Question About Taking a Kitten Home a Little Early?

[leichtergeist]

My boyfriend and I are moving, and if we're going to take this kitten it's going to have to be very soon, it's a month and a half to two months old (it was born outside so we're not quite sure the date but know for certain it's between that age range. It's used to eating solid food and drinking water, but still drinks from it's mother a tiny bit. I was wondering if we took it with us and fed it kitten food and water only, would it have any negative effects on it? As well as being away from its mother that early. We really want to take it but I don't want to harm it in any way. Any suggestions on what to do would be great, thanks.

 

[jmljml19]

you should be fine with kitten food and water. I brought my older cat home when she was only a month old, had to bottle feed it for a couple weeks still but she's 11 years old now and never had a problem being away from her mom that early. but if you want you can bottle feed this kitten til it's 8 weeks if you're worried and then it should be fine.

 

[franksmom]

This is a hard one kittens learn a lot of important tasks for their mothers up until 12-13 weeks. Cats taken away form their mothers too soon can have behaviour problems such as problems with the litter box. That being said there are people on here who have hand raised kittens from a very young age, but it takes a lot of care and dedication. If you do take this kitten before at least 8-10 weeks (imo this is still too early and I will never take a kitten home unless they are 12 weeks) you will have to dedicate a lot of time to him/her and she will be very lonely. Getting two kittens from the same litter may be a better option so the kitten can have a companion. If the kitten is still not fully weaned you can supplement with KMR or goat's milk and you can mix it in the wet food too. 

If you are willing to dedicate a lot of time to this kitten and maybe get two then I can see this being all right. 

 

[jillkristy]

7 weeks is the soonest you should wean. After that its anyone's guess. 8 weeks is fine, it's better off with you than on the streets. Get the mom spayed too, your local humane society can direct you on nearby spay & release programs.

 

[eb24]

I would try to wait as long as you can before taking the kitten. But, the eating and drinking is not my main concern. It sounds like they are pretty securely on solids and just "comfort nursing." While they still obviously derive nutritional benefits from nursing it seems the kitten is not milk dependent and that is the key in terms of that. 

What concerns me more is the behavioral aspect. Kittens that are taken from Mom too early are at a much higher risk of developing suckling problems, litterbox issues, and play aggression. All of these behaviors can be corrected, it's just better for both owner and kitten if they don't start in the first place. 

So, if I were you I would leave the kitten with Mom for as long as you can. That said, I agree that taking the kitten a little early is better than not taking them at all. I also absolutely agree with Franksmom that if you can, adopt two as opposed to just one. Pair bonded kittens are less likely to develop all of these behavioral issues and provide a great deal of companionship and exercise for each other. I've commonly heard that people don't want two kittens because it increases the likelihood of home destruction but in my experience the opposite has been true. They tend to take out their kitten craziness on each other as opposed to you and your furniture! They also teach each other boundaries and can make training much easier as they tend to do what the other does. 

Regardless of what you decide, be prepared for the possibility of behavioral issues as they can occur with any new animal- it's just part of the adoption risk. If you do encounter problems start a new thread so we can all properly advise. And, be sure as soon as you get the kitten you get them in with their new vet for a wellness check, and to set up their deworming, vaccination, and altering schedule. Of all the things you do during these first few critical months making sure the kitten is properly vetted is absolutely critical to ensuring they have a long and happy life. Please, don't delay! 

Best of luck in bringing home your new addition. And, welcome to TCS! 

 

[catspaw66]

And be sure to post some pictures of your new little when you get it.

 

[leichtergeist]

Hey guys, thanks for all the information and help. We ended up taking him home a few days ago, and he's already learned to use the litter box, is interacting well with the other animals here (we're staying at my mothers place for short time first) and we've even got him used to a harness so I can take him outside to play/for walks if he likes walking. We named him Kadaver. I think he might have ear mites so we're taking him to the vet as soon as possible to make sure, plus all the other health stuff like shots, etc. All in all he's adjusting very well and is a very happy kitten.

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• leichtergeist
• Jul 27, 2013

Him getting used to his harness.

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• leichtergeist
• Jul 27, 2013

Just exploring his new home.

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• leichtergeist
• Jul 27, 2013

And here he is sleeping. Hope you guys like the pictures and sorry if the post is a little long/pictures are too big, I'm new to posting pictures in forums.

 

[eb24]

Oh he's adorable! It's smart to get him used to his harness while he's young, though, you don't want to take him out on walks until he has been fully vaccinated. You don't want to risk him picking up something infectious when his immune system is still so sensitive. 

Also, it would be a good idea to collar him just in case he ever slipped out the door or got loose from his harness. But, make sure he is at least 2 pounds first. Otherwise, he isn't heavy enough to engage the breakaway mechanism that cat collars have, and if it catches on something he is at a great risk of being choked to death. There are several kinds of release mechanisms on cat harnesses (buckles, rubber band attachments, and elastic) and they all work well- it's just a matter of finding one that you both like that comes in a kitten size (usually 2-6 pounds- the most common in a kitten size are the buckles). Also, make sure you never, ever put a dog collar on him! 

Glad you have him home and that he is settling in well! 

 

[jcat]

He's irresistible! How did you manage to find such a small harness? The last time I harness-trained a kitten I had to get one for rabbits. He looks like he's really making himself at home.

 

[leichtergeist]

Yeah thanks for the advice EB24 I was thinking of getting him a collar first but thought that he probably wouldn't be heavy enough for the break away system to work. 

Actually I figured I would have to get him a rabbit harness as that's what we used on one of my mothers kittens, but we found this one at Wal Mart in the pet section. I guess it was just good luck. It's a tiny bit loose on him but definitely not big enough for him to get out of, just moves around on him a little bit. He's been settling in very well.

 

[catspaw66]

The post and pictures are perfect. I would rather see them that size than the little tiny ones some people post. Think about getting him microchipped when you get him neutered.

 

[eb24]

I think kitten sized harnesses have become increasingly popular. When I went to try and find one for Diego I saw them not only at specialty shops, but at places like Petsmart and Petco as well. I think people started to realize it was way easier to train a kitten than an adult, and companies saw a way to make money.....

Glad to know the collar is in the works when he's big enough. It's another thing that is way easier to start them on as kittens! I second the microchipping as a backup. 

We need more adorable pictures so keep them coming!