As Ocimom. Says it is between 12-16 weeks.
This is much healthier for a kitten's physical, mental and social development than selling them off under 10 wks or even under 8. (Actually in some states it is illegal to transfer a kitten under 8 weeks)
Here is a good article that goes into the reasons it is not a good idea to sell them too young.
http ://www.breedlist.com/faq/young.html (And the same things that are true for pedigreed kittens are true for non-pedigreed kittens, who equally deserve the best chance at their start in life. So these things would also apply to someone giving away kittens from their moggy cat's "oops" litter.)
If you're looking for a kitten from a reputable breeder this same site (Fanciers Breeder Referral List) has listings of breeders and another article that can help you assess them, called "13 Questions to Ask a Breeder". It doesn't just list the questions, it goes into a LOT of detail about what the answers might/should be, and the reasoning behind it.
Well, I got my kitten from a good pet shop for ￡ 100, and he was 6 weeks old. He was fine and still is to this day. We never got to see his mother. They told us (the owner of the shop) that an old woman had a female cat who had my kitten and his siblings. When the female went out, the old woman found her dead outside by some bins. Apparently she had been injected by some thugs. Therefore the woman gave my cat and his siblings to the shop.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com I don't know if thats true, or if they made that up to encourage us to pay ￡ 100. Now, it seems slightly unlikely. The staff were a miserable bunch too.
Anyway about 8 weeks is the average age for kittens and puppies to be taken home. Make sure you see the mother and the enviroment they are being kept in. Don't just buy one without visiting.
MegzieB:)
8-10 weeks. They should be wormed and have first shots, and be litter trained. The rest is then up to you; to complete their shots and tests and have them spayed/neutered.
A kitten should never leave it's mother younger than 8 weeks of age and sometimes older. A certificate from a vet for vaccinations and spaying or neutering.
Not until the kits are 3-4 months old and neutered/spayed with all shots, worming and FELV tested. If the breeder doesn't do all this, find another breeder as that person is not being responsible.
