The mother usually bites the cord until it breaks. The remaining “stump” will be a small piece of tissue hanging off the kitten’s belly. Cats’ umbilical cord stumps usually fall off in the first 3 days of life. If your kitten still has a cord stump, it is likely only days old.
Kittens do not open their eyes until they reach about ten to 14 days in age, but some do open their eyes as early as 7 to 10 days. If your kitten has closed eyes, they are likely a newborn. If your kitten has already opened its eyes, they are at least a full week old. If your kitten’s eyes are just starting to open but still appear squinty, they may be in their second or third week of life. When kittens begin opening their eyes, the eyes are bright blue in color, regardless of what color their eyes turn later as they grow up. If you have an older kitten and you notice her eyes beginning to change color, she is likely around 6-7 weeks old. At this time, the irises will begin to transition to their permanent, mature color. Note that if the kitten is growing into a mature, blue-eyed cat, you may not be able to observe any color change to help you determine its age.
If your kitten’s the ears are stuck close to her head, they are probably less than one week old. Baby kittens are born with their ear canals closed, which results in ears that appear flattened back against the head. A kitten’s ears will begin to open up at between 5 and 8 days in age. Watch for the kitten’s ears to pop up. The kitten’s ears will take longer to open than its eyes. Though the closed ear canals begin to open at between 5 and 8 days, it takes longer for the ears to pop up visibly. The ears will pop up sometime between the second and third week of your kitten’s life.
The first deciduous (baby) teeth should push through the gums around 2 or 3 weeks of age. The first teeth to pop through will likely be the incisors. If you don’t see the teeth visually, you may be able to feel them by gently feeling the kitten’s gums. The deciduous canines begin growing at 3-4 weeks of age. These are the long and pointed teeth that grow next to the deciduous incisors. The deciduous premolars begin breaking through the gums at around 4-6 weeks. The premolars are the teeth that grow between the canine and molar teeth. If all of a kitten’s baby teeth are present but she does not yet have molars, they should be around four months of age. [3] X Research source [4] X Research source They should have: 6 incisors in the top jaw and 6 in the bottom jaw 2 canines on the top jaw and 2 in the bottom jaw (one on either side of the last incisor) 3 premolars on the top jaw 2 premolars on the bottom jaw.
The adult incisor teeth are the first to come in, around 4 months. Between 4 and 6 months, the baby canines, premolars and molars are replaced by adult teeth. If your kitten has all their adult teeth and all four molars, she is likely at least 7 months old. Be aware that these guidelines are based on normal, healthy kittens; medical issues or accidents can cause teeth to be missing or come in late.
A cat’s nutrition and nourishment can also impact how much it weighs. [6] X Expert Source Natalie Punt, DVMVeterinarian Expert Interview. 14 September 2021. The average healthy kitten weighs about 3. 5 oz at birth, and gains about a quarter ounce per day. [7] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source So, a normal kitten will weighing from 3. 5 to 5. 25 oz is in its first week of life. (Note that a kitten weighing less than 3. 5 oz may be sick or undernourished. Take the kitten to a veterinarian for evaluation. ) A normal kitten will weigh from 4-6 oz (113-170 g) and be smaller than a human adult’s hand at 1 to 2 weeks. Most kittens will weigh from 6-8 oz (170-225 g) when they are 2-3 weeks old. A kitten that weights . 5 to 1 pound (225g to 450g) is likely around 4-5 weeks old. [8] X Expert Source Natalie Punt, DVMVeterinarian Expert Interview. 14 September 2021. A kitten weighing between 1. 5 pounds to 2 pounds (680g-900g) is likely 7-8 weeks old. The average cat aged three months or more will weigh one pound per month of age until its weight stabilizes at around 10 pounds. So, a 3-pound cat will likely be 3 months old, and a 4-pound cat will be 4 months old. Though this is a generalization, it’s a useful rule of thumb for cats over 12 weeks in age until the cat reaches its adult weight, which is about 10 pounds for most cats.
If the mother has fully weaned her kitten off milk, the kitten is probably about 7 weeks old. After 7 weeks, mother cats will no longer allow her kittens to nurse. You might notice that the kitten tries to approach its mother to nurse, but is swatted away and rejected. A kitten of 7-8 weeks will begin leaving her mother more frequently and for longer periods of time for more adventurous exploration. [9] X Research source
Wobbliness and uncertainty when your kitten walks indicates that your kitten is around 2 weeks old. If your kitten is beginning to look confident in their ability to walk, they are likely older than 3 weeks. Between 3-4 weeks, a kitten will begin to demonstrate the righting reflex, which is the ability to turn in mid-air to land on their feet. [10] X Research source Around 4 weeks of age, the kitten will be able to walk more steadily and explore its environment. Its natural curiosity and playfulness will emerge with this increased mobility. Kittens of this age will begin to show pouncing behavior. [11] X Research source A kitten who can run is at least five weeks old. [12] X Research source [10] X Research source
By 7-8 weeks, a kitten should be highly coordinated and mobile. They will enjoy running around, playing and socializing with humans and other pets, and exploring higher spaces by practicing its jumping motions.
Male kittens over 4 months may begin scent marking (spraying urine) to attract females to mate. Female kittens may begin going into heat between 4 and 6 months. This also involves scent marking, along with loud yowling and writhing about.
Kittens begin to challenge other cats for dominance starting at around 6 months. [10] X Research source Juvenile kittens tend to bite more often than younger kittens or grown cats. Cat bites tend to occur a lot from cats in the juvenile age group, so take care when handling cats from this age group.
