when to seperate kitten from mother

kittyprincess

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my bf's brothers cat had kittens and we are going to be getting one!!!!!
im so excited. they are 5 weeks old and i was curious, how old should the kitten be when i can bring him home?
 

persi & alley

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Originally Posted by kittyprincess

my bf's brothers cat had kittens and we are going to be getting one!!!!!
im so excited. they are 5 weeks old and i was curious, how old should the kitten be when i can bring him home?
I brought my kitten home from his litter when he was only 7 weeks old. I have read on this forum over and over again that this was a big mistake. Of course when I bought Persi, I was anxious like you are and had not yet found this forum. I use this forum as my main source of information but let me give you a quote from KITTENS FOR DUMMIES which is actually a highly regarded book, despite its name.

"No reputable breeder will permit you to take your kitten home before it turns 12 weeks old. Some catteries even make you wait until it is 16 weeks. Be patent: kittens have a high mortality rate, about 25 percent, from birth defects, parasites, or bacterial or viral infections. If a kitten dies, it will probably hapen before it turns 16 weeks, your kitten should have had the entire series of viral shots, been wormed, and maybe spayed. Your kitten will have a stronger immunity built up, and you will save money on midical stuff. And your kitten needs some training that only other cats can give, mama cat needs to finish socializing your kitten. And kitty needs to wrestle with his siblings so he learns to play properly. Otherwise, he is more likely to bite you and attack your ankles. Mom will also make sure kitty knows how to flush and put the lid down, or at least the kitten equivalent."

I know how excited you are, just as I was, so excited that I went right over and got a kitten that should not have been sold to me that early. I did not know, but that is why I am on TCS.
 
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kittyprincess

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Originally Posted by Persi

I brought my kitten home from his litter when he was only 7 weeks old. I have read on this forum over and over again that this was a big mistake. Of course when I bought Persi, I was anxious like you are and had not yet found this forum. I use this forum as my main source of information but let me give you a quote from KITTENS FOR DUMMIES which is actually a highly regarded book, despite its name.

"No reputable breeder will permit you to take your kitten home before it turns 12 weeks old. Some catteries even make you wait until it is 16 weeks. Be patent: kittens have a high mortality rate, about 25 percent, from birth defects, parasites, or bacterial or viral infections. If a kitten dies, it will probably hapen before it turns 16 weeks, your kitten should have had the entire series of viral shots, been wormed, and maybe spayed. Your kitten will have a stronger immunity built up, and you will save money on midical stuff. And your kitten needs some training that only other cats can give, mama cat needs to finish socializing your kitten. And kitty needs to wrestle with his siblings so he learns to play properly. Otherwise, he is more likely to bite you and attack your ankles. Mom will also make sure kitty knows how to flush and put the lid down, or at least the kitten equivalent."

I know how excited you are, just as I was, so excited that I went right over and got a kitten that should not have been sold to me that early. I did not know, but that is why I am on TCS.
thanks for the infornation i will be glad to wait!! plus i can see him when ever i want because my bf's brother only lives about 10 mins away from us
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by kittyprincess

my bf's brothers cat had kittens and we are going to be getting one!!!!!
im so excited. they are 5 weeks old and i was curious, how old should the kitten be when i can bring him home?
Just make sure he has the mom cat fixed. Kittens should not leave their mother until they are at least 8 weeks of age...preferably 10-12 weeks of age.

Katie
 

goldenkitty45

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10-12 weeks or even longer. Kittens need a certain time for socialization with siblings/adult cats and to learn "cat rules". If you take them away too soon (under 10 weeks) they can have a lot of future social problems and bad habits that older kittens don't have.

At 5 weeks they are just learning to eat solid foods and use the litter pan properly. Let them stay with mom/siblings at least another 5-6 weeks.
 
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