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The litter tray

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

Original poster

7 weeks too young?

43 replies

newkittenmama · 01/04/2021 07:38

We went to choose our kitten yesterday (2 weeks old) and had previously been told the date they could come home at 8 weeks but whilst we were there they said that if they are weaned and litter trained they could come home at 7 weeks. This is their 3rd littler and they seemed comfortable with this but everything I have read says 8 weeks. What are the potential issues if we did bring the kitten home at 7 weeks?

OP posts:
Original poster
newkittenmama · 01/04/2021 07:48

Here's the little cutie!

7 weeks too young?
OP posts:
Didicat · 01/04/2021 07:50

Yes 7 weeks is too early! Pedigree cats that are registered stay with their mums until 13 weeks.

ViperAtTheGatesOfDawn · 01/04/2021 07:52

Too early and not legal in UK (Lucy's Law).

floofycroissant · 01/04/2021 07:55

Way to young! There's another thread on here about having taken 8 week old kittens and they're now having a nightmare. It'll be horribly stressful for the kitten.

Prestel · 01/04/2021 08:00

There are no benefits to having them early and you risk some behavioural issues as their mum teaches them their manners, especially around nipping and biting, around that age. Is this a 'free to a good home' situation? If so, I'd try to get them to hold on to the kitten until 10 weeks if you can and definitely don't take it before 8 weeks. If it's being offered for sale at that age, though, I'd be cautious about taking it at all, tbh, as it's not very responsible of the seller and this sort of practice in the commercial sector needs to be discouraged. Kittens bred by such irresponsible sellers tend to have a higher rate of serious health problems so I'd think very carefully before going ahead.

RosesAndHellebores · 01/04/2021 08:09

It is too early but depends on the circumstances. Our boy was the issue if a BSH show queen, who escaped! The owner was desperate to get rid from 6/7 weeks. I insisted 8 and I think settled on about 7 weeks, 5 days.

We went to the vet on the way home to have him checked out physically. 13 years on and he has been an absolute delight.

7 weeks too young?
whenwillthemadnessend · 01/04/2021 08:11

We took ours at 71/2 weeks husband to get rid and was desperate so we took them off their hands and had no issues. They settled great and had each other.

No probs with house training We restricted them to one room for the first few weeks so it wasn't too overwhelming. They had a crate like a puppy for a few weeks too as a safe space.

dementedpixie · 01/04/2021 08:14

We got ours at 1 day before 8 weeks. Both were already litter trained although one was better at it than the other.

stuckinarutatwork · 01/04/2021 08:15

Absolute minimum of 8 weeks but ideally 10. We got our kitties from a rescue where they were housed with mum. They wouldn't let them go before 10 weeks as they said that although fully weaned and litter-trained well before 8 weeks, they learn a lot of social skills from their mum cat at this age which aren't as easily taught by 'human parents' and its best for them to stay together.

bluebluezoo · 01/04/2021 08:15

What @Prestel said.

Also when you say “3rd litter” you seem to infer that this means experience and they know what they’re doing.

Are you sure it isn’t just churning out as many kittens as possible and getting rid so they can get on with the next litter?

Is this all from the same cat? How old is mum?

I say this as the owner of a very damaged cat who had had at least 2 litters by the time she was 18m, before being dumped at rescue as she was no longer good for breeding.

whenwillthemadnessend · 01/04/2021 08:20

Very cute. I missed the 3rd litter bit

They look like moggies so why is she breeding 3 litters Tho

Most home moggie kittens are from an accident when a female has escaped so I'd be a bit put out if she is basically cashing in on the pet covid situation

Mine were free to a good home 6 years ago.

Fluffycloudland77 · 01/04/2021 08:20

Sounds like a kitten farm. Does HMRC know about this income stream?.

I was on a German Shepherd rescue site the other night where a family had bragged their last litter made them £18,000. They’d been sued by the rescue for breaking the contract to neuter the female.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 01/04/2021 08:26

It's illegal in the UK under Lucy's Law - puppies and kittens cannot go to their new homes any earlier than eight weeks old.

DarcyLewis · 01/04/2021 08:31

You risk having a poorly socialised and not toilet trained cat. Wait a couple of weeks.

I also wouldn’t trust everything the breeders tell you about age and health if they are just churning out multiple litters and trying to get rid of them illegally early.

Original poster
newkittenmama · 01/04/2021 08:36

Thank you for all the responses so far. It's their third accidental litter. She was due to be spayed but got out and got pregnant before they did. They are only charging £30 So it's nothing to do with the money. I was shocked they were so cheap as so many people are exploiting the current demand for pets.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 01/04/2021 08:39

I'm sorry but how do you get 3 'accidental' litters?
Cats should be spayed/neutered around 4 months old so they've had plenty of time to get her sorted out

Original poster
newkittenmama · 01/04/2021 08:41

I obviously only have what they have told me to go by. If they were charging a fortune it would give me a cause for a lot more suspicion but it's only £30.

OP posts:
Chemenger · 01/04/2021 08:43

Nobody has three accidental litters unless they’re very stupid or neglectful. Poor mother cat.

viques · 01/04/2021 08:49

That kittens ears are still folded! It is far too young to leave mum.

Btw, many vets will spay a cat in early pregnancy , so using the “she got out” excuse is pathetic.

dementedpixie · 01/04/2021 08:50

OP already said the kitten is currently 2 weeks old

Wolfiefan · 01/04/2021 08:53

Bollocks is it their third “accidental” litter. These people are breeding for cash with no concern for welfare. Angry

bluebluezoo · 01/04/2021 08:53

Thank you for all the responses so far. It's their third accidental litter. She was due to be spayed but got out and got pregnant before they did

Really? Getting out once, OK, twice is suspect, but she’s accidentally got out and pregnant 3 times?

They could have taken her for spay as soon as she got out the first (or second, or third) time...

Six kittens a litter, £30 each is nearly £600. Nice little earner, 5 litters a year is £1k. Low enough priced that people believe the story too, and won’t alert HMRC...

Only accidental litter I’ve ever known happened because the kitten was mis-sexed. Was a farm cat so it wasn’t until they saw it one day absolutely enormous that they checked. Still only had one litter though...

sunflowersandbuttercups · 01/04/2021 08:54

@newkittenmama

I obviously only have what they have told me to go by. If they were charging a fortune it would give me a cause for a lot more suspicion but it's only £30.
£30 x however many in a litter is easily several hundred. Multiply that by several litters a year and it's not pocket change.

Like PP said there's no such thing as an accidental litter as you can get cats spayed in pregnancy.

allmycats · 01/04/2021 09:09

1 litter can be a mistake, more than that and they are liard. Kitty must be at least 8 weeks when you take her. I would take her at 8 weeks and then report to HMRC as a breeder and Cats Protection. The RSPCA won't give a shit. If you don't try and do anything poor mummy cat is going to be breeding again and again and have a miserable life. Why not have mummy cat as well as your kitten and you can get them both neutered.

Toddlerteaplease · 01/04/2021 09:11

@Wolfiefan

Bollocks is it their third “accidental” litter. These people are breeding for cash with no concern for welfare. Angry
Was just going to post exactly the same! It's a kitten farm.
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