the knees. They likely haven't had any decent sleep since the litter arrived.

[AnotherBloodyChinHair]

I know!! eight orphan kittens being bottle fed and cared for... exhausting, but oh my god the thought of it...