Bringing home a kitten!

Hi all,

My boyfriend and I adopting a kitten and I wanted to get advice on a few things. The kitten was born on the last day of April - so it is 6 weeks right now. The woman we're adopting from is moving and wants us to take the kitten by the 19th (kitten will be 7 weeks and 1 day). I'm a bit nervous about this because I've always heard that 7 weeks is on the younger side for adoption. The kitten is eating really well, I've seen it use the litter box many times, and has lots of fun playing with its siblings. The owner is sure that the kittens will be weaned by the 19th - but I'm worried about what to do if they aren't by that point. Will it be harmful for the kitten to be taken away from its family that young? Should I be worried about it missing out on socialization? The kitten is friendly and wasn't uncomfortable being held when I visited him 2 days ago.

My plan right now is to drop off a towel with the owner a few days before I pick him up, so that I can bring the kitten home with a familiar smell. We will take it to the vet within a day or two of bringing it home (as you can probably tell by my use of "it", I'm useless at sexing kittens although judging by its size and my uneducated guess I'm thinking it's female).

Once kitten is home, we know to keep it confined to a small cozy room to get it comfortable with where the litterbox/food is, and then to start letting it explore. Our apartment is pretty small so I'm hoping it wont be overwhelming. I'm going to leave the cozy towel with the kitten and use a warmed up rice bag tucked in a towel to give it something cozy. I know what brand of wet food the owner's been feeding it so I'm going to continue with that for a week or so, and then hopefully transition to dry food.

Does anyone have any advice? Have I covered all of my bases? We're so excited and have been doing tons of research, but I just want to make sure that coming home is a minimally traumatic experience for our little one. Thanks!

Is  there any chance you could possibly adopt TWO kittens? Yours would be so much more comfortable with a sibling - they could play together, cuddle together, teach each other how to socialize. And while you will love and cuddle the kitten at that young age it is going to be an abrupt change from life with mother and siblings to living in a new place with two new people. Two siblings together will make a much smoother transition.

You shouldn't think that your apartment is too small for two - I know someone with a one room studio apartment in New York City and two cats. They all - person and cats - do just fine.

I really really wish we could but one kitten is already a stretch for our budget when you factor in vet visits - there's no way we could manage two

I personally would not adopt a kitten at 7 weeks who was still happily living with mom and sibs and don't feel I could do so in good conscience.  I'd look for another that will be older at the time of adoption.  As I'm pretty sure that is not what you're going to do   and you already say you can't take two of them. which would be the best way to mitigate any damage, my advice is basically this:

For the weaning, if he will not eat only solid food, you'll need a bit of KMR for when he first gets there.  7 weeks will be old enough to where he should be able to get to a fully weaned place without too much hassle, but it's the first of many things about the situation that aren't ideal- mom would normally feed the kittens at least some of their diet (assuming no other pregnancy which can happen) for up to 12 weeks- usually when I foster they don't wean them entirely till at least 10 weeks.

Behaviorally you may also be in for some challenges.  Kittens adopted before 10 weeks (and especially 8) can be more of a handful than others.  They are often super clingy, sometimes for the long term.  He may cry for his siblings and mom for several days.  He may be more likely to bite or to suck on you inappropriately into old age as if he were nursing. They tend to not be well socialized to other cats if you add other cats to your home at a later time (though some cats won't be anyway as many members here well know). Sometimes they are or seem confused about how to play.

Of course, it is all just probabilities.  Your kitty may be well adjusted, totally fine, play well with others, and never have an issue, and I certainly hope that is the case.  If it turns out he does have the issues mentioned above, you already are a member here so we'll be able to help you out.  It's not likely that you will encounter any insurmountable problems. 

Congrats on your new addition.

Also, why are you transitioning to dry? I really hope you will consider letting the kitten keep wet food as at least a part of its diet.  I understand you said you have a budget but the cheapest wet is still better than dry because it will give your kitty much needed water.  Even if you can only feed him half a can of the cheapest wet a day, it will really help with hydration.  

I do agree entirely with all Tulosai comments, and also Catapaults suggestion.

How is it, what will happen if you DONT adopt this kitten?  Will all move together till this new place?

If so, it is no pity about them, you can make it easy and adopt some other cat, who is in more appropriate age.  Take some adult, whom you know is healthy, already spayed, and used to live as alone cat.  THIS is the answer to your situation as you describe it.

But if the owner wants to leave all them here before movement, and you are more or less saving this little one, the next best solution is to take 2 yes.

Believe me/us, it is much easier to have two than one!  Esp as you know they will be friends.

Good luck!

StefanZ said:

If so, it is no pity about them, you can make it easy and adopt some other cat, who is in more appropriate age.  Take some adult, whom you know is healthy, already spayed, and used to live as alone cat.  THIS is the answer to your situation as you describe it.

Click to expand...

Actually, I heartily second this.  Ad adult cat who is healthy and up to date already on shots and spayed will be perfect for your situation, both financially and in terms of the emotional health and well being of the cat.  While a lot of people think they'd rather have a kitten, kitten's are actually a lot of work and an adult cat is often a great, trained, calm addition.  I would sincerely consider this if I were in your shoes.

We have three 7 week old kittens who were in a special situation and we have had kittens in the past. These guys are small and a lot of work at this young age but we were prepared for it with the support of our vet. They really needed special care.

That said...I would prefer a kitten 9 weeks or older.

ALWAYS ...ALWAYS get two and siblings if possible.

When you are not home or are working all day they will be together. It is SO important that they have a companion.

I understand your budget but other than spaying and neutering and shots ...the food and litter is not that much more.

I am glad you are researching and are excited. But we made the mistake of taking one kitten who was in need of a home when my husband was in college and we were first married and VERY BUSY earning a living and going to school...that kitten had a miserable life and became very angry with us. We were gone so much. It was very lonely.

Years later we only would adopt 2 and life was so good for them. We had them 18 yrs. Be ready to have an 18 yr commitment.  wishing you the best and the best for your plans.

Hi Robynkat! I am currently fostering a rescue litter from a shelter. They are about 7-8 weeks old now. I had to separate the mom and one of the four kittens from the others due to a respiratory infection as soon as I got them 2 weeks ago. They are reunited now, but the one kitten really didn't know how to play or eat or anything. Once he rejoined his siblings, he is learning how to be a kitten. I would strongly urge you to take 2 kittens, especially at that age. You can find low cost spay/neuter clinics which also give shots and flea prevention very inexpensively. I use a clinic for routine shots, but I go to my vet for an annual exam and all medical issues. I purchased pet insurance for all my cats and it costs about $10 pet cat per month-but mine are all adults. Kittens would be really cheap. At 7 weeks this kitten is still learning how to be a cat, and if you separate it, it will be very confused :-(. I hope you will reconsider either taking 2 or getting an older kitten. Shelters and rescues are overflowing with cats and kittens right now and there just is no more room. I'm sorry, I know you wanted to hear something else, but I can't honestly say that I agree with you. Two cats are not more expensive than one if they are a little bit older and already had their shots and been fixed. If you do decide to get this kitten, you can out a little water in the dry food to soften it up a bit and decrease the water as the kitten gets more used to it. You're going to be mom to this kitten and it will want to be with you at all times. When you're at work, it will be very, very lonely and scared. Please, please reconsider :-).

Just adding my own experience and amateur opinion. We acquired our first cat ever this year, a 1.5 year old looking for a rehome. Because I have a mild cat allergy, we live in a tiny apartment, and we are both in graduate school, I was certain one cat was our limit. Then in walked sociable, energetic, playful Gracie.

Within a week, I knew for certain that we had to get a second cat. She's just too social and playful not to have a constant companion. On top of that, we both work a lot. So now, a few months later, we are in the process of introducing two young, playful, social adult cats- which is a giant headache, but worth it in the long run.

I cannot imagine adopting a kitten- younger and even more playful and crazy than our young adults- without a companion. There are a number of people on these boards worried about the well-being of recently-acquired, lonely, clingy, and demanding kittens; many of them are coming to realize they too are now in need of another feline. Many adoption organizations won't even give kittens to homes without another cat. And then, at the age of 7 weeks, it's even worse for the reasons posters have mentioned above. One may be much more of a headache than two, strangely enough, and could be more expensive if kitten develops serious behavior problems.

I agree with the others that an older, single cat is better if you absolutely cannot have two. In every shelter, there are plenty of cats who need to be the only cat in their home. How wonderful it would be to be able to give them what they need while also meeting your own needs. I know it is very difficult if you've had your heart set on a kitten from this litter, but cats are notoriously uncooperative when it comes to our desires. It's much better if people choose cats whose needs they can meet and who can also meet theirs, since cats can't make those choices.

Also, as another poster have noted, there are more options than ever for low-cost vet care these days.

Trust me, You will find it easier to either get two little kittens or one adult cat. Every time you leave the house when you only have one cat, it cries and cries and cries and then it looks at you through the window and it is SO heartbreaking. I am currently in the middle of this situation with my ONE year old boy, he was an "only child" and was weened FAR too early but was a rescue, and now he doesn't let me go anywhere, no holidays, no weekends away, he is SO attached. I am slowly weening him off me but he still sleeps under the blankets with me, cries at the bathroom door, won't socialize with the other cats and waits under the car outside until i get home from work. AVOID this situation, having two doesn't cost that much more unless you introduce Fancy Feast which was my idiot mistake. And although kittens are cute and cuddly they also take a lot of work so an adult cat can be an easier option. 

-M&A

(Also: Vets can often let you pay off your bill over months so you wouldn't have to pay everything in one go)