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Expert: - 7/28/2011


Question
Hello there. I have just been offered two 7 week old ragdoll kittens, free to a good home, their mum had cat flu and they had slight symptoms sticky eyes. They had antibiotics and are fine now. I have a cat already who is vaccinated regular. Will they be carriers and also will they pass flu onto my cat?

Answer
Julie,

You may not like the answer, but, in my not so humble opinion, 7 weeks is way too young for kittens to be leaving for their new home.  They could not have gotten all of their shots, and their immune systems are not yet fully developed.  I would not take kittens any younger than 12 weeks of age. We do not let our kittens go to their new homes until they are at least 4 months of age (often not until 5 months).

It is, unfortunately, not unusual for kittens to develop a bit of an upper respiratory issue (including eyes). The virus will have to run its course and all the antibiotics do is to contain any secondary bacterial infection. Given that this breeder wants to unload the kittens at such a tender age, I would be ultra-cautious.

My feeling is that anyone who lets their kittens go that early is not what we would consider a reputable breeder, which means you do not know what other problems they might end up having.

Best regards... Norm.

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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