Considering a kitten, but the mum cat rejected the kittens at 8 weeks, but other related cats are stepping in

[Kittencuddler]

Woudl this put you off ? The mum stayed with them until they were 8 weeks
but then she started getting stressed and had had enough of the kittens

so other related adult cats are spending time with the kittens showing them the ropes

all adult cats seem very healthy and well and all the kitten seem lovely

breeder seems lovely and all very professional with a great set up

8 weeks is pretty ok. I live in the ME and my rescues usually come to me around 3 to 4 weeks, this seems to be common for mom leaving them. Apart from too many of them, none of mine have issues and most weaned on food foraged from trash

Why would this put you off ? Kittens used to 'leave home' at 8 weeks but it seems to have changed now.

Why would this put you off?

Strange.

What would put me off is how many cats are there at this 'breeders'? Is this a pedigree or a moggy?

Maybe it's fairly normal? I got my pedigree kittens from decent breeders at 12 weeks old and mum was so uninterested in the kittens on both occasions. I know that's a few weeks later but the breeder with the 1st one certainly said mum had been like that for a few weeks. Both times kittens were happy running around playing with other kittens. Both of my now adult cats are lovely, calm, affectionate, well socialised cats.

guess just thinking the kittens would stay with mum till they are older, say 12 weeks
and learn all they need to know from mum

but I’m no expert

It's absolutely fine. All my rescue cats we homed with me by the age of 8 weeks, I had two orphans who I raised from 4 and 7 weeks. They were the loveliest cats.

It tends to be pedigree cats who stay with the mother till 12 weeks. And even then, the mother is not necessarily with them full time past 8 weeks anyway. Some mums get fed up with the kittens past a certain point, but I have never found it makes a difference to the kittens.

Her lack of interest IS her teaching them.

My cats came to me at around 8 weeks as the mum was poorly and they’d had to separate her. They are completely fine

It’s normal for a mother cat to reject her kittens at 8 weeks. They should know how to clean themselves and use the litter tray by then.

Wouldn't put me off at all. These days I'd rather they weren't rehomed till 12 weeks old but I've had litters of farm kittens all being looked after by whatever random cat (sometimes dad!) was about. Cats are great at minding each other's kittens.

(In case you're thinking I'm irresponsible - despite them not being my farm cats I got them all neutered over time, at my own expense (and agreed by the farmer) and rehomed all the kittens)

Kittens used to be rehomed at 8 weeks as standard - 12 weeks seems very old to me but I’m quite old school I think!

Is this a pedigree breeder or someone who hasn’t bothered neutering their moggy? We got two rescue kittens. I think mum started ignoring them very early on. She went out and got pregnant again. One of the kittens has grown up to be a very odd character. We love her but she is a bitey and anti social character.

My two kittens came both hand reared as they didn’t have a mum. Both from different mums. They are very cuddly as have always know people. One came to us at 8 weeks and the shelter was so full and she is the more adventurous and more cat like out of the two of them. 8 weeks is fine for the mum cat to choose to let her kittens go, it’s not like they forced them away from her.

I think they learn from each other more at that age, through play, etc. I got both of mine at 12/13 weeks - their mum wasn’t around them much at all by that stage (and had gone into season again when we picked up the first one). They were both extremely confident kittens, were litter trained, well socialised, etc. It’s standard for pedigree kittens to leave at 12 weeks and I think that it is a good age for all kittens - they are much more robust.