December 10th, 2009 → 6:22 pm @ admin // 17 Comments
I adopted a stray cat a few months ago. I started feeding her in the summer. By October she had started to feel comfortable and settled with us. We didnt realise she was pregnant. I have 2 other cats, so i took her straight to the vet. She was fine but having kittens. She had her kittens , 6 beautiful little dumplings, and they will be 4 weeks old next week.
My question is this. Does a mother cat feel upset if I give her little babies away (at 9 weeks)? It seems cruel to me, but i cant have 10 cats, the insurance and costs are just too high.
Please let me know
Thank you
Marisa Y
9 months ago
The mother will naturally get over her babies going away; that’s part of her releasing them from the nest. However, please please don’t do it too soon. If the babies leave before Mommy is ready to let them (for example: if they haven’t learned all there is about being a cat ^_^), then the mother will be very upset.
But, if you send the kittens off at about 10 weeks or so (people still love kitties at 2 1/2 months, plus they’re mature enough to be housetrained AND spayed before long), the adjustment will be much easier.
Try to send the kittens to a place you know will be a good home, too. Around the holiday season, people get kittens as gifts, find they can’t keep them, and get rid of them. I work at a shelter, and it’s very traumatic for the cat.
Above all, be patient. Ask around. The best strategy is to show people the kittens when they’re young, ask the potential new owner to come visit, and watch how they interact with the cat. If the owner is good, they’ll be willing to wait.
And you should really make it a condition for the kitties to be spayed/neutured, especially the mom. Overpopulation is so sad.
gm
9 months ago
I think you will have a hard time with it more then the mom
She will forget sooner. Maybe keep one for yourself?
funky fresh man
9 months ago
if they are a good age to give away (sorry i don;t know when)
i don’t think so. she might be a little that day but she will forget about them in probably 2 days or so.
Judge and Jury
9 months ago
You are so sweet to ask. I know you really care about animals with a question like this.
I don’t know the answer but you’re right you can’t have 10 cats. In nature, most animals leave their mothers as soon as they can. Give the kittens to your local animal shelter and you’ll make 6 people and 6 cats very happy. Don’t worry about the mother cat; she’s clearly in good hands and is very comfortable.
annette o
9 months ago
she’ll get over it quickly if she even cares.
danl747
9 months ago
9 weeks is a decent age, but the longer you can wait the easier it will be for both mom and kittens. Odds are that yes, she will go looking for her kittens and will exhibit some distress that she cannot find them. However a lot depends on the cat. Just as with people some mothers are more protective than others. If you can manage it, 10-12 weeks would be better. By then she would likely be getting ready to wean them anyway.
Oh, once she’s done nursing do get her spayed. I understand about 10 cats. That would be a whole lot. It will be OK when the time comes. You’ve done a good thing here.
ebony_ad
9 months ago
Cat’s usually don’t mind it… I mean, I wouldn’t mind getting rid of 6 lumps of energy that spend all their time attempting to murder me…
Kittie shoudn’t mind, and if she does, it would probably be forgotten in a few days.
georgina
9 months ago
At 9 weeks it’s the perfect time to give the kittens away.Your cat will be relieved.It is very exhausting for her,to feed all those babies.Just be sure to find nice people to give them to,and not all of them at once.Give them away one by one.And,please,get your cat spayed.
Amy F =]
9 months ago
It is really hard to give them away. They’re so cute, but it is usually the best thing to do. It will make someone else very happy. Your cat may be upset for a few days but she will forget quickly.
Good luck!
P.S. Remember to get her spayed after the kittens are gone-or else you will have a whole house of kittens!
little miss cavalier
9 months ago
she will be fine, as long as they are properly weaned, she probably wont even notice until the last one has gone.
trust me, instead of feeling upset, shell feel relieved, bringing up 6 kittens is very hard work for her, and her instincts will be telling her its fine when they’ve all gone.
if your too worried about it, you could keep your favorite kitten!!!!!!!!!!!??????
Danielle B
9 months ago
would a mother feel upset if the husband gave her 4 children away?…….YES
Briana L
9 months ago
you seem like a nice person to take over that stray, and yes she will be upset but only for a while soon she will be back to her normal self. And i hope you plan on getting her spayed. Best of luck and i hope everything works out.
JMK
9 months ago
Nine weeks is a good age to rehome the babies. But she will be upset about it. I had the same scenario, finding a pregnant female cat and having to rehome the babies. She had 5 babies, at 10 weeks we rehomed the first 2 and that was okay but over the next week we rehomed the last three and she was quite upset. She cried looking for them, looked in closets, followed my husband and I around, and was generally distraught but after a few days it slowly got better and with plenty of attention and a visit to the vet for spaying she was okay.
It is a necessary stress unfortunately. If you have the option do it over a 2 week span so she can adjust and her milk can slowly dry up and she isn’t engorged.
I am a free girl! Peace_!~***~!_
9 months ago
The mother cat will not miss them ! she will be releived UNLESS u keep them together to long
KaDy
9 months ago
She will get over it.. but please be sure they go to good homes… so many “free” kittens end up in bad homes and don’t get proper care. At least before you give them away get them thier first shots please. take care
Melissa R
9 months ago
She may be mad at first. She will get over it.
if you do get rid of the cats get rid of them soon! You could get attached and cry to give them away or if they run away or if anything bad or sad happens to them!
Kishara
9 months ago
9 weeks old is OK to let them go if they are all well and healthy and eating properly. But don’t let them all go at once. Spread it over several days or more and Mum won’t worry too much.