Expectations: Kitten Growth and Development

Expectations: Kitten Growth and Development

Kittens depend on their mother's care  from birth to 6-8 weeks of age. It's very noteworthy to see the progress in less than two months from a helpless newborn to a curious athlete! Knowing what to expect from a cat as a kitten can help  you prepare for each stage of your life.

Newborn Kitten

With the exception of cattery and cat breeding facilities, the birth of many cats seems  oops! It is often surprising to know that cats breed seasonally. That is, cats are designed to give birth on warmer and longer days. Young cats, especially 5-6 months old, may be reproductively mature enough to become pregnant, especially if the season is right. 

Mother cats are called queens and usually have 3-5 kittens at a time. The gestation period is  over 2 months, about 63 days. The Queen does not have many special needs during pregnancy, except for a good  diet  for growth, such as: B. Kitten food. 

If you live in an area with fleas, flea management is very important because flea anemia is one of the many causes of newborn mortality in cats. Always discuss with your veterinarian about using flea control products on  pregnant animals. Not everything is safe.

Kitten Dependent on Mom

Since kittens are entirely dependent on their mother, cats are often dedicated and compassionate moms. For the first three to four weeks, she will clean them, take care of them, keep them warm, and even have to encourage urination and excrement.

By three to four weeks old, the majority of queens have begun to wean their young. A good time to introduce "solid" meals is now. The best place to start is with canned kitten food combined with kitten milk replacer. Be ready for a messes! Kittens may require one to two weeks to learn how to correctly swallow that food.

Kitten Development

Kittens are born with their eyes and ears closed, blind and usually deaf at birth. The ear canal usually opens between 10 days and 2 weeks after birth, and the eyes also open between 1 and 2 weeks. Kittens are born with a good smell. It's important for them to find the milk that is their food source! 

 

They are born without teeth and begin to develop deciduous or deciduous teeth at about 3 weeks of age (this is not a coincidence  with weaning!). Kittens have 26 baby teeth, all of which  fall out and are replaced by 30 permanent teeth by  6 months of age. 

Most kittens can stand up to 10 days old and walk alone by 3 weeks. In 6-8 weeks, the kitten becomes agile and active.

Kitten Growth

Kittens typically weigh 3-4 ounces at birth, and by the age of one month  most kittens weigh one pound. As a  general rule of thumb, kittens gain about £ 1 a month until 6 months of age. After that, the growth depends on the size of the adult cat.

Kitten Litter box training

For example, when a kitten is weaned, it's a good time to introduce the toilet to the kitten. Kittens tend to use the bathroom on sandy surfaces. Many people "learn" how to use a box only if it is strategically placed close together. They also follow the mother's example.

Limiting the  space that the kitten can access is useful for toilet training. Cats are clean creatures and do not like to urinate or defecate near  food sources or beds. I also prefer boxes to confusion near food and comfort.

As  kittens become more trustworthy in the box, they can give them more freedom and space to explore. Most kittens are fully toilet trained at 8 weeks of age.

Socializing your kitten

Socialization is the act of exposing a kitten to human interaction. B. Stroking and holding. The time frame for stamping kittens is  fairly narrow, usually 2-10 weeks old. In order for cats to grow comfortably with us humans, it is important to spend at least an hour a day to treat, caress and hug them. 

For example, if stray cats (stray cats) are introduced into human dating early in the second week of life, they are much more likely to be domesticated and friendly adult cats. From 10 weeks of age, socialization becomes very difficult and kittens may never be able to live comfortably around humans.

When to worry about your new kitten

Most queens do a great job of caring for  kittens without any (non-social) intervention, but there are some health concerns to watch out for. If you do not meet the above kitten milestones, you will need to contact your veterinarian.

 

Eye, ear, or nose secretions can be a sign of infection and should be noted by a veterinarian. Sneezing can be a common sign of a respiratory infection and should be consulted with a veterinarian if accompanied by a runny nose.

Diarrhea and constipation are other clinical signs to watch out for. Kittens can  quickly become dehydrated without medical intervention if they have diarrhea and constipation  can lead to discomfort and loss of appetite.

First veterinary visits with your kitten

Most kittens do not need to go to the vet until they are 6-8 weeks old. At this point, they should be dewormed (if not already done) and vaccinated. Kittens need  to be continuously vaccinated up to 16 weeks of age  to ensure that they develop immunity to the diseases we vaccinate. 

As mentioned earlier, kittens can sexually mature very quickly, 4-6 months  to prevent unwanted pregnancies and discourage behavior such as urinary marking of male cats. During the period you need to have contraceptive castration surgery or contraceptive castration surgery.

As for the kitten, time is really flying. In no time, this sweet kitten transforms into a confident, curious and unique adult! Pet Best Pet Insurance gives you peace of mind at every stage of your cat's life.