Every responsible owner approaches the health of his furry pet with particular seriousness. Understanding that this factor is largely determined by several factors, the owner tries to create the most suitable conditions so that the development of kittens corresponds to all normal indicators. These include proper nutrition, the home conditions in which the animal lives, the presence of other pets in the house, and so on.
Why monitor the development of newborn kittens?
It is very important to monitor how newborn kittens develop and know how best to care for babies at different stages of their growth. This will help get rid of many problems associated with animal health.
During the first three weeks of kittens' lives, mother cats themselves feed and care for them. However, control over the full and timely development of small pets is the responsibility of the owner. To do this, you need to regularly weigh the kittens, and also know when they open their eyes, when their first teeth are cut, when they begin to hear, walk and eat solid food.
Mother cat takes care of newborn kittens herself
Kittens at three and four weeks of age
By the beginning of the third week, small fluffy balls usually begin to emit the first purr, the picture of the visual field of any kitten becomes definite: visually they will already be able to find their mother. After a week, the development of the organs of hearing and smell ends, and the ears take shape. In addition, kittens at the age of 3-4 weeks take their first hesitant steps and pay attention to their sisters and brothers. At the same time, their baby teeth appear, the incisors emerge first, followed by the canines, premolars and molars.
At 4 weeks, you don’t have to worry about the fact that it’s too early to introduce your young pet to the toilet. It is advisable to take care of the baby and, just in case, purchase a litter tray designed for kittens. They often perceive it either as food or as a toy. Ordinary contents of the litter tray may be harmful to the animal if swallowed (for example, silica gel).
Stages of kitten development by month
The stages of growth and maturation of a kitten, from the moment of birth to one year, are associated with certain patterns. All kittens go through the same stages of development over the course of days and months.
First week
Kittens are born with their eyes closed and hear almost nothing. They are covered with light fluff; the most important thing for them during this period is warmth and milk.
In the first weeks, kittens' immune systems are largely supported by mother's milk. It provides their body with the proteins necessary for development. The weight of newborn kittens rarely exceeds 100 grams; within a week they gain weight from 10 to 30 grams per day.
Most of the day, approximately 90% of the time, kittens sleep. They move only to crawl to the cat for milk and warmth. If they are cold or want to eat, they call the cat with a loud squeak.
Kittens are born with primary reflexes
Observing the development of small kittens day by day, it can be noted that on days 5-8 kittens develop hearing. Since kittens are just learning to respond to sound, the room where they are should be relatively quiet.
After the 5th day of life, the umbilical cord dries out in kittens. The cat should constantly lick the cubs, giving a tummy massage, which helps stimulate the intestines.
There should be no drafts in the room where the cat and newborn kittens are located. If it is very cold, you can put a heating pad in the bed. Young kittens are very vulnerable to disease and infection.
Second and third weeks
On days 7-10, the eyes open. The process can take 2-3 days - at first there are narrow slits through which only the outlines of objects can be distinguished. The eyes are cloudy, blue and covered with a film. The eyes open completely by the 14th day.
Kittens' eyes open at 7-10 days
The speed of eye opening depends on several factors:
- by breed;
- from gestation period;
- on the health status of the mother and kittens.
In most cases, short-haired breeds develop faster than long-haired ones, and Oriental cats develop much faster than other cat breeds. For example, sphinxes (Canadian, Don) are often born with their eyes already slightly open, and on the 2-3rd day the eyes open completely. Siamese, Thai and Cornish Rex cats become sighted on days 3-6, Siberian and Persian cats on days 5-9, and British cats on days 6-10.
Another indicator is the gestation period of the kittens. If kittens are born at 68-71 days, then perhaps they will be born with their eyes already open, or will open them in a much shorter time.
If the kittens are healthy, eat well, and the cat devotes enough time to them, then the eyes, as a rule, open in a timely manner. A delay may indicate that the mother cat has some kind of virus, or that the kitten has developmental disorders. If more than 10 days have passed and the eyes are still closed and there is some discharge from under the eyelids, you need to consult a veterinarian.
In 2-week-old kittens, the fur grows and becomes thicker, and the undercoat begins to grow. At this age, kittens' susceptibility to temperature changes decreases, however, they are still vulnerable. The kittens' weight doubles. They hear much better, but still have difficulty identifying the source of sound.
A kitten at the age of 3 weeks continues to actively gain weight; its vision is not yet so sharp, so when it crawls, it can bump into objects. In the third week, the kittens make their first attempts to get out of the bed. During this period, baby teeth begin to emerge.
Three-week-old kittens begin to move actively
Kitten at 1 month
At 4 weeks of age, kittens begin to interact more and lick each other's fur. They begin to actively run, play, and adopt the skills of their mother. At this time, you can place a tray next to the bed on which the kittens sleep so that they begin to get used to it.
By the age of one month, the kitten has 26 milk teeth and sometimes bites the cat's nipple, causing pain. If maternal feeding stops by the age of one month, it is advisable to purchase a cat's milk substitute, since the kitten's body is not yet fully formed. At this stage, complementary foods and clean water are also introduced into the diet.
The bones of one-month-old kittens become stronger, they can already be picked up, stroked and played with more often so that they begin to get used to the person and his smell. This is also a good time to prevent worms.
By the age of one and a half months, the kitten already knows how to wash itself, hunt, go to the litter box, and eat solid food. At this time, you can purchase a scratching post, as the kitten begins to produce sharp claws.
Development of a kitten from birth to 1.5 months
Kitten at 2 months
Upon reaching the age of 2 months, kittens usually stop receiving mother's milk and switch to self-feeding.
At 2 months, kittens’ vision is fully formed, hearing and sense of smell are well developed. The kittens' eyes cease to be cloudy and acquire their natural shade. However, there are specific breeds in which the eye color does not change, for example, Siamese, Thai, Polynesian and British breeds.
The fur changes color intensity, the pattern appears, the lines become clear. This happens slowly and gradually, and therefore is not immediately noticed by others.
During this period, the kitten should be shown to a veterinarian for the first time, who will record the level of development and health status of the animal. At the age of 2.5 months, the kitten must receive its first vaccinations against viral diseases. The second vaccination is given after 3-4 weeks.
Two months you need to take the kitten to the veterinarian for examination and vaccination
Kitten at 3 months
In the third month of life, all processes begin to slow down a little, and the kitten’s character begins to emerge. He becomes completely independent and responds to his nickname.
A three-month-old kitten has a well-developed musculoskeletal system; he already knows where the bowl is and where the tray is. At this age, the kitten becomes faster and bolder. He is actively exploring his home, so it is necessary to ensure his complete safety. You should protect the kitten from chemicals, detergents, medications, poisonous plants, remove small objects - needles, pins, push pins, close electrical outlets.
A booster vaccination can be given at 12 weeks of age. At this time, it is also necessary to carry out repeated deworming, provided that it was first carried out at the age of 4-6 weeks.
By 3.5 months, the kitten’s character has already been formed, it sees and hears excellently, eats natural or industrial ready-made food, and goes to the litter tray. You can already visually distinguish a cat from a cat.
If you plan to give away or sell a kitten, then the age of 3-3.5 months is an ideal option for changing the owner.
You need to play with a small kitten every day
Kitten at 4 months
At 4 months, a kitten is already considered a teenager. During this period, his claws are trimmed for the first time and he is taught all hygiene procedures. To maintain proper development, you need to spend as much time as possible playing with the kitten; it is recommended to pick it up more often, show care and groom it daily so that the kitten feels comfortable when communicating with a person.
Milk teeth in kittens begin to change to molars; this happens gradually and often unnoticed by the owner. Kittens swallow most of their baby teeth with food.
At 4 months, a kitten needs to have its nails trimmed for the first time.
Kitten at 5 months
At 5 months, the kitten’s appearance gradually changes, its body increases in size, its muzzle and tail lengthen, its legs stretch. He already looks more like an adult cat, he is less interested in toys, he sleeps more and strives to communicate with people.
Sixth month of life
At the age of 6 months, the kitten reaches its adult size. Most kittens begin puberty during this period. The timing of puberty can shift from 4-5 months to 11-12 months of age. Puberty is affected by:
- Breed. Siamese, Thai, Burmese, and Oriental varieties ripen earlier.
- Season. In cats that reach 4-6 years of age in the spring and summer, puberty occurs earlier than in cats of the same age in the winter months.
- Maintenance and nutrition. Comfortable conditions and regular nutritious food help the pet mature faster.
- Habitat. Cats living with other adults of both sexes mature earlier than cats living in a city apartment.
At approximately 6 months, kittens begin puberty.
When a kitten reaches puberty, hormones change its behavior. The cats behave restlessly and rush around the apartment. Cats may become more aggressive. For this reason, it is important to consider spaying and neutering cats.
If offspring are undesirable, then girls should be sterilized at 6-8 months, boys should be castrated at the age of six months to a year. After the operation, the kitten’s body produces fewer sex hormones, and the animal loses the ability to reproduce.
If you decide to get offspring, then you should remember that physical and puberty are not the same thing. Regardless of the timing of puberty, the kitten’s physical maturity occurs no later than 10-12 months of age. It is during this period that you need to plan your first mating.
Kittens at 7-8 months
At 7 months, in autumn-winter, kittens begin their first molt. Because kittens lick themselves frequently during shedding, a large amount of hair accumulates in their stomach. To prevent this process, it is enough to regularly comb the coat with a soft brush.
Brush your kitten's fur regularly
From the age of 8 months, kittens practically do not gain weight, their growth does not noticeably increase. They have established habits. The characteristics of temperament are clearly visible.
Development from 9 months to 1 year
At 9 months, the kitten is fully formed, its development is almost complete, and it continues to grow into an adult, increasing in size and gaining weight. By this time, the regime has stabilized, the pet finds time to sleep and play.
At 10 months, a kitten is considered sexually mature. But mating before a year should not be carried out. The size of the cat at this time is already significantly larger than the size of the cat; these differences can be more than 1 kg.
At 11 months, most kittens stop growing. At 12 months, the kitten already looks like an adult animal. By this time, it is necessary to complete all vaccinations during the first year of life, castrate or sterilize, and switch to food for adult animals.
First week of life
Newborn kittens sleep and eat all the time.
Kittens are born blind, deaf, but with an already developed sense of smell - the baby is able to smell his mother at a distance of up to half a meter. Weight at birth is no more than 100 grams, length up to 10 cm. The wool is thin, thermoregulation is poorly developed, so they vitally need the presence of their mother, who will warm them. The skeleton is fragile and kittens require careful handling; it is better not to squeeze them or pick them up at all.
Newborn babies sleep and eat almost all the time—full sleep will help the proper formation of the nervous system. They don’t know how to walk independently when they need to; their mother cat helps them by licking their genitals.
By the age of three days, the umbilical cord falls off, and on the fifth day the kitten begins to hear sounds. The tiny kitten cannot stand on its legs, but is quite capable of crawling short distances in search of its mother's nipple.
How to feed a kitten from birth to one year
Feeding kittens plays an important role in their development, their health depends on it. In the first 3 days after birth, kittens feed on maternal colostrum, then until about 2-2.5 months - cat's milk.
If for some reason the kitten is left without a mother, you should purchase a cat's milk substitute for it at a veterinary pharmacy. The kitten should be fed from a pipette, a syringe without a needle, or use a special bottle with a nipple. For the first four days, the kitten should receive food every two hours around the clock, then up to four weeks - every 4-6 hours. Prepare the mixture according to the manufacturer's instructions on the packaging.
Complementary feeding should be introduced to a kitten at the age of 1 month. You need to give special food for kittens, preferably premium or higher. Can be fed with natural food.
At two months, it’s worth deciding what the kittens’ diet will be like in the future. You can feed kittens natural food or industrial ready-made food, the main thing is that the food is of high quality, rich in protein and vitamins.
Dry food should be selected according to the age and breed of the kitten
The diet at three months should be fully formed and established. Dry or wet food should be specific to kittens and meet all their nutritional needs.
From 1 to 3 months, the diet of a kitten fed natural food should include: lean meat (beef, chicken, turkey, rabbit), offal (chicken liver and heart), cereals, vegetables, dairy products. The most harmful foods are fatty pork, salted, fried, smoked foods, sausage, chocolate, and baked goods. You should feed 5-6 times a day.
From 4-5 months you can gradually reduce the number of feedings. From 5 to 9 months it is 4 times a day, from 9 to 12 months - 3 times a day. Feeding kittens from 1 year of age becomes twice a day. Kittens' nutrition should be balanced and contain all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Industrial food is selected according to the age of the kitten.
From 9 months you can switch to dry and wet food for adult cats.
Formation of the correct diet and choice of food taking into account the needs of the kitten is the key to the normal development of the pet, thanks to which it can become a healthy adult animal. If you are not sure that your cat is eating properly, you should seek advice from your veterinarian.
Fifth week of life
At this age, babies are often separated from their mother, although it would be worth waiting another couple of weeks for the baby to learn good manners. The kitten is gradually transferred to special food or natural solid food. Breastfeeding is reduced to a minimum, and the mother cat no longer rushes to her babies at the first call of hunger, but prefers to feed them only at night.
Babies still sleep a lot, but physical activity is increasing: small pets play with pleasure and run around the rooms, which forces household members to be careful. You should always watch your step so as not to accidentally crush the tomboy.
The color of the eyes also changes, from dull blue they acquire their natural shade, a complete change of color will occur by the age of one year.
The coat also transforms: the undercoat grows, the pattern appears, the lines become clear.
What should the owners be wary of?
Newborn kittens are very vulnerable, so owners should closely monitor their development. Kittens may die suddenly or decline gradually over several days. Unfortunately, the clinical signs of many diseases affecting newborn kittens are very similar and vague. It is worth paying attention to the behavior of kittens and cats to identify sick babies.
Monitor the behavior of cats and kittens to avoid pet health problems
The kitten’s body is not able to maintain body temperature, which makes it dependent on the cat and the temperature in the room. Healthy kittens tend to huddle together and sleep between feedings, while sick kittens often lie separately, are more restless, often squeak and suck milk poorly. Due to the fact that the kitten sleeps separately from its nursing mother and other kittens, it may experience hypothermia.
Newborn kittens need a lot of energy, but they have no reserves to save it, because they are completely dependent on their mother's milk. Sick kittens may not consume the required amount of milk, leading to low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). This can manifest itself in weakness, squeaking, difficulty breathing, decreased body temperature, and convulsions. If there is a lack of milk or increased loss of moisture due to overheating or diarrhea, dehydration may also occur.
Any weight loss, or lack of weight gain, should be cause for concern. To monitor, kittens should be weighed immediately after birth and weighed daily during the first week and twice a week from the second week of life. Normal indicators must meet the following parameters:
- In the first day, the kitten can lose no more than 10% of its weight;
- From the second day, the kitten should gain 10-15 grams per day;
- After 1-2 weeks, the kitten's weight should double.
It is important to monitor the weight and development of newborn kittens; in the first weeks of life, it will become clear whether there are any deviations. If a cat does not produce enough milk, the kittens need additional nutrition.
The health and proper development of kittens largely depends on the person.
Ages from four to seven months
By this time, growth slows down, weight and size depend on the breed. The baby is alert and active, as at an earlier age, but its habits are more reminiscent of an adult, sedate animal. The four-month-old kitten is still just as cute and cuddly, but no longer resembles the harmless little fluffy ball it used to be.
In case of danger, he knows how to stand up for himself. The replacement of baby teeth with permanent ones begins.
Five to six months is adolescence. From a cute round creature, the baby turns into a lanky, awkward, poorly formed creature: he is no longer a child, but he grows and grows into an adult cat.
At seven months, most individuals enter the stage of sexual maturity: males begin to mark their territory, females may appear in their first heat (although this is not necessary, much depends on the breed and individual characteristics of the body).
Tips for keeping your kitten healthy
Veterinarians recommend the following ways to maintain the health of a kitten:
- Study the movements and reactions of the kitten to immediately understand if he suddenly gets sick and immediately contact a veterinarian;
- Provide your kitten with proper nutrition by choosing a balanced diet appropriate for the animal’s age;
- Kittens need to sleep a lot, so provide your pet with a quiet and comfortable place to rest;
- Never wake a sleeping kitten;
- Take time to play with the kitten, as it needs communication and physical activity;
- Always stick to your vaccination schedule.
The first months of a kitten’s life are a time of intensive growth and development. By taking care of your pet's health at this stage, you can lay the foundation for a healthy kitten life in the future.
Sixth to eighth week
By the age of one and a half months, a kitten, like a real adult animal, knows how to wash itself, hunt, go to the litter box, if accustomed to this, and eat solid food.
It is still too early to separate the baby from his mother, who will teach him all the intricacies of a cat's life.
The little pet has already learned to let out its sharp claws, so it’s time to think about a scratching post.
The eyes are clear, vision is sharp, movements are coordinated and precise, but childish clumsiness is still visible.
You need to feed the kitten five times a day, the food should be as varied as possible. At the same age, the kitten is taken to the veterinarian so that he can examine the baby and draw up a vaccination schedule.
