Smeagol Update!

Sweet Smeagol just had his 4 week birthday on Wednesday and is doing amazing. He's giving me much more time to sleep and I've been letting him socialize more with the other cats. He just had his first canned kitten food meal. I'd been worried that he wasn't taking to eating any of the food I put in front of him, but I soon found out that he really just wanted me to hold the dish for him. LOL!
They train us so well don't they?
All 4 of my adults have given him licks on his head and Sparkle gave him a swat when he wanted to cuddle with her. No claws though. He wasn't really deterred so I pulled him away and got him to cuddle with me instead.
He's such a little love bug and is now doing little bursts of kitten runs. BTW, he can see just fine from what I can tell!!!! I was so worried about him not being able to see because of his eye infections, but it's all cleared up. He looks up at me with such love and sweetness!!
I'll be continuing to wean him and he should be ready to go to his new home as soon as he's off the bottle. He's using his litterbox exclusively, although he doesn't really get in there himself. I put him in it after he wakes up and after he eats and he pees or poops in there.
I feel he should go to his new home as soon as possible. I want him to bond closely with his new meowmy and don't want her to miss out on him being tiny.
I know that most people recommend that the kittens don't go to their homes until they are 10-12 weeks old, but since I don't have the mama cat anyways, is there any harm in letting him go to his new home at 6 weeks?
I know he'll be isolated in one room except for supervised interactions with their dog and adult cat.

Yes, bottle babies often go to new homes early--you can't teach him what mumcat would teach him, so early is OK. The new owner just needs to know how to take care of a young kitten.

Just to play devil's advocate:

The disadvantage I could see is that your adult kitties are teaching him some of the ropes of being a cat... even if it's not his mom.

You mention the new family has a cat, but they'll need to through an introduction period; your cats are already familiar and can help "train" him over the next few weeks.

How wonderfull that Smeagol is doing so well, and has a forever home lined up! I wouldn't worry about him bonding with the new momma. But if your kits are willing to spend time with him, that is helpful to him.

Also, be sure all the adult kitties are up to date on vaccinations. Smeagol can start his vaccinations at 6 weeks.

Just use your judgement on whether to let him go at 6 weeks or to wait. I don't think you would need to wait until 12 weeks since he has no momma.

I've taken some new pics of Smeagol with his foster daddy Pippin and the rest of the crew. You can see them at http://picasaweb.google.com/oddbodkinrenshop/Smeagol

Oh, I didn't think of that, Curly. Glad you said it.

Smeagol, you precious, precious little boy!

What a cute kitten. He looks just like one of my foster kittens right now (paw paw). Do you know how much he weighs? I think my foster kittens are very small for their age. They're almost 8 weeks old and they look Smeagol's size. My heaviest kitten is 1 lb. 6oz. and the lightest is just a pound.

He just turned 5 weeks old today and weighs approximately 1 lb 4 oz. Smeagol's been a very good eater. He's come a long way from his 4 oz. at 5 days old.
I've been told that I grow large cats though. I'm not sure what it is, but all my cats turn out to be giants. It's been remarked on many many times.

Devlyn

Originally Posted by Snuzy

What a cute kitten. He looks just like one of my foster kittens right now (paw paw). Do you know how much he weighs? I think my foster kittens are very small for their age. They're almost 8 weeks old and they look Smeagol's size. My heaviest kitten is 1 lb. 6oz. and the lightest is just a pound.

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He certainly has come a long way. And I'm so glad his eyes are ok too. I think the TLC he got from his foster mom is just as important as any medicine.

what is pippin going to do without his lil smeagol when he goes to his new home?
It looks like they might miss each other when he goes.
What a lil' cutie tho.

I don't know!
I'm gonna miss the wee one myself and Pippin really loves him. My roommate keeps encouraging me to keep him, and it's so tempting. When you raise them, you just don't want to give them up even if you know it's time. Oh well!

Originally Posted by Awsome Pawsomes

what is pippin going to do without his lil smeagol when he goes to his new home?
It looks like they might miss each other when he goes.
What a lil' cutie tho.

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Im so glad he is doing well, but where are the pictures! lol

I would love to see him, im sure hes become such a big boy

Ooooowwwww my goodness. What a pretty precious baby!