Adopting a male kitten, ~5 weeks old?

Question

Hi, 
I am considering adopting a male kitten.  He's about 5 weeks old, and he's the runt in a litter of strays living in the bushes of a friend's neighborhood.  I don't know if they are totally weaned, but I do know that they are eating some dry food because that's what my friend and I used to lure them when I went over there this past weekend to choose a kitten.  My heart really went out to this little guy because he was so small, and different from the others.  He's black and white and the other 5 are gray tabbies.  He's also got a little conjunctivitis going with one of his eyes, but I'm told that that should be cleared up easily enough since we've caught it early.  I had actually planned to adopt a female, but when I saw him, I just had to reconsider.  While all of the kittens were a little skiddish, being strays of course, after being handled for a little while, he was fine.  Though I'm sure he was probably in pain because of his eye (if it's anything like an earache is to a human, OMG!), he never once took a swipe at me or tried to bite.  He was just very dossil, and not even really playful like the other kittens, for the most part.  He did eventually start climbing up my chest and over my shoulders, and try to jump from my lap onto the ottoman of my friend's house, so -- that gave me hope that when he feels better, he will perk up, he just needs some help and individual attention.  He probably won't be so small, either, once he doesn't have to compete with his littermates for food.  I have been reading online, though, that male cats can have problems learning proper socialization and grooming if they are taken from their litter too soon, though.  How soon is too soon?  Because I have an appointment to take him to the vet this week, and after that I am planning to let a friend bring him into her house to house/litterbox train him for a week or so, since she is experienced with cats and I am not.  After that, I'd like to bring him home, but I don't want to make him unable to groom himself normally or cause him to be unaffectionate because I didn't let him stay around his family for long enough.    At the same time, though, I'm trying to weigh my options -- the longer I leave him outside under that bush, the more likely it is that he will catch some disease that can't be cured, or get hit by a car and it'll be all over for him.  I want to do what's best and make the best and happiest pet out of him that I can.  Advice from anyone who knows what they're doing would be greatly appreciated! 

Also-- many have said that it would be good if I adopted 2 kittens at once, but I must be realistic.  I live in a small 2-bedroom apartment with my boyfriend, and I have never had an indoor cat before, so I need to learn to handle one indoor cat before I introduce another, though I haven't totally ruled it out.  How can I best adapt him to being an only housecat?  I do work 9-5:30 5 days a week, but otherwise I plan to give him plenty of attention.  Will that be enough? Thanks.

? · Accepted Answer

Ok. The advice that you receive from people about waiting until 8 weeks to take the cat away from its mother is consistent with the rule of thumb thinking about DOMESTIC cats. The same rules do not apply to FERAL cats. The reason that people say that 8 weeks is the proper amount of time is because that is the time frame in which kittens learn social skills from their mother. But, think about it: do you want a kitten that you plan to keep as a house pet being socialized by a feral cat whose socialization will include teaching the kittens to avoid humans? Because that's what will happen.

With regard to separating a kitten from a feral mother cat, the window of opportunity is generally between 4 and 6 weeks. If you wait until after 6 weeks, you will likely have difficulty teaching the kitten to trust (and thus form meaningful bonds with) people.

You should just take him now. If he is able to eat solid food then he has begun the weening process and should be good to go.

ADD: For what it's worth, you do not need to bottle feed a five week old kitten. If it were less than four weeks, you would have to consider that option, only if the mother weren't present. And, on another note, if the mother is human avoidant, bringing it inside with the kittens would be worse for the kittens in the long run in terms of taming them as it would stress the mother, and that stress would be transfered to the kittens. The mother is not automatically going to become "tame" just because you bring it inside. It will still teach the kittens to be human avoidant.

Anonymous · Answer

Adopting 2 is not more work than one.... same amount of effort involved, and you can work with them together on training.

Five weeks is too young to take a kitten away from it's mother.... 8 weeks should be the minimum.  He may be eating some dry food, but if Momma is around, he's still nursing.

If there's a change of catching the Mother and all the kittens, and bringing them in until the kittens are weaned -- doing a TNR on Momma, and finding homes for the other kittens, that would be the best way all around (other than finding a home for Momma too, but that would be much, much harder).  But if you can't, if you're putting food out regularly, chances are neither Momma, nor the kittens are apt to go too far for the next could of weeks, at least one more week with Momma is really needed.

? · Answer

Sounds like you'll make a great home for him!  I have to male cats and one female cat.  I actually prefer males over females (although my female is pretty sweet).  I don't think you'll have to worry about the potty training things.  Cats are different creatures.  You pretty much show them where the litter box is a few times and they get the hang of it from there.  They aren't like dogs as far as potty training goes.  You won't hurt him at all by taking him home early.  He will be much better off in your home rather than outside fending for himself.  Kittens are usually sent to their new homes at approximately 8 weeks anyhow.  As long as you are giving him love (holding him, petting him, playing with him, etc) he will be a happy cat.  He will groom himself just fine.  But do note that if he's a long-haired cat then you'll want to stay on top of helping him by brushing him frequently.  Two cats is definitely a great idea.  It is always easier to start them out young if you're going to have two at a time.  They just get used to each other and things are easier that way.  That's not to say that you can't have just one now and then adopt another one later.  Cats can be finicky.  Depending on the cat(s) they will either love each other or tolerate each other.  And that's fine, either way.  Have fun with your new kitten!!  =]

Girzie · Answer

It's too young at five weeks to be taken from its mother.   The best thing to do is to bring the mother and all the kittens into a shed and outhouse, feed her well so she has milk for all the kittens and also begin to gradually tame them before they are rehomed at 8/9 weeks at the earliest.    Contact your local Cats Protection Society for information about taming, rehoming, fostering cats and kittens and any other problems you have.

? · Answer

This kitten is way too young to be leaving it's mother! Give it the best chance and keep it with Mum puss until at least 8 weeks old. Poor little thing.

Adopting a male kitten, ~5 weeks old?

Related Questions

Trending Questions