A kitten's first eight weeks of life are filled with rapid developmental changes. Kittens fit into the palm of the hand, are blind, and have little defence when they are infants. However, by the time they are 8 weeks old, they are playing, running, and resembling tiny cats. The kitten's requirements for warmth, food, assistance with using the restroom, and medical attention will vary every week. Understanding a kitten's age is crucial since it affects both its needs for care and its ability to develop healthily. What you should know about a kitten's first six weeks of life in terms of developmental milestones is provided below.
Newborn to six-week-old kittens: how should they grow?
Newborn to six-week-old kittens: how should they grow?
First Week
The new-born kitten behaves like a tiny food-producing factory throughout the first week of life.
What to anticipate is as follows:
1: The kitten's priorities will be growth and nutrition. This week, it will grow to quadruple its birth weight.
2: There are more bodily changes occurring that will soon be more noticeable.
Second Week
Second Week
1: Your kitten is growing at least 10 grams every day, which is an incredible rate of growth. These alterations also take place:
2: Between nine and fourteen days will pass before its eyes fully open. The eyes of all kittens are blue or will stay that way for a few weeks. First, vision will be hazy. Keep your cat out of strong lighting, as their pupils don't expand and shrink easily.
3: The kitten is getting better at smelling; it can even hiss at strange smells.
4: By now, you might be able to figure out which kittens are which gender. But don't get too confident—even vets can make mistakes at this early stage. Read This: The Initial Six Months of Kitten Care
Third Week
1: The kitten has undergone numerous changes.
2: The ear canals are going to be fully exposed.
3: Due to the development of their digestive systems, kittens can now voluntarily excrete. They will now desire to explore the world around them and begin interacting socially with individuals and one another. Read This: What to Do With a Newborn Kitten Without Mom
Fourth Week
Nearing one month, the kitten exhibits the following traits:
1: The perception of depth has evolved.
2: Smell is a fully developed sense.
3: The first baby teeth will erupt.
4: Kittens are developing their ability to walk steadily.
5: They will socialize more with the rest of their littermates, possibly even to the point where they establish "alliances" based on gender.
Fifth Week
1: The kitten advances to new experiences after a month. At this point, canned kitten food may be given to the cats. Pick a high-quality canned cat food brand where the first component is identified as meat (chicken is an excellent option). The mother cat will have been fed this food by numerous breeders and rescues,or the kittens will rapidly get used to eating what their mother does.
2: It is now possible to instruct kittens to use a litter box. They require a smaller, independent box with only a few inches of litter that is easy for entry and exit.
3: Kittens will explore by tasting everything, just like newborn humans do. Try switching to a different kind of litter if your cat is eating it during the training phase, and keep a close eye on them to see whether the behavior persists. Consult your veterinarian if your kitten is adamant about consuming any kind of litter available to determine whether any underlying health issues need to be looked into.
Sixth Week
1: A kitten's personality and interactions with others as an adult will greatly benefit from early socialization. The following significant sixth-week benchmarks are listed:
2: Kittens can amuse themselves or their human watchers for hours on end by running, jumping, and pouncing. You can fall asleep with the drop of a hat just as quickly, so give them all the sleep they require.
3: Kittens will socialize with humans by following their mother cat's example. Her kittens will also be at ease with humans being in her life if she does. On the other hand, training a kitten that has not been exposed to human interaction by the age of six weeks would take a lot of time and effort, and the resulting adult cat might never be considered a "lap cat."
4: For the best outcomes in socializing kittens ready for new homes, feral cat rescuers can think about allowing the litter to spend time alongside humans before the kittens turn six weeks old.
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