Expert: Ali - 11/28/2008

Question
I recently found some stray kittens and a mother. I was only wondering how old do the kittens have to be for it to be okay for me to take them and find suitable homes for them? Also since I would like one for myself, but never had a cat, was also wondering if there's a certain age for a kitten to be spayed or neutered? Do I have to wait for the kitten to reach a certain age for me to take it in for its vaccines as well? thank you and i'm sorry if my English isn't too well or hard to understand.

Answer
Lavi,

I normally recommend that the kittens are at least 10-12 weeks of age when they leave their mother and siblings. There are people who say that so long as the kittens are weaned they can be removed from their mother. In my experience kittens who are removed from their mother too early can develop undesirable habits and behaviors. These behaviors can range from nipping, ankle attacking, sucking on blankets, fingers, clothing, stuffed animals, etc, litter box issues or even having difficulty learning boundaries. A mother cat will teach her kittens how to behave appropriately if she is allowed to keep them for 12 weeks. By the age of 12 weeks the vast majority of kittens are completely weaned and have been taught skills like bite inhibition, they will also generally be free of any inappropriate behaviors like nursing on their human caregiver's fingers or possessions. Kittens should be vaccinated fairly early on in life, once they are completely weaned any immunities that may have been passed down by their mother are going to fade away rapidly. Most vets recommend that the first set of vaccines should be given around 8 weeks of age. I recommend seeking the opinion of a holistic vet who is aware of the current research regarding vaccines. A holistic vet is trained in conventional medicine as well as one or more alternative therapies such as acupuncture, homeopathy or massage. The current research being done in regards to vaccines in cats suggests that we are over-vaccinating our cats and this is affecting their long term health. This isn't an issue with the kitten vaccines, this is more about whether it's in a cat's best interests to be vaccinated annually. Annual vaccines can be responsible for serious auto-immune disorders in cats, it is thought that we are over-stimulating the cat's immune system by administering annual vaccines, after all people don't get vaccinated every year. When it comes to spaying or neutering every vet has a preference. Some vets will spay or neuter an 8 week old kitten, others prefer to wait until the kitten is at least 6 months of age, most vets fall somewhere in the middle so you will have to make a judgement call based on your level of comfort. I am a believer in early sterilization because cats can't get pregnant or mate when they are 8 weeks old, there can be accidental matings resulting in unwanted litters of kittens when cats are 5-6 months old. Spaying and neutering prevents unwanted offspring, it also prevents a number of medical and behavioral issues commonly seen in cats ranging from inappropriate urination or defecation to fighting and territorial behavior. Medically cats that have been sterilized early on will not have to suffer from prostate or breast cancers or infections of the womb and mammary glands. Infections of the womb can be fatal in cats if not treated immediately and are usually the result of repeated estrus cycles and the exposure to the sex hormones that these cycles cause. It's important to keep the mother cat away from any male cats because she can become pregnant even while she is still nursing her litter. Congratulations on your new kitty family, hopefully you will find a special friend in this furry family.