10 wks and still nursing!!!

OK i just went into the back room to check on the kittens and saw them all nursing off mom! They are almost 10 weeks and we are planning on sending them to their homes and getting mom spayed. Shouldn't she have stopped nursing them by now? Will this make her spay more difficult?

I don't know about affecting her spay, but I do know that it is normal for them to still be nursing.. I'm sure if she has had enough of it she will tell them to get lost. When I picked up Rocky when he was 10-12 weeks I saw him nursing a bit on his mom.

My guys are 10 weeks friday and still nursing-at least 2 times a day. They are fully eating and all but at night I hear the sucking smacks RJ

My neighbors 10.5 week old kittens are still nursing occationally and the momma is already spayed.

Is that a security thing? (For them to still be nursing).....

From what i know i think its more for comfort and reassurance than actual dietry requirement.

They just love being around their mummy

oh good.. i was a little concerned that it was not normal for her to be still nursing them. I also saw her play with them a little yesterday. (she is a nervous stray so i have to catch her in behaviours, since she still does not feel comfortable with me.. the kittens are fine we us though).
It breaks my heart to take them away from her, but it is time for them to go to their new homes. I am keeping one and holding on to another til after the 4th, so she will not be totally alone for a while.

Originally Posted by Twinka

OK i just went into the back room to check on the kittens and saw them all nursing off mom! They are almost 10 weeks and we are planning on sending them to their homes and getting mom spayed. Shouldn't she have stopped nursing them by now? Will this make her spay more difficult?

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You should check with your vet....some vets will spay a lactating mom, some however will want to wait a couple of weeks until mom's milk has dried up.

Katie

I fostered a mother cat and her 5 kittens from when the kittens were 3 weeks old to 8 weeks old. All but one of the kittens had moved to dry food by about 5 weeks, but they all still suckled mum. Generally after they'd been playing, if mum was nearby they'd nurse until they fell asleep, and they wouldn't suck for long, they just liked lying with mum and kneading her belly.

The one little guy who wasn't really eating kitten food fed from mum regularly, and even at 8 weeks when they all got spayed and neutered (invluding mum) and were up for adoption, he'd be feeding from mum. She's started pushing him away and he was eating kitten food by this stage, but was a little guts so got in a feed whenever he could

Luckily he was amongst the last of the kittens to be adopted, and went to a home with one of his brothers, so I don't think he was too traumatised by the whole experience.

I was so worried the mother (Cleo) was going to be upset about her babies being taken away (I would be!), because she was such a fantastic mum - very attentive and just so good with them. My neighbour adopted Cleo, and she is a completely different cat now. She's only 11 months old or so, and now she plays and plays and plays, and loves cuddles, is a lap cat, and is soooooo happy!

So I would recommend that you don't worry, just let it be

my kits where 9 weeks old yesterday and they still nurse from mum. however in this case it is just a comfort thign becase all her milk has dried up.

I let my rex moms nurse till they decided to quit - even if the kits were 10-12 weeks old.

But if you are planning on spaying her soon, I'd separate the kits and keep them apart from mom. Its more of a security blanket then actual nursing.