Furbabies
Cat Care Site
Kitten Development
1 Day
The queen (mother cat) will need to rest for 12 to 24 hours after labour (labor). Under normal circumstances the kittens should stay with their mother. The kittens should have a strong suckle reflex. They should begin opening and closing their mouth and moving their heads in search of milk shortly after birth.
Newborn kittens are completely helpless. They are born blind and deaf. The mother will clean and feed the kittens and eat their excretement until they start using the litter box.
A healthy kitten should weigh 110 to 125 grams (3 to 4 oz) at birth. Steady weight gain is a good indicator that a kitten is doing well. Weigh each kitten daily for the first week. Then weekly until one month old. Young kittens should gain 7 to 10 grams per day.
2 Days
The queen should have recovered and be eating and drinking normally. The queen should be happy to rear the kittens.
The kitten responds to the touch, warmth and purring vibrations of the mother cat.
8 Days
The kitten weighs between 110 and 250 grams (4 and 9 oz), depending on the breed and size of its parents.
The kittens eyes begin to open. They should be fully open between 12 to 14 days of age. The kitten will have limited vision until 21 to 28 days. If the eyes are slightly gummy when they first open, gently wipe them. All kittens are born with blue eyes, they will change to their permanent colour between 9 and 12 weeks of age.
The kittens ears will open 1 to 2 days after the eyes open.
Handle the kittens daily to get them used to people and also check them for illness.
16 Days
The kitten weighs between 180 and 340 grams (6 and 12 oz) and will start crawling within the next few days.
21 Days (3 Weeks)
The kitten weighs between 215 and 420 grams (8 and 15 oz).
The kitten can start to eat solid food.
Toilet training should start. Put the litter tray in a convenient, quiet, easily reached spot. Put the kitten into it as soon as it looks like it might be thinking about urinating or defaecating (defecating). Make sure the litter tray is big enough for several kittens to fit in at one time.
The kittens ears should have changed from being folded over to sticking up on the kittens head.
The kittens vision (sight) should become normal between 21 to 28 days.
The kitten can stand up.
4 Weeks (One Month)
The kitten weighs between 250 and 500 grams (9 to 18 oz).
The kitten is making great strides.
The kitten begins to run and play games between 4 and 5 weeks old. Toys should be provided (cat toys, cotton reels, ping pong balls).
The kitten first washes itself.
If the kittens aren't eating by themselves, try smearing food on your fingers and letting them lick it off. Gradually move your fingers towards their plate of food.
5 Weeks
The kitten weighs between 290 and 620 grams (10 and 22 oz).
Pedigree kittens should now be registered with the breed authorities or cat registries.
Finely chopped tinned kitten food should be substituted for one of the four milk feeds. Place it in a shallow tray or saucer and give the kittens as much as they will eat once a day.
6 Weeks
The kitten weighs between 315 and 700 grams (11 and 25 oz).
The kitten makes its first attempts at hunting practice between 6 to 8 weeks.
It is best if the kitten stays with its mother until fully weaned at 8 weeks old.
Increase the amount of solid food in the diet by replacing two more of the milk feeds with balanced tinned kitten food.
8 Weeks (Two Months)
The kitten weighs between 400 to 900 grams (14 and 31 oz).
The kitten should now be fully weaned. Feed two or three solid meals a day. Milk or water should be available all the time, but change it at least twice a day.
The kitten has all its milk teeth (baby teeth).
Non-pedigree (moggy) kittens can go to their new homes from now on.
9 Weeks
The kitten receives its first vaccination against feline influenza and feline infectious enteritis. This is followed by a second shot 3 to 4 weeks later. Kittens are not fully protected by the vaccine until 10 days after the second vaccination. Keep them inside during this time.
The kitten's eye colour changes to its permanent shade between 9 and 12 weeks of age.
12 Weeks (Three Months)
The permanent teeth begin to push through in the next 6 weeks.
The kitten receives its second influenza and enteritis vaccination.
Pedigree kittens are now ready to go to their new homes.
References
Carlson DG & Giffin JM, Cat Owners Home Veterinary Handbook, New York: Howell Book House, 1995
McMichael M & Dhupa N, "Pediatric Critical Care Medicine: Physiologic Considerations" The Compendium, Vol 22, No 3, March 2000
Page S, The Complete Cat Owners Manual, Australia: Readers Digest, 1997
Taylor D, The Ultimate Cat Book, Great Britain: Dorling Kindersley, 1989
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