2006-09-18 03:13:42 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
You gave away these kittens way too early at 4 weeks old. They should still be nursing and getting antibodies from the mother at this age. I hope you gave them to people who are knowledgeable and caring and willing to go the extra mile to care for these kittens. You just said they were "trying" to eat cat food. They need to be eating healthy before leaving the mother.
Call the people and check on the kittens and if they are having difficulty, ask the people to bring them back to stay with their mom another 2 weeks.
2006-09-18 03:26:17 · answer #1 · answered by Free Bird 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yikes, they were only 4 weeks, 4 days old when you gave them away?! They're gonna be nice and......not well adjusted.
It used to be acceptable to place kittens and puppies in new homes as early as 6 weeks of age. Some people still do this, but it's not recommended. 8 weeks is now a MINIMUM, with most breeders keeping their stock until they're 10-12 weeks old (some wait until 12-14 weeks before shipping ANY animal).
Maybe you were getting tired of them being around....but no, it's NOT ok that you took them from their mother so young. They need the time with their mom and littermates to mature and learn proper social behaviors. Not to mention their immune systems aren't really equipped to handle life on their own yet. What are those new owners gonna do if one of the kittens gets sick? Treating a cat under 6-8 weeks of age can be a difficult, costly thing.
I doubt the mother even had time to teach them how to use a litter box....something the new owners are now going to have to deal with.
Bottom line, giving them away so young isn't fair to them OR to the new owners. But then, I wonder about the new owners.....I would NEVER let someone give me a 4 week old kitten. Since they don't seem to know much about cats to begin with, I fear for the safety and well being of those kittens.
Please have your cat spayed.....and soon. It's bad enough strays are breeding indiscriminately....but we have people letting their cats get knocked up left and right without knowing the first thing about what they're supposed to do with the kittens.
There are BOOKS out there for this type of thing. You also could've looked online for advice about when to give the kittens away. Coming here after the fact is kind if pointless, don't ya think?
2006-09-18 05:19:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You should have talked to a vet prior to doing that for advice, not go ahead and do it and then ask a question on here. A kitten should have at least 6 weeks with their mother, preferably 8 weeks. I'm sure the kittens will survive, but might be malnurished amoung other things, which can lead to more problems. So, the answer to the question is, NO, you should not have done that.
2006-09-18 06:03:51 · answer #3 · answered by Emjay 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They could be allright as long as their new "parents" are very understanding of small kittens needs. Most people are not.
They might have to bottle feed the kittens until they can eat solid food. You said they "tried" to eat it, but unless they're actually eating it then I don't think you should separate them from their mom. Kittens can die very easily if not fed right.
Most vets recomend keeping the kittens with their mom until the kittens are 8-9 weeks old. It's good for their psycological development. And they'll learn lots of stuff from their moms.
If I were you I'd get those two kittens back and let their real mom take care of them until they are ready in 4-5 weeks from now.
Good luck!
2006-09-18 03:44:41 · answer #4 · answered by Annie 1 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Kittens should not be taken away from their mother until they're at LEAST 8 weeks old.
Kittens are not fully developed yet, and the mother is still teaching them things that they will need to know during their lifetime.
Kittens/puppies given away at an age to young are most likely to end up in animal shelters to live their lives or shuffled from home to home.
Kittens and puppies need to be socialized, played with, and loved as much as possible till it is time for them to go to a new home. This will ensure a nice healthy kitten/puppy that their new people will love and want to keep them forever.
2006-09-18 03:55:17 · answer #5 · answered by jojorose67 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
No!!! A kitten needs to be 12 weeks at youngest before it goes to a new home! I have kittens that were born the 20th of August and I won't get rid of them until at least December. kittens that young won't use the litter box or play with people, Later in life, they will be aggesive towards other cats and humans. Also, they need mom's milk until they are at least 8 weeks! Cal the people you gave them to and tell them to get them on Kitten replacement milk right away or they could, and most likely will, die! Please think twice before giving away a kitten this young. that is like sending your son or daughter out into the world to fend for themselves at 2 years old.
To avoid unwanted kittens, please consider spaying your cat.
2006-09-18 03:25:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
8 weeks is the absolute youngest they should leave home & mama.
If they were *trying* to eat cat food, and at this age they are just learning - it should tell you they're too young. They need more time.
PLEASE get the mama spayed. There are 10 *Million* cats & dogs euthanized every year, because there simply are not enough homes. And you won't have to worry about the kittens or when they're old enough to leave.
2006-09-18 03:21:28 · answer #7 · answered by Ragdoll Kitty 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
in case you gave them away previous to 10-12 weeks they could nicely be aggressive later in existence and could not get alongside with different cats. Weaning capacity to take them off their mom's milk at 8 weeks and initiate feeding them mushy customary kitten nutrition. sturdy success! i might want to call a vet for more effective recommendations.
2016-11-27 21:50:16 · answer #8 · answered by bartelt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It will be totally fine if the new parents are willing to take the time and effort to take care of a new baby! I've got 2 cats which i got at 3 wks old so i could bottle feed them, and 1 is 13 yrs old and the other is almost two yrs old, and just yesterday i got my new baby girl which is also 3 wks old! i found that this way u have a closer bond with each one!
But remember it takes a LOT of TIME n EFFORT! Remember to always spay and neuter!
2006-09-18 04:08:45 · answer #9 · answered by elle 1 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Yeah, that is real nice. Guess you were sick of taking care of them. They should have had the benefit of 8 weeks with the mother and littermates. Maybe you should SPAY the mom so there will not be more poorly adjusted kittens out there.
2006-09-18 03:16:29 · answer #10 · answered by ARE YOUR NEWFS GELLIN'? 7 · 9⤊ 1⤋