When it is already decided to have a cat, the question arises: "At what age is it better to take a kitten?" People’s opinions differ in this. Someone, referring to their own experience, assures that this can be done already at the age of one month. Veterinarians insist that before moving to a new environment, the kitten should be vaccinated. And they are made later. Experienced breeders of elite breeds do not part with kittens before babies are three months old. Whom to listen to?
There are several aspects to this question. To make the right choice, it is worth considering them in detail.
When a kitten can leave her mother
If a person does not interfere in the life of a cat and its children, kittens break up with their mother at the age of twelve weeks. At this point, the instincts of nursing the offspring are fading, the cat is preparing for a new cycle. Often, she herself ceases to show maternal feelings for babies, drives them away and hisses.
A kitten, even if the mother does not show interest in him, will never leave her before reaching eight weeks. He is attached to her by nutrition, care and socialization. What it is?
Feeding milk is a very important period for the baby. Its composition provides not only the intake of nutrients for the structure of the body, but also the necessary immune bodies. The feeding process is necessary for the kitten in order to feel protection and love. Without this, he will suffer psychological disorders: excessive aggression or cowardice.
The feeding process takes eight to ten weeks. In a cat, milk begins to decrease a month after lambing, but even a drop of it per day creates a kitten a reliable immunity. Gradually, he gets used to the fact that his mother’s milk is over. He begins to be interested in other types of food and other types of affection. Having torn the baby away from the mother sharply, without a transition period, he is placed in extreme conditions. From stress, behavior may change, the kitten will begin to walk past the tray or to the owners' bed. It is important to understand the reason for such actions and not leave it alone until the addiction process is complete. When deciding at what age a kitten should be taken, its needs should be taken into account.
The beginning of feeding and socialization
By the beginning of the fifth week, the cat begins to bring prey to the kids and eats in front of them. They are also trying to do this. Their teeth are not yet adapted for solid food, but they gradually begin to understand how adults eat. First, the game is killed, later - the wounded, and finally, the cat brings live prey. Kittens learn to hunt.
At the same age, the breeder begins to lure. At the time of the gradual transition from milk to food, it takes a month, sometimes a half, from the bowl. A sharp transition from milk to food causes stress in kittens and a delay in development. From the point of view of good nutrition, two or one and a half months is an objective time for a change of owner. For many breeders, this has become a decisive factor in the question of at what age to take a kitten.
All the time caring for babies, the cat licks their hair and under the tail, massaging the anal areas. Excreted excreted reflexively, which helps digestion. Having taken a small animal that cannot yet take full care of itself, the owner makes an imitation of mother’s care with a cotton swab dipped in warm water. If this is not done, problems will arise: diarrhea, constipation, respiratory infections.
In addition to nutrition, there is such a thing as socialization of a pet. At the age of one month, kittens learn to walk on the tray, watching the cat mom. The process of accustoming to the tray is a natural way. The same goes for scabbard and hair care. Torn ahead of time from the mother, the kitten hardly accepts the laws of life in the apartment. At least that takes extra effort.
Stages of kitten development
A small lump is gradually formed into a playful naughty, later it begins to comprehend its place in the outside world and try to establish its own rules. If you do not understand all the stages that he goes through in the process of growing up (and this applies both to physical and social development), it will be difficult to find a common language with the pet.
To understand the needs of the baby, specialists have compiled the following table:
A week | Achievements |
1 | Squeaks when hungry |
2 | Eyes open, milk teeth are cut, ears are raised |
3 | Starts to walk |
4 | Learns to play and overcome obstacles on the way. Coordination of movements is developing. |
5 | Mother begins to wean from milk. Predator traits appear in games with brothers |
6 | Deworming, vaccination, first toys |
7 | First bath. Weaning period ends |
8 | Teeth develop. The cat teaches communication skills with people and pets. Accustoms to a tray and a scratching post. A friendly attitude towards people is laid. The second deworming. |
9 | Rapid growth, weight reaches 1.2 kg. The iris of the eye takes a real shade |
10 | Second bath, clipping, grooming |
eleven | In games with brothers, aggression is manifested. Kittens learn to play without hurting others. |
12 | Active games with brothers. Consolidation of acquired skills. |
The table shows how important maternal upbringing is for a kitten, his playing with brothers and his life skills with a person. Breeders of thoroughbred animals do not have the right to give a kitten before he is three months old and are obliged to do all vaccinations, accustom him to the tray and scratching post, grooming, feed - this will not be done by an unscrupulous seller. When deciding at what age to take a kitten, one should take into account its socialization and ability to do without maternal care.
Kitten at the age of one month
It is possible to take a kitten at the age of one month only in emergency cases - the death of the mother, the salvation of a foundling and similar misfortunes. If the breeder wants to quickly sell the lamb, you should think about how important it is for the baby to go through the period of socialization, how to organize it, whether the new owner will be able to do it.
Undoubtedly, a kitten 1 month old is not a newborn. He does not have to massage the tummy and feed from the nipples. But he needs constant games, training to hide his claws in the game, walk on a tray, not sharpen his claws on furniture. An adult will not have enough time for this, and the child will not be able to show patience and consistency in learning. As a result, a complex relationship with the owner will arise.
About a monthly kitten, we can say that he does not yet have a character. If the kitten is thoroughbred, he does not even show genetically inclined tendencies. For a naturalist, a trainer, this is the ideal age. Parenting will take place in the form of a game, with an abundance of affection and a waste of all of his time on it. As a result, an animal will grow up, faithfully loving the owner and fulfilling his requests out of love. The intelligence of such a cat will be much higher, he will be able to make decisions on his own, he will understand many words and it will be very pleasant and interesting to communicate with such a beast.
Unprofessional will apply punishment in education, they will not always be justified. As a result, the cat may not understand why it is impossible to do some things. He will simply take for granted that he is not loved or the master is evil.
When to get vaccinated
Vaccinations are the norm for pets. Before a certain age they do not. For kittens, this is six weeks old. In different countries, the recommendations of veterinarians differ. But it is generally accepted that before a month and a half, vaccinations will become too much stress for a growing organism. They prepare for vaccination of the baby: deworming is carried out. Only kit products are used.
If a kitten is found on the street, it can be so hit by helminths that it will threaten his life. In this case, it is better to act as directed by the veterinarian.
The following video tells in detail about vaccinations for kittens, which and when to do:
How to feed a kitten
Having taken the month-old baby home, some follow the advertisement and begin to feed him with dry food and canned goods from the supermarket. The kitten’s digestion is disturbed very quickly, and then the owner wonders: “What do kittens eat per month?” The veterinarian will answer this question best of all - offer a balanced feed or prescribe suitable products and the method of their preparation. Dry feeds are of high quality and not very, there are frankly harmful. It is better not to trust the advertisement and ask a specialist once to avoid urolithiasis at the age of six months, blood and pain, expensive procedures and a fear of the tray.
Rules and norms for feeding kittens should be strictly observed. If premium dry food is selected, it is not changed to economy class food. If you decide to feed with natural food, do not give dry food. The simultaneous administration of both leads to the formation of oxalate stones in the bladder. Their sharp edges cut tissue, blood appears in the urine.
It is better to slightly feed the baby than to overfeed. The number of feedings is five or six times a day. The amount of feed at a time depends on the weight of the kitten. For one hundred grams of weight give 30 ml of food. At first, this is very small. Soon your pet will learn to ask for food when the bowl is empty. If the feed will always lie in abundance, the kitten can overeat. In order for him to digest food properly, he must have clean water. Some put a glass, someone buys a drinker with a fountain.
Buying a kitten
Every spring in the newspapers there are many announcements of free kittens. The huge risk of bringing such an animal into the house is associated with unpredictable behavior, unknown heredity and health. If the kitten is more than three months old, he can already gain a foothold in communication skills. He may not make contact, treat people with caution, or show his instincts without restraining himself. Therefore, many decide to purchase an animal from a breed breeder.
Where to buy a kitten - from friends or in a nursery? If funds permit, it is better in the nursery. So, not only can one confidently expect the characteristic external manifestations of the breed, but also the nature inherent in its parents. Breeders will provide assistance in raising the baby in a strong and healthy adult beast.
Conclusion
The question of at what age to take a kitten can only be decided by a person who takes responsibility not only for the maintenance of the animal, but also for its upbringing. Despite the complexity of the first three months of caring for a baby, this is still not a child, but a small animal. Too much effort is not required. Moreover, kittens at this age quickly get tired and sleep a lot. The main thing is to be near when he wants to go to the toilet and start looking for a secluded place and show him a tray. When trying to sharpen claws on a chair, you need to gently show him how to do this with the help of a claw point.
A calm tone, love and affection - and the kitten will become your best friend.