Hello everyone - New Member - Purchased my first ever cat! [American Long Hair & Chartreux Kitten Mix]

[Mr_Kitty]

A "regular" cat with a blue coat. Cats aren't like dogs, in that dogs are almost all at least partially some recognizable pure breed or breed mix. Purebred cats make up a very small percentage of the cat population; the vast majority of cats have no breed background at all. Cats usually get on with reproduction without any input from humans so they're simply. . .cats . We call them domestic shorthairs (or longhairs).


It's a bit technical, but here's a study about weaning times in kittens:
Early weaning increases aggression and stereotypic behaviour in cats

And this sums it up in easier language:
It is Best for Kittens to Stay with Mom in a Home Environment for 12-14 Weeks

I see, understood. I will definitely check out the links.

I don't know what this kitten will end up looking like. I hope it will look good and will be a bonus if it looks more like a Chartreux or British Shorthair.

Most importantly I want the kitten to be healthy and happy and get along with me and my lifestyle. I don't discriminate between breeds. It's not like I paid for a pure-bred so no loss here, just a bonus.

As long as it is healthy, happy and gets along with me and people who come over and looks good without any defects, I am happy. Everything else is a bonus.

Thank you!

Oh, and sometimes the owner of the mother cat will say, when the kittens are 5 or 6 weeks old, that they aren't nursing anymore so you might as well take them home at that age. Don't fall for that. Nursing isn't the important part; learning cat lessons from their mother is the important part.

I am considering taking the cat after 9 weeks. I wrote an explanation a little below this comment. Any tips on what to ask the owner? I am going to see her in about 2 hours. She said she will definitely sign the contract, so I am working on it right now.

Blue is the official term for the gray coat color in cats. It's a color, not a breed, and is fairly common. Most cats aren't any particular breed, and also aren't mixes of breeds, unlike dogs.

It really depends on how the cats are cared for. A responsible breeder pays close attention to the welfare and needs of the individual cats, and doesn't allow a female cat to mate unless she is in excellent health and physically and mentally ready to have a litter. Female cats are also stressed by going through repeated heat cycles, so it can also be stressful for a cat to go through many heat cycles without having a litter or being spayed. Since heat cycles can also increase certain health risks, female kittens that are not part of a planned breeding program should preferably be spayed by 4-5 months of age, before the first heat cycle.

New owners like your friend nearly always want to get kittens as early as possible. Most kittens do okay when adopted at 8 weeks, but some kittens adopted early will develop behavior issues, especially if they are adopted as a single kitten without a littermate buddy. I see that Willowy already linked the research study I was about to link here, so I won't repeat that.

The immune system is also not fully developed at 8 weeks, so a very young kitten is also somewhat more likely to experience health issues as a result of moving to a new environment.

If you do end up getting your kitten at 8-10 weeks, don't worry, it will probably be fine... and people here can help you with any behavioral or health issues that may come up. It's just not in the kitten's best interest to place them at this age, so breeders (like the one that sold your friend a Scottish Fold) really shouldn't be selling kittens at 8 weeks.

Oh okay I understand what you meant by Blue now.

I see. Well her cat is 2 years old, Probably first or second time it was ready for this process considering I know they need to reach adulthood first. I didn't ask her if this is her first litter, I will ask her when I speak with her again.

I was also told by another friend to take the cat on the 9th week and that is how PetSmart does it as well, they make them available at that time from the adoption agencies.

Then another friend who had a bunch of cats said the same thing. Said that if I want the cat to be a lap cat and cuddle and adjust to me and be easily trained by me, get it at 8-9 weeks MAX 10 weeks.

I don't understand what the extra 2-3 weeks would do for it from 9 weeks. Like what kind of behavioral issues? I am home all the time, I will make sure to keep it company and train it as much as possible if cats are trainable. I need to read everything properly, I just finished work recently.

I will feel confident taking it at 9 weeks if I find enough evidence to support what my friends are saying. It's just that people here are a lot more experienced... So I am torn. I just don't want to end up making a mistake which would make me regret not taking it home early or taking it too early.

Won't it be harder on the kitten and the mother cat to let go of the kitten if I let it stay 12 weeks rather than 9 weeks?

Thank you!

I'm just so happy for you! I'd like to call her and tell her to fix her cat and get the neighbor cat fixed too. She has the money to do so.

Yea she probably should. I will ask her how many litters her cat had, hopefully she will tell me this was the only one and it will be the truth.

You’ve gotten so much great advice on this thread, and I wanted to pop in to say welcome as a fellow Canadian cat lover!
I also wanted to make one comment, regarding adopting from rescues- some rescue cats certainly come from traumatic backgrounds or have less than ideal starts to life, but for the vast majority of them, you don’t need any special skills to look after a rescue animal!
I’m glad you already feel bonded to this kitten and that you are happy with the route you’ve gone, and at the same time I want everyone reading this to know that rescues and shelters are great places to find a cat companion.
As for price, I agree it’s likely that the owner was hoping to get more for the kittens by saying the father is a purebred cat. $150 seems quite steep to me. I live in a more rural area of Canada where there are dozens of free cats and kittens on kijiji right now, so I actually checked the Toronto SPCA page and their kitten adoption fee is $120, which includes vetting and spay/neuter.
Regardless, getting to see your kitten grow up will be very special, and I’m glad you’re already so fond of the kitten!

Thank you for educating me on the matter. I will look more into it for my 2nd cat if I get another one. The way I look at it, even if $150 is a little steep (I got her down from $200) I get the experience of watching the kitten grow since she invited me back as many times as I would like to visit it until it is ready. The downside is that she is not a professional breeder so I hope she is doing everything she needs to do in order to keep the kitten healthy. I have no idea how long it will drink just milk from mama cat and what food she will give it once she decides to do so. She seems like a very nice person and she always makes herself available for me so I want to believe everything will be okay.

Another upside is that I get to take it for its first Vet visit. I feel better I get to do it MYSELF as I wanted that experience. I checked and for a first visit (which includes a $20 first vaccine, $12.5 de-worming, $67 fecal test and a $50 exam which I get for $42.5 as a new member) it is cheaper than I thought it would be to be honest.

Sure I may be paying a little more but I get to go through the experience with the kitten together and watch it grow from time to time and it feels more natural than a breeder who breeds their cats time after time. I don't know if I am right about this but does it make sense to anyone else?

Thank you for your kind words.

1. Re costs of mixes: mixes are almost always cheaper then purebreds, esp if Ooops litters. Usually a quite essential cut. No wonder, technically they are moggies. Unless such a mix is an allowed outcross.

Although here, as the others said, we may be fairly sure parents are two nice domestics.
The kitten should be nice and healthy anyway! May even have the "bastard-boom" becoming extra healthy, because any inbreeding depressions are covered up by the new outcrossing.

2. Nay, skin / hair color is a gene by itself. Its not connected automatically with the great majority of genes. Not in cats anyway!

Your grey kitten means only, both parent has the dilution gene. Did you say 4 kittens are black, one grey? So most probably both parents are black, but both hade the dilution gene, and this combo gives usually this result: 1 of 4/5 kittens is grey, the siblings are black.
These statistics arent ironclad in an individual litter, it may vary some, but - they are fairly sure in a 1000 litters.

The kitten will have half of genes from each parent.

If its a female kitten, the probability is the dau will tend to be smallish, as momma. There ARE after all, some maternal lines, some properties taken more after ma. And some perhaps after dad. So for example, its now known, gentle and friendly toms tends to get friendly and easy handleable kittens.

But its not ironclad either. You can see tendencies in 1000 litters, but its impossible to know in 1 litter.

[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the science lesson, it's incredible how much you all know here. I will ask to see the neighbor's cat and hopefully she will make it happen and show me the actual cat it bred with. Can't be sure but I can only hope she tells me the truth. In either case, if this is not the real mix it does not void the cat. It can still turn out to be an amazing cat and I feel that it will be.

 

[lutece]

Your grey kitten means only, both parent has the dilution gene. Did you say 4 kittens are black, one grey? So most probably both parents are black, but both hade the dilution gene, and this combo gives usually this result: 1 of 4/5 kittens is grey, the siblings are black.
These statistics arent ironclad in an individual litter, it may vary some, but - they are fairly sure in a 1000 litters.

In this case, one parent is believed to be the neighbor's blue cat, and the mother is black, clearly carrying blue (since she had a blue kitten). If these are the parents, each kitten has a 50% chance of each color. The distribution of kitten colors in a litter don't always line up the way that you expect. Probabilities for distribution of blue and black kittens in a 5 kitten litter, with each kitten having a 50% chance of each color:

• all blue: 3.13%
• 1 black, 4 blue: 15.63%
• 2 black, 3 blue: 31.25%
• 3 black, 2 blue: 31.25%
• 4 black, 1 blue: 15.63%
• all black: 3.13%

I understand why you are guessing that both parents are black carrying blue, but you can see that 4 black kittens and 1 blue kitten is also a perfectly normal result if one parent is blue and the other is black carrying blue. Even a litter of all black or all blue kittens has a reasonable probability, over 3% for each of those possibilities.

 

[Hlee]

Congratulations .Enjoy your new fur ball!

 

[lutece]

I was also told by another friend to take the cat on the 9th week and that is how PetSmart does it as well, they make them available at that time from the adoption agencies.

Then another friend who had a bunch of cats said the same thing. Said that if I want the cat to be a lap cat and cuddle and adjust to me and be easily trained by me, get it at 8-9 weeks MAX 10 weeks.

I don't understand what the extra 2-3 weeks would do for it from 9 weeks. Like what kind of behavioral issues? I am home all the time, I will make sure to keep it company and train it as much as possible if cats are trainable. I need to read everything properly, I just finished work recently.

I will feel confident taking it at 9 weeks if I find enough evidence to support what my friends are saying. It's just that people here are a lot more experienced... So I am torn. I just don't want to end up making a mistake which would make me regret not taking it home early or taking it too early.

It's a VERY common myth that kittens will be more "bonded" or affectionate if they are taken from their mothers earlier. Unfortunately, this myth leads to many older kittens and adult cats having trouble getting adopted. This myth is not true. Kittens absolutely do not have to be adopted at 8-9 weeks to "bond" with you.

I normally place my kittens in homes at 16-20 weeks of age, and my kittens do very well in their new families. Even adult cats will bond with a new family and become just as affectionate as a cat adopted as a kitten, as long as they were socialized with humans when they were younger, the only difference being that adult cats generally take a bit more time to adjust. You absolutely aren't missing a crucial bonding period by adopting a kitten a bit later.

If you must adopt the kitten at 8-10 weeks, it will probably turn out fine... because kittens are resilient. If you run into any problems with your kitten, people on this site are very good at helping people with kittens adopted too early (even kittens that lose their mothers much earlier). It will be probably be fine either way. However, it's BEST for kittens to stay with mom and siblings longer. For more information, go back and clink on the links and read the references Willowy posted.

Won't it be harder on the kitten and the mother cat to let go of the kitten if I let it stay 12 weeks rather than 9 weeks?

No, it's easier on the mother and kittens if you wait a little longer, because as they grow, they don't have as much psychological need for their mother and littermates.

 

[Furballsmom]

To repeat what you've been seeing in this thread;

Won't it be harder on the kitten and the mother cat to let go of the kitten

The short answer is no.

Though, if it will make my cat stupider and less social and less healthy, it's worth asking to let it stay there for at least 10 weeks. I don't know HOW MUCH difference the extra 2-4 weeks will make

There are very few stupid cats. However, every single day that the kitten is with its mom it is literally learning more about how to be a cat. The more of that up to the point that it would naturally leave the mom cat is irreplaceable, impossible to replicate by other means and extremely necessary.

To further support this;
How Old Should a Kitten Be Before You Take It Home?

 

[Kieka]

Like what kind of behavioral issues?

Kittens taken before they get all the behavior lessons from mom have an increased risk of:

• Play aggression or rough playing
• General aggression
• Biting
• Developing anxiety or fearful reactions
• Litter box problems
• Difficulty adjusting to situations
• Kneading/nursing excessively (can advance to pica)

Its basically because Mom teaches them how to act and respond to things in their lives between 8 and 12 weeks (and continues to fine tune if allowed up to 16 weeks). Playing with siblings and Mom teaches them how to interact with others. A human simply can't replicate the same lessons like their Mom and siblings will. Even if you stayed home with your kitten every day from the moment she came home and did everything they said to, you cant make up for those few weeks. My girl I got at 3 months is more cuddly then my boy I got at 5/6 weeks (not my choice or something that could have been avoided). A few extra weeks with her Mom will make a world of difference for your kittens lifelong well being and no difference in your relationship with her.

And rescues don't have the luxury of time to let the kittens stay 12 weeks with their Moms. Those 4 extra weeks that a kitten takes up space in a rescue can mean that another litter doesn't have a spot or several adults don't have space. Kittens can survive and do okay if they leave mom at 8 weeks old, plus they are super cute and fluffy still so they adopt out quickly. It shouldn't be held as best practice, just the one that saves the most lives.

 

[Willowy]

Won't it be harder on the kitten and the mother cat to let go of the kitten if I let it stay 12 weeks rather than 9 weeks?

Others have answered this, I just wanted to add that the longer the kitten stays with the mother, the readier she is to get them out of her hair, lol. If you take kittens from their mother at 6 weeks, she'll grieve and look for them, because in nature, if they disappeared at that age it would mean that they got lost or were killed. But if you take them when they're 16 weeks, she'll be like "finally, I've been telling them to get their own place!" Like the difference if a human child was removed from their mother at age 8 vs age 18.

Said that if I want the cat to be a lap cat and cuddle and adjust to me and be easily trained by me, get it at 8-9 weeks MAX 10 weeks.

Nah, cats don't work like that. As long as the current owner isn't keeping them caged all the time or abusing/neglecting them, and their mother is friendy, it won't make any difference.

 

[StefanZ]

The old advice of taking them fairly early, at about 8 weeks, or even 6, has sometimes some merit. But it comes from the time, when it was common they were barn cats. Ie essentially semi-ferales without near connection with friendly humans. Or if you are rescuing from a homeless street cat. - or from an BYB whom has a kitten-mill with many litters in cages, without any real contact with humans.
Yes, in such a case it may be wise to take them early, its much easier to socialize them in full when young than when they are 8+ weeks.

But if its a normal home cat or a serious breeder, with normal lovingly contact with humans, and they ARE socialized to loving humans per definition, its best to take them later on, at 10+ as minimum. So their momma and siblings help to learn them cat life. But as you see, modern breeders tends to sell them at 16-20 weeks.

They will bond with you beautifully anyway, if you are their new Mom or Dad.

Why, even adult cats will bond nicely with you, if you are kind to them and give them a good home. So in a way, adopting an adult cat is often a good stable tip. They do bind anyway, and very often extra much, being grateful for the new chance in life...

 

[Mr_Kitty]

FIRST OF ALL: THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH EVERYONE, YOU ARE SO KIND TO HELP ME SO MUCH!

In this case, one parent is believed to be the neighbor's blue cat, and the mother is black, clearly carrying blue (since she had a blue kitten). If these are the parents, each kitten has a 50% chance of each color. The distribution of kitten colors in a litter don't always line up the way that you expect. Probabilities for distribution of blue and black kittens in a 5 kitten litter, with each kitten having a 50% chance of each color:

• all blue: 3.13%
• 1 black, 4 blue: 15.63%
• 2 black, 3 blue: 31.25%
• 3 black, 2 blue: 31.25%
• 4 black, 1 blue: 15.63%
• all black: 3.13%

I understand why you are guessing that both parents are black carrying blue, but you can see that 4 black kittens and 1 blue kitten is also a perfectly normal result if one parent is blue and the other is black carrying blue. Even a litter of all black or all blue kittens has a reasonable probability, over 3% for each of those possibilities.

Wow... When I thought I can't be amazed any more, another scientific explanation. Amazing how much you all understand about cats. So there is still a chance it was bred with a Chartreux genetics wise but logically there wouldn't be a Chartreux anywhere nearby... Maybe it is a British Shorthair like I already said earlier, which is also a cool mix in my opinion.

Congratulations .Enjoy your new fur ball!

Thank you, barely any fur for now though lol.

It's a VERY common myth that kittens will be more "bonded" or affectionate if they are taken from their mothers earlier. Unfortunately, this myth leads to many older kittens and adult cats having trouble getting adopted. This myth is not true. Kittens absolutely do not have to be adopted at 8-9 weeks to "bond" with you.

I normally place my kittens in homes at 16-20 weeks of age, and my kittens do very well in their new families. Even adult cats will bond with a new family and become just as affectionate as a cat adopted as a kitten, as long as they were socialized with humans when they were younger, the only difference being that adult cats generally take a bit more time to adjust. You absolutely aren't missing a crucial bonding period by adopting a kitten a bit later.

If you must adopt the kitten at 8-10 weeks, it will probably turn out fine... because kittens are resilient. If you run into any problems with your kitten, people on this site are very good at helping people with kittens adopted too early (even kittens that lose their mothers much earlier). It will be probably be fine either way. However, it's BEST for kittens to stay with mom and siblings longer. For more information, go back and clink on the links and read the references Willowy posted.

No, it's easier on the mother and kittens if you wait a little longer, because as they grow, they don't have as much psychological need for their mother and littermates.

Well I did hear this Myth quite a lot from so many people who use their own cats as examples and their cats are so affectionate and I am so terrified to possibly make a mistake and let it stay there too long and regret missing those extra cute moments... Then again I am even more terrified to take it early BEFORE it got to properly adjust and learn what it needs to learn from Momma cat and its litter mates. I would HATE to have a cat who is an a**hole. I have friends with terrible cats and I want mine to be affectionate and anxiety free.

I am not sure how early she will let people pick up the rest of its litter mates... If there aren't any left with him 10 weeks later, does it still make sense to leave the kitten near the mother or should I take it right away and let my friend's cat play with it or does it specifically NEED to play with other kittens...?

I was torn over letting it stay there more than 8 weeks and finally said okay 10 weeks... Now I am thinking for SURE 12 weeks but now I am hearing 14 weeks is WAY better and you are saying 16-20 weeks. This is causing me so much anxiety lol. What is the difference PAST the 12th week mark. I get it, you all explained why it is important to keep it with its litter mates and mother for 12 weeks but will I regret not letting it stay with them for 14 weeks or let alone 16-20 weeks?

It will be huge by then compared to a kitten... Once again what if the litter mates are not around anymore cause they've been already picked up by their new owners? Still keep it there?

Good to know I could technically pick it up early and still be fine. I mean I met some cats who were owned by friends or friends of friends and they went through so much crap and lost their mother and were on the street and they're the most loving cats ever while some cats who got the best care and stayed with their mother and litter mates turned into jerks. I feel like you can't really tell and often it is not about how long they stay with the litter mates and mother but the cats genes or whatever (obviously not speaking from experience)

Thank you for covering so much!

To repeat what you've been seeing in this thread;

The short answer is no.


There are very few stupid cats. However, every single day that the kitten is with its mom it is literally learning more about how to be a cat. The more of that up to the point that it would naturally leave the mom cat is irreplaceable, impossible to replicate by other means and extremely necessary.

To further support this;
How Old Should a Kitten Be Before You Take It Home?

Yea I quickly learned that no matter how much any human tries, some things can only be taught by the mother cat and litter mates.

Thanks for the link!

Kittens taken before they get all the behavior lessons from mom have an increased risk of:

• Play aggression or rough playing
• General aggression
• Biting
• Developing anxiety or fearful reactions
• Litter box problems
• Difficulty adjusting to situations
• Kneading/nursing excessively (can advance to pica)

Its basically because Mom teaches them how to act and respond to things in their lives between 8 and 12 weeks (and continues to fine tune if allowed up to 16 weeks). Playing with siblings and Mom teaches them how to interact with others. A human simply can't replicate the same lessons like their Mom and siblings will. Even if you stayed home with your kitten every day from the moment she came home and did everything they said to, you cant make up for those few weeks. My girl I got at 3 months is more cuddly then my boy I got at 5/6 weeks (not my choice or something that could have been avoided). A few extra weeks with her Mom will make a world of difference for your kittens lifelong well being and no difference in your relationship with her.

And rescues don't have the luxury of time to let the kittens stay 12 weeks with their Moms. Those 4 extra weeks that a kitten takes up space in a rescue can mean that another litter doesn't have a spot or several adults don't have space. Kittens can survive and do okay if they leave mom at 8 weeks old, plus they are super cute and fluffy still so they adopt out quickly. It shouldn't be held as best practice, just the one that saves the most lives.

To not be redundant, if you don't mind reading my reply above about the length of time you leave the cat in its litter I will appreciate it, just so I don't have to re-write it and make everyone read the same thing in other words. I was replying to lutece and I think it really speaks to your comment too.

I did not know that about rescues... I told my friends about it, they had no defense for that lol. They were telling me how WELL MY RESCUE/ADOPTION AGENCY GAVE IT AWAY AFTER 9 WEEKS SO IT IS FINE. That made me second guess myself but now it makes sense reading your comment.

Others have answered this, I just wanted to add that the longer the kitten stays with the mother, the readier she is to get them out of her hair, lol. If you take kittens from their mother at 6 weeks, she'll grieve and look for them, because in nature, if they disappeared at that age it would mean that they got lost or were killed. But if you take them when they're 16 weeks, she'll be like "finally, I've been telling them to get their own place!" Like the difference if a human child was removed from their mother at age 8 vs age 18.

Nah, cats don't work like that. As long as the current owner isn't keeping them caged all the time or abusing/neglecting them, and their mother is friendy, it won't make any difference.

Very VERY nicely put in laymen's terms so I could understand haha. Still.. If I wait 12 weeks vs 14 weeks... How much of a difference will I notice? let alone 16 weeks or 20 WEEKS... Will it be that big of a difference? Please say no lol... I could hardly wait 8 weeks, now I am waiting 12 possibly 14 weeks.

The old advice of taking them fairly early, at about 8 weeks, or even 6, has sometimes some merit. But it comes from the time, when it was common they were barn cats. Ie essentially semi-ferales without near connection with friendly humans. Or if you are rescuing from a homeless street cat. - or from an BYB whom has a kitten-mill with many litters in cages, without any real contact with humans.
Yes, in such a case it may be wise to take them early, its much easier to socialize them in full when young than when they are 8+ weeks.

But if its a normal home cat or a serious breeder, with normal lovingly contact with humans, and they ARE socialized to loving humans per definition, its best to take them later on, at 10+ as minimum. So their momma and siblings help to learn them cat life. But as you see, modern breeders tends to sell them at 16-20 weeks.

They will bond with you beautifully anyway, if you are their new Mom or Dad.

Why, even adult cats will bond nicely with you, if you are kind to them and give them a good home. So in a way, adopting an adult cat is often a good stable tip. They do bind anyway, and very often extra much, being grateful for the new chance in life...

Thank you for the extra examples. Still same question... Am I going to regret taking it away after 12 weeks? I can maybe stretch it to 14 weeks but not 16-20 weeks. I hope it is okay and won't make much of a difference...

 

[Kieka]

In my opinion..... Given the situation, leave the kitten there until 12 weeks and then play it by ear. More time with Mom to cement the behavior lessons is good. Kittens really are a lot like toddlers and it takes repeated lessons to learn. But if the other kittens have gone to new homes and Mom is pushing the kitten away then I'd take it home at that time. If Mom is still grooming and spending time with the kitten, I'd wait until the 16 week mark (or whenever Mom is moving on). Some Mom cats are done with their kittens early so once the litter mates are gone there won't be much benefit in staying if Mom is ignoring the kitten.

According to studies, kittens who are taking from mom at 8 weeks have more risk of behavior issues, with 12 weeks having less risk of issues and 14 weeks having even less risk. Basically, the longer you can wait and closer you can get to 16 weeks, the less risk of your kitten developing behavior issues.

 

[lutece]

Wow... When I thought I can't be amazed any more, another scientific explanation. Amazing how much you all understand about cats. So there is still a chance it was bred with a Chartreux genetics wise but logically there wouldn't be a Chartreux anywhere nearby... Maybe it is a British Shorthair like I already said earlier, which is also a cool mix in my opinion.

The father of the litter is almost certainly a blue domestic shorthair without any ancestry from those other breeds. British Shorthairs are very uncommon, too. Nearly all blue cats are simply blue cats.

You should also understand that "American Long Hair" isn't even a breed name. There is no such breed as "American Long Hair." The mother is a domestic longhair. The person selling these kittens is just assigning breed names to the parents based on what they look like.

By buying this kitten, you aren't getting a kitten that is a "cool mix of breeds." You are getting a domestic shorthaired (or possibly longhaired) kitten. That's perfectly fine! Domestic shorthairs and longhairs are perfectly fine cats in their own right. The kittens don't need to have a father or mother of a specific breed in order to be great cats.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

In my opinion..... Given the situation, leave the kitten there until 12 weeks and then play it by ear. More time with Mom to cement the behavior lessons is good. Kittens really are a lot like toddlers and it takes repeated lessons to learn. But if the other kittens have gone to new homes and Mom is pushing the kitten away then I'd take it home at that time. If Mom is still grooming and spending time with the kitten, I'd wait until the 16 week mark (or whenever Mom is moving on). Some Mom cats are done with their kittens early so once the litter mates are gone there won't be much benefit in staying if Mom is ignoring the kitten.

According to studies, kittens who are taking from mom at 8 weeks have more risk of behavior issues, with 12 weeks having less risk of issues and 14 weeks having even less risk. Basically, the longer you can wait and closer you can get to 16 weeks, the less risk of your kitten developing behavior issues.

Very straight forward. I feel like I will have to handcuff myself to a chair or something at the 12th weeks mark to not take it too early. I will wait as long as necessary and hopefully the seller will be okay with it. She is pretty nice about everything. I hope she knows what she is doing as she is not a breeder and I read you have to weigh kittens daily to make sureee they are feeding and keep them in very SPECIFIC temperatures as well as not touch the umbilical cord (hopefully she didn't, but what happens if she forced it off) as well as a bunch of other stuff that breeders would notice and do but she is probably just being a good person making sure they're alive but not more than that.

 

[Mr_Kitty]

The father of the litter is almost certainly a blue domestic shorthair without any ancestry from those other breeds. British Shorthairs are very uncommon, too. Nearly all blue cats are simply blue cats.

You should also understand that "American Long Hair" isn't even a breed name. There is no such breed as "American Long Hair." The mother is a domestic longhair. The person selling these kittens is just assigning breed names to the parents based on what they look like.

By buying this kitten, you aren't getting a kitten that is a "cool mix of breeds." You are getting a domestic shorthaired (or possibly longhaired) kitten. That's perfectly fine! Domestic shorthairs and longhairs are perfectly fine cats in their own right. The kittens don't need to have a father or mother of a specific breed in order to be great cats.

I am starting to believe that this is the case (even though I asked to see the neighbor's cat last night and she said it might be possible during the day) I told her I never saw a Chartreux and want to see the father.

I was a little disappointed at first when I read that it might be a "regular" cat but very quickly felt that I don't mind that as long as the kitten will come to me healthy, happy and fully developed with good temperament and we bond well.

A Blue/Grey domestic cat is a beautiful cat. Just like the Ginger ones are also regular cats from what I understand but they're still really cool. I guess I am just being OCD about the breed part and it isn't like I paid for a special breed so if it is anything else, it'll be a bonus and I am fine with a regular one as long as everything is good with it!

 

[Willowy]

I read you have to weigh kittens daily to make sureee they are feeding and keep them in very SPECIFIC temperatures as well as not touch the umbilical cord (hopefully she didn't, but what happens if she forced it off) as well as a bunch of other stuff

That's all optimal but. . .cats have been born in barns for thousands of years and somehow they manage, lol. They aren't that delicate. So, really, as long as she's a reasonable caring pet owner I think everything will be ok .

 

[lutece]

I was a little disappointed at first when I read that it might be a "regular" cat but very quickly felt that I don't mind that as long as the kitten will come to me healthy, happy and fully developed with good temperament and we bond well.

It will be a beautiful blue cat and you will love it, I am sure. There is nothing wrong with being a "regular" cat.

I'm sorry about your disappointment. It's unfortunate when sellers misrepresent their kittens as mixes of specific breeds, when they are not. I understand that this lady wants to find homes for her kittens, and she is probably simply misinformed about the breeds of the parents. However, I do really hope that she (and her neighbor) won't be tempted in the future to keep breeding their cats, now that they see that people like you are so interested in buying them when advertised this way.

 

[Furballsmom]

However, I do really hope that she (and her neighbor) won't be tempted in the future to keep breeding their cats, now that they see that people like you are so interested in buying them when advertised this way.

I so agree.

 

[cataholic07]

It is extremely common for people on kijiji to list kittens as such and such mix. Brown tabbies are often labeled bengal mixes. Greys are listed as either charteux or russian blue mixes. Longhairs? oh yes they must be maine coones or mc mixes. Colorpoints? Yep ragdoll or siamese mixes. It's extremely common as a ton of people are under the misconception that cats have to have some breed in them like dogs do, but 95% of all cats actually don't.

Unfortunately even with purebreds you can't guarantee personality, and with kittens especially you never know what you are going to get in terms of personality. Waiting until 12 weeks old is important but it would depend on if the owner is ok with that and the kitten will require vaccines and deworming, generally at that point they have 2 once 12 weeks. If you could get two kittens I would, it's more expensive yes but it can really help with personality problems like aggression and separation anxiety.

 

[StefanZ]

If you and the breeder are OK with 12 weeks, take him at that time. First, 12 weeks was a long time standard for serious breeders. so its surely OK. (and some associations allowed 10 weeks)
Second, why breeders nowadays tend to let them go at 16, is not only the development, but also practical issues.

A serious breeder have them vaccinated, vet checked - at least immediately before selling, usually dewormed a couple of times, - and spayed / neutered (In USA, in Europe its usually done later by the permanent owner).. And they must heal inbetween, and have some pleasant time too... And as said, everything must be healed before the last vet check up a day before they are send to the new home. So it puts quite a some pressure on a serious breeder - and the kitten and its mom, if they are to be send away at 12 weeks.
but if 16 weeks, its much easier for everyone.

 

[lutece]

12 weeks was a long time standard for serious breeders. so its surely OK. (and some associations allowed 10 weeks)

12 weeks is "OK" and won't cause problems for most kittens. Because kittens are so resilient and adaptable, most kittens are okay when they are taken from their mothers even earlier than that... even though it's not best for them. In this case, since the person wanted to let them go at 8 weeks, 12 weeks is probably a reasonable compromise.

But just because breeders used to do it that way doesn't mean it's "surely OK" or the best practice to follow. We now have evidence that it's preferable to wait longer than 12 weeks. Vaccination schedules have also changed over time, based on research findings. We used to do the last kitten vaccination at 12 weeks, but now we know that it's important to do the last vaccination in the kitten series at 16 weeks or even later, since maternal immunity is highly variable in when it drops off. Spay/neuter practices have changed based on research, too. Many vets used to wait until 6-9 months to spay a female, and now we know that spaying earlier is not only safe, but also reduces the risk of mammary cancer (as well as unwanted pregnancies).

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Leaving everything else aside, I wanted to say what a pleasure it is to have someone as caring as you are with us here on TCS. You're going to make a wonderful cat parent, and we'll be with you ever step of the way! Even before getting him/her, you have your kitten's best interest first and foremost, as it should be!