I saw an ad on craigslist yesterday a woman had 5 kittens that were only 6 weeks old that she said were redy to go immediately. I sent her a kind email trying to explain that they were way to young and needed time with mom and offered a few websites to show info on why 6 weeks is too young. The post has since been removed propably flagged. Well I got an email today from the woman telling me indeed these kittens are ready to leave mom I do not know what I am talking about. That she has had cats her entire life and wouldn't let them go if they weren't ready. What can I try to tell this woman outside of common sense reasons to try and prove to her these babies are not ready. I am so bothered by this. I too have had cats my entire life even at one point as a teenager had a cat that had several litters of kittens and as a teenager back then I knew 6 weeks was too young!!!
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Saw an ad on CL made me mad tried to help
- Thread starter skyeandtigger
- Start Date
If the kittens are litter trained and eating kitten chow at 6 weeks.. They are ready to be adopted.. I have 7 weeks old kittens right now that have been eating for about 10 days.. Litter trained for 7.. If someone wanted one today i would let it go..
I rescue cats and I never let kittens go earlier than 8 weeks (if there is no mama) and I try to keep them with Mama intil 8 weeks if there is Mama and then we start to look homes for them.Kittens with no Mama can be placed earlier, but I wouldn't do it before 8 weeks.
I have to disagree. 6 weeks is just too young. It isn't just a matter of whether they are litter trained and eating kitten chow. The mother cat also teaches the kittens proper behaviour such as not biting.
I met up with a nincompoop at a pet store one time that had 3 Siamese kittens that were 6 weeks old and she tried to tell me that Siamese kittens were different in that they were ready to be taken from mom cat at 6 weeks.
Unfortunately there is probably nothing you can do. Her parents and grandparents probably told her that and nothing will shake her belief even if it is inaccurate. Just hope whoever gets the kittens will be able to train them not to bite and treats them well.
Its far more then just about nibbling on food and using a litter box. The IDEAL age is 10-12 weeks old. Breeders keep them till 12-16 weeks for very good reasons.
They are still nursing from mom up to 8 weeks old (so they are still nursing at 6 weeks old). They are barely learning how to eat solid food by 6 weeks old.
Kittens need important social time with mom and siblings to learn how to be cats, how to interact with each other, and a lot more psychological things.
They need to be mentally and physically ready to leave home. I would never dream of letting kittens go at 6 or even 8 weeks old. I bred pedigree cats and they were NO where ready to leave to a new home at 6 or 8 weeks old. IMO that is animal cruelty.
Kittens under 10 weeks old can have a lot of behavior problems associated with leaving home too soon.
They are still nursing from mom up to 8 weeks old (so they are still nursing at 6 weeks old). They are barely learning how to eat solid food by 6 weeks old.
Kittens need important social time with mom and siblings to learn how to be cats, how to interact with each other, and a lot more psychological things.
They need to be mentally and physically ready to leave home. I would never dream of letting kittens go at 6 or even 8 weeks old. I bred pedigree cats and they were NO where ready to leave to a new home at 6 or 8 weeks old. IMO that is animal cruelty.
Kittens under 10 weeks old can have a lot of behavior problems associated with leaving home too soon.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
I agree..... i sent her this website to the forum(not this post) plus another which i will post link.
http://www.breedlist.com/faq/young.html
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At least you tried, even if they didn't listen you did something.
Our associations require us to keep kittens for 12 weeks, if they go before that our prefix will be unregistered. It's for the good of the kittens, and their new owners.
Exactly, it's not just litter training and eating that are important in raising kittens.
Our associations require us to keep kittens for 12 weeks, if they go before that our prefix will be unregistered. It's for the good of the kittens, and their new owners.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
about 12 years ago my then 8 year old sister in law took a kitten from its mother somewhere and refused to tell us where she got it. The kitten was about 4 weeks old. I took that kitten home with me and had her for 10 years. she had some major issues socially plus she sucked on anything cloth material until the day she died to the point she shredded my couch cushion to get to the fluff just to be able to suck on it. all the way up into the later years i still had wished she would have stayed with her mom. I loved her dearly as she did me but there were so many problems that could have been avoided!!!
Plus another time I had a adult female spayed cat and we got a kitten from a woman that told my daughter she was gonna take them to the shelter my daughter boo hooed any ways the kitten was 8 weeks old and when we brought her home she tried nursing from my adult cat which obviously had nothing and my adult cat hated her for badgering her so much!!! She was obviously not ready to be on her own! They are my moms cats now and get along on the older ones terms only!
Plus another time I had a adult female spayed cat and we got a kitten from a woman that told my daughter she was gonna take them to the shelter my daughter boo hooed any ways the kitten was 8 weeks old and when we brought her home she tried nursing from my adult cat which obviously had nothing and my adult cat hated her for badgering her so much!!! She was obviously not ready to be on her own! They are my moms cats now and get along on the older ones terms only!
That would be illegal here, a case of animal cruelty, to give away kittens that young! In the wild mother cats wean their babies around 16th week. I think that tells a lot.
Good luck. Actually, CL's own rules state no adopting or rehoming of animals under the age of 8 weeks.
I am fighting that battle on the local Detroit CL pet section now. People don't want to listen... no matter what you say or how you say it.
I am fighting that battle on the local Detroit CL pet section now. People don't want to listen... no matter what you say or how you say it.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #11
in the end of my email i told her if she wasn't gonna do right by these kittens at least do right by mommy and have her fixed so she never has to go through this again!
I have a cat that will be 3 in July.. His name is Duke.. Hes a sucker and a chewer and a biter and always has been
the 2 kittens.. So i don't think Dukes issues were caused because he was taken from his mama... Duke has always been a dennis the menace cat and that's how he ended with 1 eye.. Hes a clinger and wants to snuggle and sleep with any cat who will let him and one day he rubbed up against one who doesn't do that
I find that most of the kitten bad behaviors are due to kittens being taken before they are 10-12 weeks old. You see a lot of complaints of "why does my kitten.... or "my kittens bites...., etc.
Most of these behaviors can be avoided if you give them the chance to learn from each other in playing, growing and under supervision of mom.
My queens weaned their kittens on their own time. I've had kittens nursing at 3 months old and then never left my house before 4 months old and with all their shots.
I cringe to think of a tiny little 6 or 8 week old kitten in a new home that is not with mom and siblings. Problem is that most people believe that once a kitten is using the litter pan and nibbling on dry food, then its time to ship them off to new homes.
Kittens are not even consistent in litter pan habits at 8 weeks old.
Most of these behaviors can be avoided if you give them the chance to learn from each other in playing, growing and under supervision of mom.
My queens weaned their kittens on their own time. I've had kittens nursing at 3 months old and then never left my house before 4 months old and with all their shots.
I cringe to think of a tiny little 6 or 8 week old kitten in a new home that is not with mom and siblings. Problem is that most people believe that once a kitten is using the litter pan and nibbling on dry food, then its time to ship them off to new homes.
Kittens are not even consistent in litter pan habits at 8 weeks old.
stuff like this is why I was hesistant at taking Top Cat at 6 weeks old. His family and another were dumped with their mothers. I couldn't take everyone home, so I took him. Since it was either take him home or the shelter getting him, I kept him. Also, he was going to the shelter where Mons came from which is basically a barn that's not completely insulated. I figured at least he won't be in cramped conditions and exposed to all those kitty viruses (I found after I got Mons that the shelter in question has a reputation for sick animals). As for the his family, I just hope that they were at least kept together.
And yes, I agree about the behavior issues. Now, Top Cat is for the most part, a VERY well behaved kitty with a great personality, however, his biggest problem is that he likes to play bite and we are working very hard to teach him not to. I am hoping Luna warms up enough soon to teach him some manners. We got previous cat, Hurricane (sister has him now at her apartment), a few years ago at 8 weeks (his family was picked up by animal control from a 7-Eleven at about 7 weeks) and he has major behavior issues. His is very moody with people (bit the vet's face once) and will bite unprovoked (I got attacked in my sleep once when visiting sister). It wasn't in my plans to take a kitten so young.
And yes, I agree about the behavior issues. Now, Top Cat is for the most part, a VERY well behaved kitty with a great personality, however, his biggest problem is that he likes to play bite and we are working very hard to teach him not to. I am hoping Luna warms up enough soon to teach him some manners. We got previous cat, Hurricane (sister has him now at her apartment), a few years ago at 8 weeks (his family was picked up by animal control from a 7-Eleven at about 7 weeks) and he has major behavior issues. His is very moody with people (bit the vet's face once) and will bite unprovoked (I got attacked in my sleep once when visiting sister). It wasn't in my plans to take a kitten so young.
Haha, I found a pregnant cat once, and kept one of her sons (the others went to new homes at 10-12 weeks), and she let him nurse for almost a year! And he's twice her size.....it was really funny.
I agree that kittens taken from the litter too young are frequently biters. I have one that was taken at 5 weeks, and she used to be absolutely insane. She's calmed down a bit (she's 5 now), but I still wouldn't put it past her to bite someone if they touched her wrong. And my cousins have a bottle baby they raised, and, though he doesn't bite, he's just a little bit...off. Weirdo.
As a child I regularly saw kittens given away at 6 weeks old. I always thouhgt they looked tiny and seemed to need more "growing" time, as a kid you just hate to see anyone leave mommy.
I cannot imagine taking a baby from their mother much before 10 weeks or so, seems cruel and a really bad idea.
I cannot imagine taking a baby from their mother much before 10 weeks or so, seems cruel and a really bad idea.
I got Rusty and Dusty when they were 7 weeks old. I knew if I didn't take them, then they would have been separated. They had each other for company. Rusty would try to nurse on her sister for a few months after I took them home.
They are ok and have learned not to bite, but it was a long battle. I would never adopt out before 12 weeks.
They are ok and have learned not to bite, but it was a long battle. I would never adopt out before 12 weeks.
