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

c6h4m1

pawsies wrote: »

People have different coping mechanisms, criticising someone for struggling to cope is not on.

Of course they should have thought about it before got cat/got pregnant but what's done is done and criticising leads nowhere.

A lot of the time people say they can't cope when what they mean is they can't be bothered to cope - or the kitten is growing up and isn't as cute as their newborn baby (personally I'd keep the growing kitten and get shot of the baby....). I have several friends with cats/dogs and babies or young children and they cope perfectly well (including our neighbour who is a single mother) - just means being extra organised. As for doing litter trays while pregnant - that's what rubber gloves were invented for :rotfl:

Back to this poor 3 week old kitten, sadly I can't see it surviving for long. 3 weeks is perfectly viable to rear successfully if you know what you're doing but it sounds like this woman hasn't got a clue, and nor does the owner of the poor mother cat. Shame the RSPCA aren't interested - but I know only too well how overrun so many of the rescues are and that some RSPCA branches just can not take on any more cats or kittens at the moment. Having said that I know that my local branch moves heaven and earth to try to take in every cat needing a home that they possibly can but for every 10 they rehome, there are 50 more needing to be taken in.

Our youngest was three weeks old when he was found with the rest of the litter and hand reared - at 8 months old he's still got a thing for suckling on human flesh (my nose and ears, usually) and is very clingy. He was very well hand reared by an expert so apart from extreme clinginess (which will get better) he has no issues at all. But the poor kitten in the OP's post sounds like it doesn't stand a chance I really hope I'm wrong on that.

FWIW, although I have rehomed kittens of 8 weeks or so in the past when I've been doing rescue, I think 10-13 weeks is the minimum recommended. I can't understand how anyone can think it's OK to take a 3 week old kitten away from its mother.

jen007

Here's a random thought, what if you were to call another RSPCA centre?

Stress that your local one isn't interested.....

I'm sure the members who've said their local ones are quite caring would oblige to give numbers?

Froglet

But it isn't something another RSPCA centre can help with.She is not asking them to take the kitten in, she is asking for an inspector to call on the person concerned and only they would have the right to check on it's welfare and follow up with a visit also to the person with the mother cat.

So yes,good idea if it were just a rehoming issue but sadly it isn't.

jen007

But a more caring centre, could pressure the local one to act upon this?
Hypothetical of course.

G-WWBB

I'm a bit late commenting on this (apologies).
On Monday of this week we've just taken on our latest batch of fosters, five kittens roughly 3 weeks of age who'd been taken from their mum and abandoned in a sealed bag.
Some kittens can be further developed than others at 3 weeks, these little ones are already scoffing kitten food and cleaning themselves. I'm not sure how long they were in the bag for or whether this has affected their eating habits (i.e. they were starving!), but they now seem to be doing really well.
I'm not saying kittens should be separated from mum at that age at all, no way, but with the proper care and monitoring, they can survive.

I'm very surprised your neighbour actually took on the kitten when she knew full well it was only 3 weeks old. I'm guessing she's either never had a cat before and doesn't know very much about them, or she's experienced at raising kittens from that age?

The owner needs to be reported, she's incredibly cruel separating the kittens from their mother so early in their lives, I can't see many of the litter surviving if this is how she goes about giving them away

zaksmum

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

I saw the neighbour today and was very sad to hear that the poor little kitten has died.

I sympathised with the neighbour but did point out that 3 weeks was surely FAR too early to take the kitten away from it's mum.

Even though it wasn't my kitten, I'm gutted and just wish to God I could've done something - or anything - to help the poor little scrap.

Why do people have to be so irresponsible? I'm so sorry that the kitten didn't get much of a life.

Rest In Peace little kitten

Froglet

Not unexpected,but so very very sad.Poor little soul.

I bet the woman who gave it,and probably others,away is not concerned or upset in the least though.What IS it with people who have no feelings or conscience? I can't understand them at all.

Hillbilly1

Are there any local charities that might be interested in neutering Mum? She was a late one with kittens this year, and with the change in daylight hopefully now wont mate until next spring.

However... if it is about 5 weeks post birth she could be pregnant again.

In London and surrounds the Cat Care Consortium (C4) would give a free voucher, and other similar schemes exist elsewhere.

zaksmum

Hillbilly1 wrote: »

Are there any local charities that might be interested in neutering Mum? She was a late one with kittens this year, and with the change in daylight hopefully now wont mate until next spring.

However... if it is about 5 weeks post birth she could be pregnant again.

In London and surrounds the Cat Care Consortium (C4) would give a free voucher, and other similar schemes exist elsewhere.

I don't know anything about the mum cat or her whereabouts. And if her owner is so irresponsible as to give 3 week old kittens away, I can't see her being too interested in the mum cat's welfare:mad:

Froglet

Exactly my point too.How much suffering could be avoided if all cat owners had their animals neutered(and dogs of course).Even if all babies born were well cared for in the early days they still have to be found homes.

Like you Zak's mum it makes me so :mad: