Friend bought puppy under 6 weeks...

oldandhappy

Our Female Cat was only 5 weeks old and honestly we had not much of an option really for her well being. She is a smasher and a huge character she is also on my avatar such a picture to see...but only tonight with my young grand-daughter staying over she had the raw deal of her...our Female Cat misread the end of GD's pencil moving and a small scratch happened....unpleasant and typical of her with company really.....she has always hissed at any threat to her and she is more hiss than action but most pets would not act like her and am sure it's her lack of time with her mum that makes her act like an alien to many visitors. One exception is a neighbour two doors away who has a dog and only visits his home never stays over...she will welcome him like royality for some reason. Dianne

tiernsee

We have just got two kittens from our local cat protection league. I decided to get two (brothers) so they could play together during the day when they were on their own. They were 9 weeks old when they came to us and so far have settled in very well - using the litter tray, eating, wanting to be picked up etc. They have had their first vaccinations and second are due in two weeks. The kittens had been used to being handled by a child (the fosterer's daughter is 3) and so they did not hide from my 5 year old daughter. The kittens are the children's, however, I am responsible for all welfare which is as it should be. I was incredibly impressed with the cat's protection league and the fosterer's do a brilliant job. It cost £40 adoption fee per kitten and apparently a lot of people will not pay this, which is a real shame when you see what good work they do.
I am really pleased we got the kittens through the league rather than through the small ads in the local paper. Son wanted them immediately and did not want to wait the extra weeks until they were ready, but he had to and now loves them to bits and agrees they were worth the wait. I find it really strange that people won't wait the extra few weeks to make sure that everything is OK for the kittens/puppies. It is a long term commitment and must be best for all parties. We saw some RSPCA kittens and I knew immediately they were not for us, they were so timid it just wouldn't have been fair on them, our two boys seem such a good match though I know it is early days yet!

JG82

I have just homed a litter of kittens. (hence the cat now being neutered) one lady came to see them when they were 3 weeks old. She wanted one there and then!! I explained that they would not be ready to go until they were 8 weeks. She said she thought it was 6 and if I wasn't prepared to let them go then she would go elsewhere....what is so hard about waiting for 2 weeks?? She didn't come back needless to say.[/QUOTE]

Just wanted to say good for you and the kittens. So nice to hear someone being responsible and putting the animals first before the cash :j

Tropez

EmptyPockets wrote: »

I don't agree with puppies, kittens, or any other animal, being bought for children full-stop, regardless of the child's age. If an animal enters a family, it should be brought in by the adults, and the adults should be the ones taking responsibility for it, not the kids.

Absolutely agree. I've said before on this board that some people just don't understand the immense burden that a puppy can be and they're absolutely awful pets to buy for kids.

I had Mil and Zoe from 8 weeks old and they were incredibly trying for the first couple of months. They're lovely, well-behaved and mostly quiet pets now but they were absolute terrors as puppies.

I think we're just too blinded by the cuteness of a puppy. There seems to be a general consensus that puppies are just lovely, cuddly bags of waggy fun and while there is that side to it there's the side that isn't really a part of common knowledge - the biting, the destructive nature, the messing, the whining etc. The puppy will try and push its limits while its growing up and I can't think of many children who would understand or be able to enforce limits on a puppy.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I've had one cat from 4-5 weeks. She was a bit of work in terms of keeping her warm and well fed, but she's nearly 12 now. I had one from 7 weeks and the third rescue (I don't deliberately get them at all, and certainly not so young) was about 24 weeks.

The first two are relaxed, friendly and sociable creatures. The third is still nervous, stressy and unsure of how to interact with other people or animals.

My mum's last rescue cats were about 11 - 13 weeks old, as per the rescue's rules. They never adjusted to human company, whereas the cats she has had in the past (all free to willing home/strays/offspring left by neighbour's unneutered queen) have all been no more than 7 weeks old. They all lived long lives, friendly and sociable with people and other animals, including dogs, rabbits and goldfish.

I suspect it's not so much the age, but the relative skill level with some of these people. I know how to teach a kitten to use a litter tray when it's mum is unable to do so, I know how to hand feed animals and teach them bite inhibition and appropriate behaviour without violence or limp wristed helplessness creating nightmare pets. I also know that accidents, scratches, mess and launching themselves bodily-up-the-net-curtains are an essential part of the joys of small animals.

However, once the profit motive got in the way, and all animals became consumer items, it was only a matter of time before people who were entirely unsuited to having pets started buying and discarding them as being 'faulty'.


It doesn't matter how old or young a pet is, IMO, if the new owner shouldn't be left in charge of a rocking horse.

moomin5

Poor pup, it does sound like it will be passed on before long as they don't seem prepared to provide for its needs and i can't see how they will manage to feed it regularly & house train when they aren't home all day. I was going to suggest getting a good puppy care book or print pages off a website for a cheaper version for your friend as sometimes people respect information in that form better, but difficult if they don't want to hear the advice.

I think its just less work & money for breeders that like to send them off to their new homes that young. I don' think there's much excuse these days for lack of research into getting a pet & breeding them as its so easy to access information needed.

KVet

MrsE wrote: »

Why are pedigree cats not sold till 13 weeks but moggies & dogs are sold much earlier?

Pretty much all Pedigree Cats are registered with the GCCF who are much stricter than the KC. The kittens should have had both vaccinations and cannot leave before 13 weeks of age. That's all I know as a nurse at my old job breeds Burmese and Korats.

Caroline_a

925dancer wrote: »

Dogs are sold earlier because there is such a thing as being with their littermates and mum too long (or something along those lines, a very good doggy person enlightened several people I know to this after being questioned about the differences between dogs and cats).

Cats however should stay with mum till they are 12 weeks, regardless of breed. Good breeders know this and they will also generally fully vaccinate the kittens before they go to their new home. Moggies sadly are generally bred by idiot back street breeders who are killing their female cats by breeding them to death to make a few quid. You'll be lucky if that 6-8 week old kitten has seen a vet or vet prescribed worm and flea treatments.

It's a subject that infuriates me to my core, seeing the work that rescues have to do to pick up the pieces of these irresponsible idiots, selling kittens too young, who can often end up with behavioural problems who are then shunted onto a someone else to pick up the pieces.

One of my cats came to me far too young, I'd say about 6 weeks and to this day she will still occassionally lick my hands. When she was tiny she would try to nuzzle my ears, hands, neck, anything because she was missing her mum. I got off lightly, some kittens have other problems.

Really no-one should be buying anything off a free ad site, it only encourages the irresponsible breeders (don't get started on all the so called exotic crosses that appear!). Go to a rescue, they are full to bursting and your donation will go a long way to help raise awareness and pay their never ending bills.

This is an interesting one because I have a 6 month old pedigree Maine Coon. I didnt get her until she was 12 weeks old, but she has a dreadful habit of suckling my clothes (or anyone else she sits on), and if I try to stop her she just carries on using my hands!

So that is totally the opposite to what you were told - confused! - as I've tended to have moggies before that have left their mums a lot earlier, and not had this problem.

However (sorry to hijack thread slightly) if anyone knows how I can stop her doing this I'd be really grateful!

MrsE_2

Caroline_a wrote: »

This is an interesting one because I have a 6 month old pedigree Maine Coon. I didnt get her until she was 12 weeks old, but she has a dreadful habit of suckling my clothes (or anyone else she sits on), and if I try to stop her she just carries on using my hands!

So that is totally the opposite to what you were told - confused! - as I've tended to have moggies before that have left their mums a lot earlier, and not had this problem.

However (sorry to hijack thread slightly) if anyone knows how I can stop her doing this I'd be really grateful!

Ted used to do the kneeding thing & now George does it, both very affectionate (maybe even needy) cats. I think its a lap cat thing.

925dancer

If mum tolerated her kittens suckling until late then I suspect it's just a behavioural habit. My boy does it, not when I'm wearing the clothes though! I'd suggest just moving the cat when it starts. I tried to stop Dave doing it at first and was fastidious about moving everything out of his way but he just likes it and it gives him pleasure and comfort (purrs like a tractor) so I leave him to it for the most part these days, it's not harming him or me.

There are many other reasons for the 12 week rule other than suckling, it's about manners, confidence, litter training (although admittedly most younger kittens master this fairly young anyway) and just for the general well being of the kitten. Ask anyone who works with cats and kittens, vets or rescues etc and they will tell you the recommendation is 12 weeks, a minimum of 8-9.