When To Separate Kittens From Mom?

[Starlight2]

Our friends found a pregnant stray cat and took her in. She has since given birth to three kittens. We are adopting the two boys and my sister is taking the one girl. Our friends that found her are keeping the Mom.

Our friends are getting the Mom and litter spayed/neutered on Tuesday. They told us we could take our boys immediately after the neuter but I know they are also willing to hold on to them longer.

My question is- would it be easier on Mom and kittens to be separated right after the procedure or would that just make it harder on everyone? I don’t want her to stress over her babies being gone but also thought maybe she could heal easier on her own.

Thoughts or suggestions appreciated

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Basically it's based on time. When the kittens can stay with Mom for 10-12 weeks, they gain physical strength and are less fragile, have better emotional capabilities, absorb more knowledge about how to be a cat, and often are better able to fight off illness and deal with stress.
A little patience on everyone's part will reap huge benefits for these kittens when they become adults, and mom should be fine

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. So happy to hear mama kitty and her babies are all going to have fur-ever homes.

About the kittens leaving their mom, as Furballsmom mentioned, the recommended age these days is 12 weeks. That is so the kittens have lots of time to learn kitty etiquette.

TCS has a short article on this topic that might be helpful:
How Old Do Kittens Have To Be To Leave Their Mother?

 

[Starlight2]

Thanks for your responses! I did wonder how much of a benefit Mom would be.. she is by no means feral but is not much of a “people cat”, and I didn’t know if that would rub off on the babies. We very much want to cuddle and play with our kitties. And she does not seem to enjoy those things very much.

 

[RajaNMizu]

If your friend doesn't mind, you can always spend lots of hands on time visiting the babies, playing with them and getting them used to you before bringing them home.

 

[Furballsmom]

RajaNMizu is correct, Mom's lack of interest won't effect the little ones, and the more you interact with the kittens the more socialized they'll be

 

[white shadow]

.
Hi Starlight2 and welcome to the forum !

I started this reply to you yesterday, but couldn't finish it off.

I wasn't sure if you had been convinced or not about leaving these little guys with mum.....

As well, nowhere in your posts could I find their actual age.........

People have posted about 12 weeks being the recommended age for separating kittens and mothers. rubysmama Furballsmom

BUT, the latest recommendation.....science-based...is 14 weeks minimum!

For the new recommendations and for a fuller understanding of the kinds of results a full term nursery experience will help ensure, you can read about it all here: Delayed weaning reduces behavioural problems in cats

From my own experience, I can assure you that a kitten separated at six weeks has turned out to be a periodic behavioural pain. If I had known back then what I know today, I would have done things differently.
.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ Another thing is by 12 - 14 weeks the kittens are used to you & you're attached to them at that point . Hence some of us end up with too many cats ... !