Can a kitten leave it's mum at 3 weeks?

juliebunny

zaksmum wrote: »

In a perfect world this would provide a solution.

But there were some feral kittens behind a neighbour's shed a while back and I had to move heaven and earth to get them to safety.

Despite explaining to the many rescues that the poor things were skin and bone and struggling to survive, none of them wanted to know.

Had it not been for one wonderful lady running a cat rescue, they'd have starved to death out there.

Sadly it's almost impossible to get help for a stray kitten.

Unfortunately the rescues are absolutely over-run with calls to take in stray cats and kittens. They know that some will die as a result of them saying NO and if you think that the people taking those calls at night are hard nosed, you are very wrong, but they know that they simply have no where to put them. The people I know don't sleep at night knowing the tragedies out there. They have every room in their house full of kittens and cats and the shelters are rammed.

A hundred people a day call asking for help, maybe one person calls asking to adopt...the maths is not in their favour....this is why it is so vitally important that the 'man on the street' can step up to the mark and help these poor mites whilst they go on a rescue waiting list. Loads of people who call in about strays won't even feed them whilst the charity desperately tries to find them a space and then the cat moves on and when a space comes up, they can't be found. Feral mums do this a lot when they are 'spooked' by people nosying at the kittens or have no food source.

I find the smaller charities are by far the best at providing help and squeezing in 'just one more'. The bigger ones are too hard nosed, they have lost their compassion and identity in many cases, too many paid staff....:(

moggymutt

Well said juliebunny. For our rescue the only hope of anything like a solution is offering free/donation only neutering at our nearest 8 vets, not means tested, doing pet cats, farm cats, and any strays that may be in someone's garden. This means we are managing to get about 100 a month neutered.

The other problem with feral kittens is that they need so much time to tame them up, and rescues simply cant magic up the extra time. Add on to that the fact that the very great majority of people want very tame instantly friendly kittens, and rescues like us can find ourselves waiting 2 years to find a threesome of kittens that I failed to tame up, a home at some stables.

I second the fact that the phone calls that rescues recieve are heartbreaking. I hate people who dont neuter with an absolute vengeance, because I am only too well aware that what I do is a drop in the ocean and cats and kittens are out there dying daily.

Until the situation improves massively, then Joe Public will have to realise that they themselves do, as juliebunny put it 'step up to the mark'.

I only wish we could perform miracles.

moggymutt

And I dont agree with lots of paid staff- we dont pay a penny and are totally tight for any expenses.

marmiterulesok

zaksmum wrote: »

In a perfect world this would provide a solution.

But there were some feral kittens behind a neighbour's shed a while back and I had to move heaven and earth to get them to safety.

Despite explaining to the many rescues that the poor things were skin and bone and struggling to survive, none of them wanted to know.

Had it not been for one wonderful lady running a cat rescue, they'd have starved to death out there.

Sadly it's almost impossible to get help for a stray kitten.

I remember you posting about the feral kittens.

I wish I could help you here.

Any chance you'll see this woman (with the 3 week old kitten) anytime soon,to ask how it is?

KxMx

My friends took in two 6 week old kittens (it was a case of getting them asap out of a bad situation) and they both made it, albeit never grew very much so the one left (sadly one died from feline AIDS which the Vet said she must have had from birth) is a perfectly healthy cat in miniature, not a small cat but miniature!

But 3 weeks, jesus...

zaksmum

The RSPCA said that as long as the kitten was being adequately cared for and was kept warm and fed they would not intervene.

If I see the neighbour who took the kitten I'll check how it is.

There were two feral kittens born on Friday behind our local bank. When I went to pay a bill today one kitten was wrapped in a blanket with a halogen heater warming it; the other had sadly died.

A staff member had found them and rang the RSPCA - not able to help.

So she took both kittens home to try to save them, feeding them every two hours with special milk from the vet. The surviving one couldn't be left while she came to work so she took it with her. If it makes it, she'll keep it.

Poor thing's no bigger than a hamster. So if the RSPCA won't help a new born kitten, what chance does a 3 week old one have?

marmiterulesok

It is sad,isn't it.I hope that the remaining kitten survives,though it's seems unlikely at such a young age.

The woman's lucky to be able to take it to work.What a kind soul.

chocdonuty

I got my little cat when he was 5 weeks old and my friend got hers at 4 weeks, they were from the same litter and the owner just wanted rid (I only got mine as she was let down by another buyer as didn't plan on getting another cat)
The difference between them is quite big despite there only being a week between them as my friends moggy is so attatched to her and suckles clothes all the time and mine, well, he's as normal as a cat can be I suppose with no problems. apart from falling in the bath far too often :rotfl:
I think when kittens are that age every day extra with the mum helps, I remember feeling bad that I was taking my kitten away from his mum and was waiting for him to have one last feed before I took him home But also knew he wouldn't have been looked after properly where he was as the owner didn't care, I did pay for him and was told it was going towards neutering. I do hope thats where the money went but you never know.

Tbh I don't think theres a lot you can do but just hope that he makes it, maybe mention a 'friend' has a kitten the same age and offer advice?

sammyjammy

moggymutt wrote: »

Well said juliebunny. For our rescue the only hope of anything like a solution is offering free/donation only neutering at our nearest 8 vets, not means tested, doing pet cats, farm cats, and any strays that may be in someone's garden. This means we are managing to get about 100 a month neutered.

The other problem with feral kittens is that they need so much time to tame them up, and rescues simply cant magic up the extra time. Add on to that the fact that the very great majority of people want very tame instantly friendly kittens, and rescues like us can find ourselves waiting 2 years to find a threesome of kittens that I failed to tame up, a home at some stables.

I second the fact that the phone calls that rescues recieve are heartbreaking. I hate people who dont neuter with an absolute vengeance, because I am only too well aware that what I do is a drop in the ocean and cats and kittens are out there dying daily.

Until the situation improves massively, then Joe Public will have to realise that they themselves do, as juliebunny put it 'step up to the mark'.

I only wish we could perform miracles.

Its all so sad and maddening isn't it. I know that one of these days I'm going to turn into the mad old cat lady that lived down the road from us when i was young. She had so many cats they used to climb out of a velux window in the roof and sit in long rows - it was so funny.

All three of mine were ferral kittens. My Robin was/is the worst, it took them three days to "catch" him from the garden they were found in, for two of those he was alone as they had captured mum and the other kittens, I've had him a year now and he still won't let me near him. If I walk past him whilst he is sleeping I have to do it with my back turned or he'll jump up and run. He is currently curled up on the sofa with his brother which is a miracle, he normally sleeps upstairs alone of an evening. I love him to bits, he has a special place in my heart.

God bless the little kitten.

Fire_Fox

It's not simply about helping the kitten, that doesn't help the next kitten. It's also about the RSPCA banging down people's doors, finding out who is giving away/ selling three week old kittens and at the very least giving them a warning and letting those people know they are on their radar, preferably prosecuting. The RSPCA are the only ones who can enforce legislation, no other rescue can. And about the RSPCA tracking down at least some the litter and giving proper advice for the kittens to get proper milk, they don't necessarily need to come and seize them.

True ferals are sad but in many cases there is no human being to blame for their predicament. And I can understand there is simply no space for all.