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

Original poster

Question about pair of kittens

11 replies

DedalusBloom · 04/02/2022 15:47

We're thinking of adopting a pair of 3 month old kittens. They're a bonded pair, which is what we've been looking for.

It's been a long time since I've had such small cats and I'm getting cold feet about the idea. We've always had older rescues.( which I have no problem with at all).

My DH works from home 3 days a week
I work from home 4 days a week. My 4 days are flexible enough to leave me plenty of cat socialisation time and on the days I'm not there and DH is he has plenty of breaks and a lunch hour to do the same.

There is a crossover day (Thursdays) where we are both out from 8am-7pm and the kittens would be left alone for those 10 hours.

This is the bit that worries me. I know they would nap and play and climb the curtains and similar and have each other for company but would we be able to leave them for 10 hours at at time, even if we are home the rest of the time? We have a house with a garden and eventually they would be outdoor cats. It's just the initial few months as they grow up that's worrying me.

My mum had a cat from a kitten that wasn't properly socialised before she got her and she was a very distant cat all her life; quite spiky and temperamental despite my mum's very loving and involved care.

What do you think? Having always had older rescue cats it's becoming harder and harder to have them for shorter amounts of time and I'd really like to experience having cats for their whole lifetime for once.

I'm beating myself you about all the older cats who need homes and I feel like a petulant toddler wanting kittens!

Please help me stop overthinking. Grin

OP posts:
lking679 · 04/02/2022 15:54

For that 10 hours cross over for first few weeks i would take holiday and be home with them. Is that a possibility?
After the first few weeks don't let them out at that time (assume you couldn't anyway) and make sure they're in a safe place with food, a little water and not too much to wreck. I think it would be fine!

I have an older cat and a pair. BTW, they get on better now with the older one that with each other! They are brother and sister we got as kittens.
I find that cat temperaments are what they are. The brother is very affectionate, the sister isn't much at all. But both socialised in the same way!

KittyTail · 04/02/2022 15:55

They’ll be fine! They’ll climb up the curtains etc. but they’ll be fine! I have 2 cats I can leave alone from Friday-Sunday with food down. I kept both my kittens in til they were 6 months old then gradually started letting them out. I always get them in overnight (I live on a busyish road). Enjoy them!

lking679 · 04/02/2022 15:56

Also... we use a cat sitter in the holidays. If you're worried about Thursdays could you arrange one to call in lunchtime ish and top up their food and have a play? At least until they're a few months old. I don't think I would necessarily myself if they seemed settled enough by then, but if you're worried it's something you could do until they're a bit older.

Beamur · 04/02/2022 15:59

I think they'll be fine to be honest. I have siblings and when they were kittens if we had to leave them I would shut them in a safe room and leave tots/food/litter down. They'll sleep most of the time and play with each other when awake. It won't hinder them being socialised. You could get someone to pop in if you were worried.

Georgeskitchen · 04/02/2022 16:12

Make sure they have toys to play with and possibly a cat tree. Young cats are like young children......they will run and play chase like crazy then just crash and sleep 😴 💤

AwkwardPaws27 · 04/02/2022 16:16

They should be fine - but you'll probably need a food dispenser with timer as at 3 months they'll probably still be on 4 small meals a day.

Original poster
DedalusBloom · 04/02/2022 17:24

Thank you everyone- some great pointers here. I also know a pair of sibling cats who couldn't give two mouse sized shits about each other now they're older too!

It's been about 30 years since I've had to deal with kittens and the the PP who said keep them in for 6 months is right, although that bit is daunting as I'm an inveterate window/door opener. It would be lovely if they turned into cats who weren't very interested in going outside but I won't get my hopes up in that regard!

OP posts:
GreenCat44 · 04/02/2022 19:54

I picked my kittens up at 6pm and left them alone when i went to work the next day (they were 10 weeks old). They were fine (although they went through a phase when i wondered how many of my nets would still be up when I got home Grin)
If there was only one kitten, i wouldn't want to leave it for hours, but two should be fine.

ClariceQuiff · 04/02/2022 19:58

If you value your curtains it would be worth swapping them for old ones until they grow out of curtain climbing. If you don't have any old ones put away you can pick them up for peanuts in charity shops.

lljkk · 04/02/2022 21:34

They'll be fine, the joy of cats, don't need YOU.

I presume you would leave them unattended for 8-9 hours at night, too? Shut in one room if you want to contain any damage they might do.

thecatneuterer · 05/02/2022 09:22

@lljkk

They'll be fine, the joy of cats, don't need YOU.

I presume you would leave them unattended for 8-9 hours at night, too? Shut in one room if you want to contain any damage they might do.

Exactly this, on all points.
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