I am a dedicated breeder of the amazing NFC and am registered with the GCCF as a Member of their Responsible Breeder Scheme. The Norwegian Forest cat is special in that it is an "Original" breed ie, not engineered by man to look the way it does. It's look and stature has developed over hundreds of years due the the environment that it lives in. There are only a handful of breeds left in the world that can lay claim to being original. My cats and kittens live in the home with me although my son says it's the other way around - they've taken over and I live with them! My kittens are all fully socialised, the receiving of kisses and cuddles on a daily basis is mandatory - whether they want them or not! I raise my kittens on tuna, sardines, white fish, chicken and quality wet/dry commercial foods to ensure that they get the best start possible. I usually begin weening them at 3.5 / 4 weeks of age as I find by this time Mother's milk is not enough. They are meant to be big muscular cats therefore they need a lot of protein and simply trying to let them survive on Mother's milk alone is not practical nor is it ethical. It also allows the Mother to begin to regain her own strength and condition, especially if she has had a medium/large litter. The kittens continue to have access at any time to their Mother's milk as and when they want it. When my kittens leave me they are fully loaded with wet/dry kitten food that they are currently eating, small amount of litter that they are used to, scent blanket with family scents on it, toys, GCCF registration and anything else I can think of including at the time. Please contact me for further information I am easy to chat to! Best wishes in your hunt for your forever hairy child :-)