Hello everyone!

I'm quite new to PF but have been on here a couple of weeks now. Next month we will be bringing home our two Siberian kittens, Dinah and Monty, at 13 weeks old. In the mean time we are visiting them at their breeder's house. We saw them at 5/6 weeks and yesterday visited them at 8 weeks. They have grown a lot and we managed to take some photos which I thought I'd share with you!


This is Monty at 8 weeks old. He is a red/silver Siberian and very playful and cute.


This is Dinah at 8 weeks old. She is a silver/dark tabby Siberian and quite playful but a bit calmer than her brother.


Here are our babies together.

We love them already and just can't wait to bring them home next month!

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Bonnie and the gang xxx

Aw, they are gorgeous!! Congrats!

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"For all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams it is still a beautiful world"

So adorable, you lucky thing to be having the two of them Hope the time flies until they're ready to leave their mum

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How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

The kittens have already left their mum (they left her at 6 weeks I think) and are now awaiting their vaccinations and becoming properly house-trained. Thanks for the lovely comments - we are so happy and excited about bringing them home!

I know some breeders take the kittens away from mum as they get older but I do think that's a shame as they still need their milk, even when weaning, and they learn so much from their mum about litter training and social behaviour too. Do your babies have no interaction with their mum at all or were they separated because of her health?

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How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

I don't really understand the technicalities of it, but a lot of non-pedigree kittens go to their new homes at 8 weeks, whereas ours stay with the breeder until 13 weeks to make them a bit more "ready". As for separation from mum, I assumed it was the norm to separate after weaning, and am not sure if they have contact with her or not. I suppose it might be something to do with them going to separate homes - i.e. attachment issues - not sure... maybe someone else knows why it's done?

As a breeder myself, my kittens remain with mum until the day they leave at 13 weeks. If leaving is staggered over a few days there is rarely any separation issue and my babies have always been confident in their new homes, settling very quickly. I think at 13 weeks this is far more the norm than 8 week old kittens which take longer to settle because they still need their mums.
I have only visited one breeder who separated her kittens from about 6 or 7 weeks and I did not buy a kitten from them as I did not like the situation. I do know however that there are other breeders who do this as a norm.
I haven't some across any on here but if there are it would be interesting to hear their reasons.
I'm not trying to put you off getting your very adorable kittens by the way - just interested myself as to why some breeders chose this way of rearing them

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How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

I will ask the breeder next time I see her. I'm not sure when they were separated... could've been at 6, 7 or 8 weeks but the kittens are 8 weeks old today and were not with mum yesterday. It won't put us off our babies as we have already fallen in love with them and have paid the deposit but I had no idea this wasn't the norm. Our breeder is registered with the Siberian Cat Club and came to me recommended by other breeders of Siberians and the guy who runs the club so I am quite surprised to hear that one of her practices is frowned upon. Feeling a little disappointed and disheartened about that to be honest.

Oh please don't be disheartened I didn't mean to worry you at all Your kittens look absolute darlings and I'm sure they will be so happy with you
I will start a new thread and see if I can find out how widespread the practice is. I do know a Siberian breeder and I will ask her opinion too.

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How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

its a shame there not with mum. they learn so much from her like litter training, and to stop biting etc! and alot of kittens are still sucking almost until there ready to leave mum at 13 weeks. some kittens dont even start to be weaned until 6/7 weeks!

but whats done is done now! maybe you could ask her the reason? it might simply be the mum cat might have rejected them or had mastisis or something!