My grandmother's cat had kittens and she has trouble taking care of them, so I said I'd take one home with me.
They're about 2 weeks old and can eat solid food, but also still drink the mother's breast milk when they get a chance. I don't want to take it home and risk it's health before it's completely weaned. And I know it's just a baby and needs to be emotionally weaned as well.
First I need to clean up my house to make it safe for the kitten, and buy cat food and a litter box. How long should I wait before bringing it home? Would 2 more weeks be appropriate?
2007-09-17 18:20:26 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Definitely not,... wait AT LEAST another 4 wks. (month), or you'll possibly have a kitten with health and mental problems.(such as sucking clothes, etc., from not being completely weaned) Also, at 2 wks. old that's far too young to be on solids.
Patience, you'll have a well-adjusted healthier cat if you wait.
*P.S. ~ suggest to granny to spay her cat if she's having too much trouble now,.... in another 6-8 mths. she'll have the same trouble! Plus spare any more over-population of cats.
2007-09-17 18:30:21 · answer #1 · answered by deltadawn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The minimum age a kitten should be before it leaves its mothers is 6 weeks. Taken away before that will leave it physically and emotionally undeveloped.
If your grandmother is having trouble taking care of kittens, it would be a good idea for her to have her cat spayed. She'll need to do it soon as a nursing mother can get pregnant, and it would be a shame for her to get pregnant again when you've only just helped by removing the kittens.
If your grandmother cannot afford it, are there any animal societies which help where you live? In the UK, you can get vouchers which pay for some or all of the cost from organisations such as the Cats' Prototection League. On top of that, vets sometimes run schemes whereby the cost of neutering is vastly reduced.
2007-09-19 04:43:22 · answer #2 · answered by Maria D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Six weeks is the normal age that most young animals are weaned. I would think that the kittens needs mother's milk the same way that a baby does. I know that you can feed a kitten milk that you can buy at a Vet's, if there are problems, (If the mother is ill, or cannot feed for some reason) but if the mother cat is feeding well and there are no problems I would leave the kitten with its mother until at least six weeks. Good luck with your new kitten..
2007-09-17 18:55:31 · answer #3 · answered by Debbie H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. One month old kittens are way too young to be taken away from their mothers! The mother's milk is by far the best nutrition that the kitten can get right now. If the kitten is still be allowed to nurse by the mother, then she is doing a fine job. The youngest a kitten should be when taken from it's mother is 3 months. Let your kitten enjoy the warmth, closeness and affection of it's mother as long as possible.
2007-09-17 18:31:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Kittens need to be 7-8 weeks to be separated from the mother. By that point, they should be eating solid food, litterbox trained, and have socialization with other cats, people, and possibly other animals. If you bring them home before 7 weeks, you will likely end up having to take care of the hard stuff their mom usually teaches them yourself. Personally, I'd wait. :-p
Good luck!
2007-09-17 23:31:18 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have had cats and kittens all my life... you need to wait 6 to 8 weeks
2007-09-17 18:28:58 · answer #6 · answered by tiffytoy 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I would wait at least two more weeks. We gave our cats kittens away at 6 weeks and they were perfectly fine. (All 50 or so... she has a busy life). You must never let the kitten stay too long with the mother though, or she will beat it up. Once a kitten is old enough to take care of itself, she considers it a threat. This doesn't usually happen for 2 months though.
2007-09-17 18:28:41 · answer #7 · answered by agarwaen_neithan 2 · 1⤊ 7⤋