Is 7 weeks old too young for a kitten?

[7rider]

Hey all.
So, DH and I are going to be taking in 2 kittens from a litter had by a stray that my BIL/SIL took in up in NY. Kitties were born March 5th. They want us to take our two Easter weekend (April 25th, specifically, on our drive back down from visiting family for the holiday).
We think 10 weeks is a better time to take them....BIL/SIL insist babies are eating solid kitty kibbles and are spending less and less time feeding off mom, and will be ready to go on the 25th.
What do you think? Who has experience weaning kitties and is 7 weeks okay? We'd take two, so they'd keep each other company.
I never had a cat before. My parents took in a stray - but that was after I left the house post-college. We had dogs growing up, and - of course - I've had bunnies since '92. It will be weird to have a carnivorous pet in the house!

[zoom-zoom]

One our best kitties ever was 7 weeks old when we adopted him from a shelter. Generally 6-8 weeks is considered a safe age for a kitten to be weaned.

I think it's great that you are taking them as a pair. Kitties are very social (contrary to popular myth). We have 4 and they all keep one-another company. 2 of our boys wrestle and play a lot. They are very entertaining.

[Biciclista]

Since you are taking 2, i think 7 weeks will be ok. the biggest problem with kittens taken before they are about 12 weeks old has to do with socialization. Taking two at a time solves that problem.They teach each other. congrats on your new babies.

ps they are adorable!!

[indysteel]

I would be more concerned about taking them in at that age if you had other cats/pets. Unless and until they're able to get fully screened and vaccinated, there is always some chance I suppose that they may have something other cats could contract. This would be special concern since the mom was a stray. In saying that, however, I'd note that I am not a vet; anybody who is or knows more about communicable disease among cats can correct me if I'm wrong.

Welcome to the wonderful world of cat ownership. They're amazing animals and companions.

[7rider]

Thanks, all. I feel a little better about this schedule, then.

No pets in the house now. But perhaps a dog in the future. One of our first tasks is scheduling a vet visit. I'm not sure what vaccines momma cat has gotten - if any - so a full range of tests/vaccines will be high on the agenda.

[spokewench]

Enjoy your kitties! I think you'll be okay taking them at 7. THey are soooooo cute

[7rider]

Thanks.

Here's another one - there are 2 calico-y tabbies and 2 black ones. We'll take one of each. Here's the black one with big brother from another litter looking on.

[indysteel]

They've so cute! Have fun with them!!!! DH and I have two ourselves, including one we adopted at about 9 weeks this past summer. She's the apple of our eye!

[SheFly]

Adorable! I think you'll be ok, too. We adopted our 2 at 9 weeks last year also. Now they are spoiled ROTTEN

SheFly

[makbike]

They are so cute!!!!!

7 weeks is a good age to bring them home. They should be weaned by now and need to be socialized. Take them home and enjoy them.

I would suggest that you have both kittens tested for FIV/FELV first. If the test comes back negative for both by all means start their vaccinations. I would also suggest you take in a "fresh" stool sample and have it sent off to rule out nasty intestinal parasites.

Enjoy your new additions. May you guys have many, many wonderful years together.

[westtexas]

Congrats on the kitties! I adore them.

7 weeks is a great time to take them home, especially since you are getting them as a pair.

I also second getting them tested for FIV/FeLV. This doesn't have to be done when you take them to the vet for their first shots (usually given at 8-12-16 weeks). Although you are not bringing them into a house with other cats (and thus having risk of disease transmission from them to your existing cats or your existing cats to them), it's a good thing to know overall should things go awry down the line. FeLV tests can actually show up negative for the first 6 months of life due to the presence of maternal antibodies and if you get them tested too early you may think you have a negative cat when you don't.

Some common things you might see with guys this age is the development of a runny nose or runny eyes and these should be addressed by a veterinarian right away as they are a sign of a secondary bacterial infection in response to several viruses that tend to affect young, unvaccinated kittens. With supportive care and antibiotics, they do great.

You can also discuss spaying and neutering with your vet when you bring them home. We routinely perform these procedures on kitties as young as 6 weeks, and research shows no benefit to waiting and no detriment to doing it that early.

Lastly, the only other thing I can suggest is make sure you kitten-proof your home! They will try to eat anything and everything and I always suggest that until they have matured, it's best to put them in a safe, enclosed room (or even a dog crate/kennel) while you are away to keep them from ingesting things they shouldn't.

Congrats!! and good luck

[Biciclista]

Congrats on the kitties! I adore them.

7 weeks is a great time to take them home, especially since you are getting them as a pair.



You can also discuss spaying and neutering with your vet when you bring them home. We routinely perform these procedures on kitties as young as 6 weeks, and research shows no benefit to waiting and no detriment to doing it that early.


Congrats!! and good luck

I hope the mom gets neutered soon too!

Kittens actually recover faster from their surgery than adult cats!

[Cataboo]

I first read that wondering when 7rider had a 7 week old baby and why she wanted to get that baby a kitty.

[7rider]

Getting spayed/neutered is definitely in the cards for these guys. I had no idea they could be fixed so young! Momma Cat and her son have an appt with the vet, too. She's had her last litter.

DH and I are really steeling ourselves for a huge initial outlay of vet bills to have these little punkins tested and treated and off on a strong foot, health-wise.

[indysteel]

+1 on kitten proofing. You have to take a critical eye toward nearly everything in your home. Plus, it's an on going process as they become stronger jumpers. When they're little, they can't jump on anything too high. As they grow, they're able to jump up on just about anything. So, everything we thought was safe on a high dresser or shelf is not at risk! It's funny, too, what they get fixated on. Right now, our kitten is obsessed with our bathroom sink. The minute you head for the bathroom or she hears the water running, she's there in a flash. It's hard to brush our teeth!