Do you want to see pictures of my kitten? He's at
I'm sure he's the handsomest one there, and when I went to visit them all last week, he was the liveliest and the naughtiest.
I can't bring him home for seven more weeks, but I'm always looking at the website to see how he's doing.
Oh he's so lovely, Mel. What an adorable little chap. Something about a kitten - they always make one smile. Thanks for letting us have a peek at him. . In message , Melanie Rimmer writes
Melanie, he's adorable! I love those big fluffy ears! Do you mind a person with no cat experience asking why you have to wait until he's 13 weeks old before you can take him home?
He's a pedigree Maine Coon from a highly reputable breeder. When I visited, I got to meet Supreme Grand Champion Ohyo Murphy of Noah's Ark, who won the cat equivalent of Crufts. To-date he is the ONLY maine coon adult to achieve this accolade. And I can easily believe it - he has a regal bearing, but also the common touch (he let me scratch him under his chin).
The breeder says the kittens can't be separated from their mother until
13 weeks, and who am I to argue?I had to wait that time for my first two (the third was already 6 months, and the adopted two were four-year-old twins). There is something different in the development of cats (from dogs) which means that dogs are best if they go at eight weeks and cats at 13 weeks. It is the norm for all the cat breeders I've ever spoken to or read about - over here anyway. My first little girl I met when she was five weeks old. Two months is a long time when you have felt those tiny feet climbing up you! . In message , Melanie Rimmer writes
Ahhh!
I had to wait for my Burmese until they had had their injections at 12 weeks, and Kiwi and Mia were that age too. Apart from the health angle they have had that little bit longer to learn about the world and don't have to stand on their own feet when they still need Mum. Its a lot to cope with when you are very very small.
Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~ (uk)
Thanks for the explanation. I know puppies should wait until they're at least eight weeks old, but I didn't realize that kittens had to be even older. :)
Thanks, Sally! I guess puppies get their injections a bit earlier -- or at least the first ones. That would explain the difference. :)
Thanks, Pat! I had no idea that kittens developed so much later. I can imagine that it's torture waiting that long; I know waiting eight weeks for a puppy is very hard!
Oh my God he's ADORABLE!!!
*suffering from kitten fever now...*OMG what faces. I want them ALL!!!!!!
What beautiful babies. That little guy is going to steal you heart. Polly
OK...I'm not much of a cat person. But he is a cutie!!!! What a face!
He is adorable!!! Waiting til he is 13 weeks is going to be hard!! Enjoy the little guy when you finally get him home.
Omigosh, he is soooo cute, Melanie! Look at those big fuzzy ears! Why the long wait before you can bring him home?
Okay, you already answered the question I just posted. Probably good to keep him with his mama for awhile longer. Sometimes I think 6-8 weeks is a little young, although that's when I got mine (not a Maine Coon). However, he was an orphan. A different situation.
Only 6 weeks to go now. My eldest son wrote a "Cat-down" (10-yo's attempt at a pun on countdown) on our family calendar. I've got a photo of Tictac as the wallpaper on my laptop. I was just thinking in bed last night about how we're going to introduce him to the house. I certainly don't want to dump him on the sitting room floor and let three kids fight over who gets to prod him first. It'll frighten the poor little guy to death.
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