Kitten development first year
Our kittens grow up very fast especially during the first few weeks of their lives.
Here’s a timeline of those captivating milestones so you can chart their development as they discover the wonderful world around us and in the end with you for the rest of their life.
Newborn kittens and they’re Mom are staying on their special nursuring room.
For the first week Mom will stay closed only with her babies and after will have access via cat flap door to move go and back to room.
⮞Newborn kittens are born blind and deaf.
⮞Eyes are closed and ears are folded at birth an no teeth yet.
⮞Around five/seven days, eyes start opening and initially are blue in color. In this stage we are keeping them away from bright lights.
⮞Around five/eight days, ears start to unfold and they can begin to hear sounds. We are keeping down the sound around as the little tiger adjusts the noise around them slowly.
⮞During the newborn kitten stage, they are totally reliant on their mother’s care.
⮞Keep in mind that if there is no mother cat, kittens require special 24/7 care including being fed a special kitten formula every two hours which is designed to strengthen their immune systems and build healthy bones.
⮞Never give a kitten dairy or other milk products that humans consume , all are prohibited to them.
At two week old kitten they start wobbly movements.
⮞Kittens start to make wobbly attempts to stand up but remain very close to Mom and each other.
⮞At this time we hear first squeaky mewing sounds.
⮞The first of 26 baby teeth start to come in.
⮞At the moment no claw movement. They are still too young to be able to retract their tiny claws.
Around weeks three and four, their eyes will change from the bright blue to the colour that will be staring at you for the rest of their life.
⮞Kittens begin to move around more to explore their surroundings and we are witness to our little tiger taking their very first wobbly steps, very cute.
⮞We start to socializing with them, by introducing kitten toys and extend the territory to explore and play.
⮞We are introduce human touch to feel and be comfortable.
⮞Mother will groom her kittens with her tongue.
⮞To get them used to being groomed we brush gently with a very soft toothbrush which replicates the feeling of a mother’s tongue.
At four week old kittens are no longer considered neonatal.
⮞Kittens start to explore more and more and play together.
⮞They will become a trip hazard in no time as they gain their balance.
⮞We interact and socialize with them more and more.
⮞Play time is a great way for kittens to build confidence around people.
⮞But in the same time they don’t need to over crowd them.
⮞Toddlers and young children are allowed to look only not touch.
⮞Kittens are very delicate and we are carefully because are not vaccinated yet.
At five weeks old are ready to eat their first kitten dinner and we are introducing them very small amounts of soft food, pate for the first time. We are giving them from Royal Canin , Mother&Babycat pate.
⮞In this period we are feeding mom with the same kitten food recipe as she needs strength and energy.
⮞We are introducing a low-profile litter box. Instinctively kittens know what to do in the litter box.
At six week old kitten’s eyes are fully developed and focused.
⮞Kittens start to exploring long distances and enjoying interacting with each other and their mother, practicing their pounce and play skills.
⮞Signs of each kitten’s individual personality starts to develop. Little kitten with big personality.
⮞We wish to could wrap them up and cuddle them forever.
⮞We are introducing them to new people, other pets and letting them roam around the house (under close supervision) to get them used to all those new sights, smells and sounds.
At eight week old they eating a specially formulated kitten recipe.
⮞We are offering both wet and dry foods so that they get used to eating both.
⮞It’s difficult to overfeed a kitten at this age since they are growing rapidly. They have almost 1 kg around 8-9 weeks.
⮞Usually around 7-8 weeks they do the first vaccinations.
At ten week old all 26 baby teeth are in.
⮞They are now able to retract their claws.
⮞They are all very, very curious, but some will be bold and others shy.
⮞At his stage they sleeps less and plays more.
Around 10-12 weeks we start introducing new food types and wean them off mummy.
⮞Young kittens are eating a lot more than an adult cat. Their stomachs are still growing so feed them more with a mix of biscuits and wet food. The wet food will help them remain hydrated which can only benefit in their later years.
⮞During this period, it is also recommended and we are considering it, getting the little one neutered.
⮞They start to learn all important feline instinct and hunting watching their mother or another family cat.
⮞At this age are raring to go and will play fast and furiously, testing their abilities to climb and pounce, and then collapse to nap, recharge and start again.
⮞They are confine to one room when they are home alone and this is for their own safety. Kittens they have their own room (nursery room) On this room is no heavy objects that could harm them if they fall during boisterous play. Room is full with toy’s.
⮞Ready to be adopted into their forever homes.
Between 6 months and 12 is adolescence period, immune system and musculoskeletal growth a lots.
⮞During this period little minion is an adolescent and is a very key time in the growth of their immune system as they discover and encounter new things every day. Certain kitten food can help build immune system.
At 12 months, physiologically, a kitten is now a fully-grown cat. A one-year-old cat is the feline version of a human teenager.
If you are interested on heaving a Pure Breed British Shorthair and you can afford it, two kittens are better than one. Cats love same-species companionship, especially if you adopt litter mates. It means twice the fun and twice the love and they are less likely to be lonely when they are home alone.
