hI
im having a really tought decision
basically my mum's friend had 5 cats 2 days ago witch is 10/04/11 and As
I read on the internet.the kitten must be 8 weeks old for me to take them home right?
But my dad wants to take 1 when hes about 2 weeks or 3 .
Now he wants to keep him outside in the garden with those kind of boxes for cats, but of course hes ganna put a blanket and cosy stuff.
But my question is.Should we wait for my mums friend to tell us that the kitten is ready to take home or shall we tell her to give it to us in 8 weeks time(But my dad want to take them when the kitten is 2-3 weeks old).
So should we take them when there 8 weeks old or when there about 4 or 5 weeks old?
Thanks everyone for the patience and i will post loads of pics as well
Thanks reply and help PLEASE!!
Daily Kitten Chat Forum » General Chat
Please help I cant decide
(39 posts)-
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Hi again G.V14. I think you'll get more responses this way; a lot of people who already responded on the other thread might not read it again and see your question.
My advice is still the same; if the mom cat is available, 2-3 weeks is too young to take the babies away.
Everyone here loves to help people take the best possible care of their kitties, so I'm sure you'll get lots of good advice.
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The babies need to be with their mum for 8 to 12 weeks. Particularly if the baby is destined to be an outdoor kitty. Young kitten can't regulate their own body temperature so they need to be with mum and siblings. It is great that your dad is going to give one a home, but he just needs to be patient and maybe start visiting his future baby to form a bond with it, but let it get fully weaned before bringing home.
Posted 1 year ago by KYKAT 12 23 #
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Thanks, KYK; I just saw G.V14's followup question on the other thread and was going to respond similarly, that 5 weeks is still too young.
G.V14, I'm sure your dad wants the kitten to have the best possible start in life and to be healthy, and the best way to do that is to leave it with its mum for at least 8 weeks, preferably longer.
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Why does your father want to take a kitten at 2-3 weeks? A 2-3 week kitten is very immature and is not yet weaned. According to the Messybeast website www.messybeast.com, a 2-3 week kitten needs to be fed KMR/kitten milk replacer every 4 - 5 hours around the clock. It is much easier to let Mumcat take care of the feeding! They have small stomachs so can't eat enough at one sitting to last them all day like an older cat can. (After all, you do not feed a newborn human infant only 3x/day like an adult.) And they may not be able to move their bladder and bowels unaided. They certainly cannot survive outside.
A four-week old kitten still needs to be fed every 6 - 8 hours, and is just learning how to eat solid food and to play with littermates. Kittens really need to interact with other cats during this time to learn proper cat manners- they do learn from other cats. (Of course, domestic kittens also need to be socialized to humans too.) Especially if it will be an outdoor kitty- it needs to be 8-12 weeks before it leaves its mum so it learns how to fend for itself outdoors. Do you want your cat to be a mouser? They need to learn how by watching Mum.
Please consider taking two kittens so they have someone to play cat games with. If I had it to do over again, I definitely would. In fact, I later got a second cat the same age so Catkin would have a playmate! Two kittens do cost more in terms of food and veterinary expenses, but are half the trouble since they have each other to play with.
Posted 1 year ago by Kiplings_cat #
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thanks for all of you who commented and helped me fairly.
And to answer you're question KIPLINGS_CAT
My father just can't wait to get a kitten that's why,
And were not buying the kittens a friend is giving it to us
but he just can't wait 8-12 weeks but to make them live properly we have to
wait that long.
So How about if we take it home when there 8 weeks or 7 weeks old?
Yes,we are going to keep them well comford in our garden but sometimes we are going to keep them inside too.
But you guys think that they might be able to chase after mouse in the house at night or if he sees them?
and maybe when would be the earliesttime to get the kitten castrated(neutered).
thanks you all guys and keep on helping me I have no experience -
Eight weeks is better than seven. At that age, it is a fairly significant length of time, developmentally. Think about it; a human baby matures a lot in the first year- learns to crawl, even walk. But when you are adult, not that much changes in a year.
Regarding neutering, it depends on the vet- some shelters neuter kittens before they offer them for adoption. We got Catkin at 10 weeks, but didn't neuter him until 4 months. Which is a bit late , but he is strictly indoor and the resident female was spayed. The vet would have done it earlier, since he had already reached the minimum weight.
Chasing is instinctive; catching/killing is not. Catkin chases rabbits while on his leash, so I am sure he would go after a mouse. Whether he would know what to do with it is a different story. He'd probably put it (live) in his food dish like he does with his toys! I read somewhere about 1 in 3 pounces of a mouser cat is successful- the cat has to know how to stalk successfully, pounce and hold its prey, and get in the single killing bite. This is learned from Mum.
Posted 1 year ago by Kiplings_cat #
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KC, my Georgie puts his toys (mice in this case) in his food dish too :) I'm pretty sure there are other TDK kitties who do that. I've watched George chase/catch 3 mice; I'm convinced he didn't know he was supposed to kill/eat them, which is good because NYC mice are full of icky germs.
G.V14, Kipling's Cat makes a good point; the kitten's mum is going to teach it lots of things it needs to know to be a good cat, and the longer she/he stays with mum the better off she/he will be.
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Taco just grooms mice when he catches one. He never kills them - just licks them over and over and over until they are soaked in his kitty spit. He's a weird cat.
I agree with everyone else - wait until AT LEAST 8 weeks if at all possible. The kitty needs to mature. The longer he/she is with its mom, the healthier he will be. The first 8 weeks are by far the most important. Tell your dad that the extra few weeks will be worth it to have a happy, healthy kitty.
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G.V14, welcome to TDK!!! Please do not take offense to what I say, I say this in the concern for the kitten and out of the worry for him.
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Please please please wait until AT LEAST 8 weeks. I cannot stress this enough, that is the best time because their momma has weaned them most likely and they are bigger and have learned some basic things in life. 12 weeks is even better. They are able to regulate their own body temps at this time, they are more aware of their situation, not necessarily smarter. They can play and be active with you.
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Your kitten WILL NOT benefit from being taken from it's mother so early. I hand raised a 3 week old kitten because she lost her mother. Duchess was a handful and feeding her and teaching her what her Momma would have taught her was hard. I fed her every 3-4 hours for 2 weeks, and then slowly expanded it to 4-5 hours. But I woke up EVERY night and day for her, helped her feed, clean herself, made sure she peed and pooped. It WAS not easy at all. Kittens who either lose their momma or their momma cannot feed them must be fed with KMR kitten milk replacer. I know some have already mentioned this to you, but it is important. You are not helping the kitten by removing it from the best care, it's own mother.
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Please consider getting 2 kittens, 2 kittens are better than 1 kitten. Pairs always have each other. Then they can learn together and always have a playmate, snuggle buddy and basically someone to keep them from getting too lonely. My kittens Duchess and Gabriel nap, eat, sleep, and play together. Your kitten will be very lonely if he is taken away from his siblings so young at 2-3 weeks and he will still be lonely if he is taken by himself at 8 weeks.
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Another thing, kittens CANNOT regulate their own body temperature at 2-3 weeks so you are harming it by putting it outside to live, confined or not, it will either be too hot or too cold for him. He needs to be inside where you can control the temperature of whatever room he is in and that will be much better for him. I am not trying to scare you but you need to think about everything when you take in a kitten and possibly two.
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As for chasing mice, he will chase after things, kittens themselves are very playful and to them everything is a toy. Gabriel is 3 months now and he loves chasing after everything that isn't a toy along with his 8 month old sister Duchess.
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as for neutering, generally 5-6 months are fine, at least that's what I've heard. I had Duchess spayed right around 5 months, and Gabriel will probably be at 5 months too because he spends so much time with a female.
Posted 1 year ago by Duchess&&Gabriel #
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I can't add anything, really, except that if you live in the US, there are dangers in leaving kitties to live outside and no, they can;t take care of mice in the house if they are outside.
To be blunt, and some people may think I am being too blunt, if you take a kitten at two to three weeks and put it outside, even if you give it the correct kitten milk replacement formula every few hours, the kitten will probably die. They are blind up till around 10 days and they cannot walk at all, only crawl a small way, up until about three weeks. I am sure if you and your dad went to visit the kittens at one week, he would change his mind once he saw how tiny they are. Up to 40% of kittens that do not have mothers die, and that's with keeping them inside on a heating pad and feeding them properly and doing everything right. Your dad needs to understand this. AT LEAST eight weeks before you take a kitten from its mother and siblings and she will also need shots and a check-over from the vet once you get him or her.
That said, a kitten is a wonderful pet and companion. You will have a loving friend for life if you give a kitten a good home. Just because you cannot take it from its mother before 8 weeks doesn't mean you can't go and visit it and see how it is developing and get to know it. Best of luck with convincing your dad and let us know how it goes. We will try to help as much as we can and we are not trying to be mean, just to save you (and your kitten) from much heartbreak.
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Please listen to JCAT, Duchess-Gabriel and everyone else. If your dad takes the kitten prematurely, it will likely die, it will be miserable while it is still alive, and even if it survives, it will not be happy in it's baby weeks- it will be scared, cold, and insecure having been taken away from mom and sibs. Mom cat will be a wreck, having her baby taken away. They get so attached to their babies! Even the sibs will feel the loss, I'm sure. Please reconsider. Your dad needs to be patient!
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HI EVERYONE
I just want to thank ALL of you who commented and gave me very very helpful
advise for the kitten.
I will let you know how my dad will react once I tell him to take the kitten away from it's mother at
Least 8 weeks old, because the kittens right now are about 3 days old, I know
there's a long way to go to get to 8-10 weeks.
But please keep on posting if you can.
And I will tell you once I'll get them how there doing.Thank you all AGAIN for you're help and suggestions.
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Delayed kitty gratification will make the eventual adoption all that much sweeter! And if you can interact with the little ones when they're a wee bit older, you'll have all the fun of watching their wee personalities develop and you may find just the Right One.
I met Hermes the day he was born, and I watched as he and his four brothers grew from teensy babies into handsome little men-kitties. I was SO ANXIOUS to have him in my hands! It was hard to wait for three months until the breeder said it was ok to bring him home, but I spent lots of time watching him grow, holding him, bonding with him, and enjoying watching him play.
It was no less wonderful the day he came HOME for good, it was like my Wedding Day... all that planning and anticipation and waiting was ALL worth it when he was my very own baby for good! (He's in my avatar, he's gotten to be a BIG baby now)
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If your dad goes to visit 'his' kitten as often as he can, the kitten will have the best of both worlds. He'll be with his mama getting the nourishment and education he needs, plus he'll know your dad when he does get to come home with you and that will make the transition easier for kitty.
Posted 1 year ago by CheetahBoysmommy #
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That is such a good idea, CBM and Siobhan, and if you go with your dad, you will get to see your kitten grow too. It's amazing how much they change so quickly and the milestones are such fun to watch, the day their eyes first open, the day they can first crawl and fall out of the 'nest', the day they first start walking (and falling over), the day they really start to play with each other, the first day they purr...
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And just because your dad can't have the kitten until the baby is at least 8 weeks old does not mean that he can't go over there and visit and cuddle the baby, pick up some tips on how to raise a kitten, and bond with the little fellow.
A friend of mine who was not used to cats had a neighbor whose Siamese queen had four of the most precious kittens in the world. Shelby went over on the third day, looked at the fluff balls, and melted. She asked her neighbor how soon she could have one. The neighbor said that the baby she picked out had to be at least 8 weeks old, although she preferred for them to stay with the mama cat until they were 10-12 weeks old.
Shelby asked if she could visit the babies, especially her baby (she had already picked one out). The neighbor said fine, and Shelby went over every other day to look at her kitten and learn everything about cats. Shelby and her little man-kitty bonded like you would not believe.
It's been 15 years and they are still together, blue-eyed Barnabas and his mama Shelby.
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Hey guys
Thank you for all of you're suggestions,I'm really happy.
but I Im not sure about this,do you think that I should keep the kitten indoors until it gets into an adult to keep him sometimes in the garden?
But I want to keep him when hes ganna be about 8-9 weeks old indoors so he can
grow up with my family and then maybe when hes like a year or 2 I want to
keep him outside in the garden sometimes.
THanks again guys you've really have been helpful to me.
And please comment on this question.
THANKS -
I would really like it if you kept him inside, they are so much safer inside than outside. They usually live longer and they are usually safer from fleas, ticks, ear mites, and such other parasites, HOWEVER, they are not unavoidable. Currently I am dealing with a second round of earmites and both Duchess and Gabriel are inside only.
It's your kitten so ultimately you will decide, but in my opinion, an inside cat is a much happier and safer cat. They are also safer from any hooligans and derelicts running around. I am not trying to scare you but there are some crazies out there.
Is there a reason why you're only getting one kitten?
Posted 1 year ago by Duchess&&Gabriel #
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hi DUCHESS_GABRIEL
ermm im getting one because my mum doesen't want to keep more than
one,i don't know she hates cats mostly, so just one I know it's kind of
sad for me and for the kitten too.
But the thing is that when it's 8 weeks old were ganna keep it inside
but maybe sometimes we might have to keep it outside but if me and my dad try to convince my mum to keep it inside (thank god). -
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To me it sounds as if you need to have a discussion with your parents. I am suprised your Dad would want to take a kitten from the mother before it is weaned and able to function. I also think that if your Mother hates cats, that this should be a family discussion you have. If she doesn't want a cat in the house, you will have to make sure the cat is safe in the garden. Cats don't often stay put, will the cat be safe if roaming out of the garden? What things have you talked about with your parents? Have you researched together to see what raising a kitten is like? Maybe you might want to do that together. Well wishes as you prepare to accept the huge responsibility of raising a kitten and all the joy and happiness that comes with it!
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You should definitely keep the kitten instead until it's at least 6 months old and has it's shots and is healthy. (and spayed/neutered of course)Then it would be OK to let it outside if the area is safe (few cars, no dangerous animals, moderate climate, tolerance neighbors, etc). If you are going to do that, make sure the cat has some place to stay outside of the sun and rain. Some people have a wooden box or a screened in porch,etc. A large "kitty condo" would be a good idea if you have the money. That's basically a screened in area of the yard that the cat can play in safely. In addition, you should take extra precaution; get her microchipped, wearing tags, and give her flea and tick prevention and regularly dewormed.
But you should really discuss this with your parents and think about what's in the cat's best interest.
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Hello guys
Thanks again for all of your help.
Yeeah! the kitten is now 5 weeks old he will be 5 weeks old on 15/05/2011
and hes still with my mother's friend and it's actually a female that there giving us.
well we might get it when shes about 6 to 7 weeks old.
It's that alright,but were keeping her inside until she might be like 6 months or 1 year old.
thanks guys please im closer to the time of getting her reply back.Thank you
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Hello guys
Thanks again for all of your help.
Yeeah! the kitten is now 5 weeks old he will be 5 weeks old on 15/05/2011
and hes still with my mother's friend and it's actually a female that there giving us.
well we might get it when shes about 6 to 7 weeks old.
It's that alright,but were keeping her inside until she might be like 6 months or 1 year old.
thanks guys please im closer to the time of getting her reply back.Thank you
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100% inside is always best. Glad you are letting your baby stay with his mom until he's ready. I think once your mom has the kitten home she will fall in love with him! Keep us posted, we care!
Posted 1 year ago by Sheba's Mom in Raleigh, NC #
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thanks CAM and SHEBA'S MOM IN RALEIGH,NC.
ermm ...ill try too convince my dad to wait until shes 7-8 weeks old
and yes i wish my mum will fall in-love wen she sees kitten around de house.
do u think we should give her chicken for dinner?
and of course bowl of water.
thnks guy there more u post the more I'LL post too.
thank so much again -
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im not so sure about the chicken... but i think your mom will fall in love my mom did not like cats but when i got my kitten she fell in love with them both.if your mom dose well with the kitten you should deff look it to getting a another one..and i hope you mom and dad will let you keep it in side...when you get the kitten you should post a pic up bet she will be so cute...WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK<3
Posted 1 year ago by doldle bug! #
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