BAEN Message Board

Kittens

Posted by Rustyrider on 8/26/2012, 9:49 pm

I've never had kittens before. But my step son's cat just had another litter. My boss wants kittens and she's very excited to be getting this entire litter.
Question: when can the kittens leave heir momma? The kittens are causing some tension at the kids' house, (his fiance was suposed to get the cat fixed, but never bothered to do it). And this is the second littr this year. They stil have2 from the first litter.
My step son wants these kittens out of there asap, but not so soon that it'll harm the kittens in any way.
Advice?

If you don't get a response here, call your vet. But I'm guessing it's about the same as with pups.

Posted by Mickeyfan34 on 8/27/2012, 12:20 am, in reply to "Kittens"

Minimum of 5-6 weeks or so with mom and then wean them. But I wouldn't do it suddenly. For best answer I would ask your vet though.

Edited to add....I personally would not even start to wean pups or kitten before 8 weeks, longer if possible. Just like with human babies, the longer they're with mom the better.

"Horses stay the same from the day they are born until the day they die. They are only changed by the way people treat them."
--"Silent Tom" Smith, trainer of the famous Seabiscuit

New law started January 1st of this year

Posted by karenm on 8/27/2012, 12:56 pm, in reply to "If you don't get a response here, call your vet. But I'm guessing it's about the same as with pups."

in California. Puppies and kittens must be a minimum of 8 weeks old before being removed from their mothers. Unless a Vet says it's ok under certain circumstances, such as abandonment or death of the mother. Apparently there is a stiff fine per animal if caught.

GOOD! I should have put in my post above that

Posted by Mickeyfan34 on 8/27/2012, 2:40 pm, in reply to "New law started January 1st of this year"
71.136.1.185

with our pups, we never even started to wean until 8 weeks and didn't let them go home until they were at least 10 weeks.
"Horses stay the same from the day they are born until the day they die. They are only changed by the way people treat them."
--"Silent Tom" Smith, trainer of the famous Seabiscuit

Thank God

Posted by mary bluepony on 9/1/2012, 8:15 am, in reply to "New law started January 1st of this year"
24.205.48.168

I'll be glad when spay and nueter becomes manditory, no excuse for litter after litter!

8 to 10 weeks at least, and

Posted by MilkMaid on 8/27/2012, 6:37 am, in reply to "Kittens"
67.142.177.24

Your StepSon may want to get the cat spayed himself. Since his Fiance` is so negligent.
Some days it's not even worth chewing through the restraints.

8 wks

Posted by Bitohoneylady on 8/27/2012, 12:27 pm, in reply to "Kittens"
70.199.197.184

Any sooner and their health will be compromised.
Placerville CA

Ditto this

Posted by Jane on 8/28/2012, 7:28 am, in reply to "8 wks"
184.20.76.248

I do a lot of fostering, and the kittens I get, who have lost their mother somewhere between four and six weeks, almost always have some issues, and don't always make it.

Please let the kittens stay on the mom until they are eight weeks. They dry her up for two weeks and get her spayed.

also

Posted by Xanthoria on 8/28/2012, 9:06 am, in reply to "Kittens"

it's worth noting that many shelters spay or neuter kittens when they weight 2# (they did when I worked at one anyway) and that's a pretty small kitty.

Get them all fixed as soon as reasonable, and the problem won't keep happening