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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

Can anyone help me figure out how old these kittens are?

40 replies

Sadik · 29/04/2023 09:44

They've ferals found in a potato box by a friend (quite a ways away, so hard for me to go see them in person).

OP posts:
Ohow · 29/04/2023 09:52

Pretty new but not not newborn - do you know if there eyes are open?

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 29/04/2023 09:52

Very young, where is mother cat? A kitten that young needs mom to feed them and stimulate them to poo with their tongues.

They urgently need to find mom, hand rearing is not easy.

Original poster
Sadik · 29/04/2023 10:34

Mum will definitely be around - they were found in some potato boxes. Normally they'd be drowned (sorry) by the farmer but I really need some more cats around my barn. I much prefer taking on kittens to proper ferals as they'll grow up more tame (I feed / neuter / worm etc my barn cats - hence why they don't multiply & I need some youngsters!)

I think we've figured out a way forwards, box left where she can access it, food going to be put down in a fox trap (not set) to get them used to it so we can catch them once they're old enough to move.

OP posts:
FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 29/04/2023 12:00

They’ll need their mom till 8 weeks. Can you afford to neuter that many kittens?

Mom too so no more kittens for drowning? I mean that’s grim and we lived rurally for years I'm used to the practicalities.

Original poster
Sadik · 29/04/2023 13:06

Yep, reason for trying to age them is that we want to move them as young as possible, but old enough to not need their mother.

Neutering definitely counts as a business expense! believe me, cats earn their keep in my line of work (horticulture). Fortunately the farm vet here is very reasonably priced compared to what I know of city vets.

And realistically, if we get them well settled barn cats have a good long life well away from traffic/other hazards. I don't actually know how old our old girl is (came from the rescue with a littermate who a little while back decided she wasn't feral at all and was destined to be a pampered house cat Grin ), but she's getting pretty grey and has been with us long enough that she now spends the majority of her time asleep in a polytunnel.

OP posts:
Ohow · 29/04/2023 15:19

Hang on. So your plan is to wait till they aren't dependent on their mother and then take them from here? Is that a joke?

Shouldbedoing · 29/04/2023 15:23

Cats don't stay with their mother till university, you know. They have to be separated before puberty, lest they mate with a parent at 2 or 3 months old

Spcd · 29/04/2023 15:25

@Ohow how do you think anyone gets a pet?

FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 29/04/2023 15:41

That’s how we all get cats, our Bengal was 17 weeks when we got him and his mum was mightily pissed off he was still there in her house.

WhisperingAutistic · 29/04/2023 15:46

Ohow · 29/04/2023 15:19

Hang on. So your plan is to wait till they aren't dependent on their mother and then take them from here? Is that a joke?

We took in a pregnant cat and trust me, the mother wants nothing to do with them once they are weaned.
One of ours kept trying to suckle for comfort and mum was having none of it. She would literally bite her when she tried.

TooMuchStuffArghhh · 29/04/2023 15:47

I think 2 weeks ish.

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 29/04/2023 15:50

Good luck with them, OP. It sounds as if they are going to have a good life with you.

beccahamlet · 29/04/2023 15:52

I think they look 3 to 4 weeks.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 29/04/2023 16:10

I think about 4 weeks.

And their names are Spud, Chip, Waffle and Badger.

Highworth · 29/04/2023 16:23

NeverDropYourMooncup · 29/04/2023 16:10

I think about 4 weeks.

And their names are Spud, Chip, Waffle and Badger.

Why badger? 😀

NeverDropYourMooncup · 29/04/2023 16:31

The one with the stripes - and everybody knows that Badger loves mashed potatoes.

n

Bodger and Badger

Another favorite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?ab_channel=nostalgicteen&v=bzHlDxyO8SI

lljkk · 29/04/2023 16:33

omg, squee, so cute !!! We need better pics, OP.
Especially when they become your effective mousers.
Agree on 2 weeks max. Eyes not open yet?

depre · 29/04/2023 16:37

Ohow · 29/04/2023 15:19

Hang on. So your plan is to wait till they aren't dependent on their mother and then take them from here? Is that a joke?

Isn't that what happens with most kittens?

What's the alternative here? Leave them and have them all breed Hmm

Original poster
Sadik · 29/04/2023 16:51

I'm thinking about 2 weeks too. Loving the potato themed names - but maybe (depending on sex) some variation on Orla, Charlotte, Edward & (Maris) Piper?

Fingers & toes crossed my DP's friend does put food down & get them a little tame, we should be able to bring them here & all should be well (And if so I will provide more pix, I promise).

Hopefully they will indeed have a good life here. I think all the market gardeners I know are pretty soppy about their cats, they may be working members of the team but they tend to be rather more on the pet end of the spectrum compared to most farm ratters Grin

OP posts:
FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 29/04/2023 17:02

What about getting mom spayed though if you’ve got a reasonably priced vet?

Original poster
Sadik · 29/04/2023 17:28

We're 60 miles away, so not really going to be practical. If I'm honest, I think there's quite a lot of un-neutered farm cats around there - and realistically mostly they just get on with it & have their litters somewhere away from people.

OP posts:
DiscoBeat · 29/04/2023 17:42

I'd guess 3 weeks.

Soontobe60 · 29/04/2023 17:45

My name suggestions are salt and vinegar, cheese and onion, ready salted and prawn cocktail.

Soontobe60 · 29/04/2023 17:47

Just out of interest, whats the difference between a barn cat and a house cat? My DD lives rurally, could do with cats as she gets lots of mice / rats but shes actually allergic so cant have them in the house.

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 29/04/2023 17:49

Do you need them all?

Are you in Wiltshire?