The initial six weeks of a kitten’s life are vital for its growth and development, as it undergoes rapid changes outside the womb. During this period, the kitten requires warmth, nourishment, and safeguarding against infectious diseases and parasites such as fleas.

Kittens are unlikely to experience growth as rapid as during their first weeks of life, making it a remarkable period to witness their developmental changes week by week. Understanding their progress from the first week onwards can be an awe-inspiring experience.

Week 1: Miniature Digestive Systems at Work:

A newborn kitten weighs only a few ounces and fits comfortably in your hand. Its umbilical cord typically detaches within two to three days, while its eyes and ear canals remain closed at this stage.

At this early stage, kittens are highly dependent and vulnerable, but their mother cat instinctively tends to their needs. She provides nourishment through nursing, keeps them warm by staying close, and grooms them with her tongue, which aids digestion and stimulates urination and defecation. Mother cats are fiercely protective and may relocate their litter if humans interfere excessively with the nest.

If the mother cat has been vaccinated or has natural immunity, she will pass on this protection to her kittens through colostrum in the first 24 to 48 hours after birth. This immunity will safeguard the kittens until they are old enough to receive their vaccinations.

Newborn kittens typically weigh around 3.5 ounces at birth and may double their weight by the end of their first week. Monitoring their weight is important to ensure they are receiving sufficient nourishment. At this stage, their primary activities are nursing, sleeping, and eliminating waste. Social interaction is minimal, except when they compete for their preferred nursing spot, where they suckle while kneading with their tiny paws.

As a general guideline for feeding young kittens, you should provide approximately eight milliliters (ml) of formula per ounce of their body weight per day. Adjust the amount of formula per feeding as you increase the volume and decrease the frequency of feedings.

Week 2: Progress and Maturation:

Your kitten continues to grow rapidly, gaining at least 10 grams per day. The mother cat should be fed high-quality canned kitten food to replenish the nutrients she loses while nursing. Eventually, the kittens will transition to the same diet.

Their eyes will begin to open around nine to 14 days old and will be fully open during this period. All kittens are born with blue eyes, which will remain that way for several weeks. Their vision starts out blurry, and their pupils do not readily adjust to light changes, so it’s best to keep them away from bright lights.

Week 3: Developing Awareness:

The ear canals will be fully open, and their hearing is still developing, though loud noises might startle them. By this stage, their ears may be standing erect.

Their eye color may begin to transition from the universal blue of all kittens to their adult hue. Their sense of smell will be well-developed. Kittens can now voluntarily eliminate waste as their digestive system matures. The mother cat will continue to groom them until they learn self-grooming.

You might notice kittens beginning to purr at this early age. Baby teeth will start to emerge, and the mother cat will begin considering weaning them.

Week 4: Learning to Stand and Balance:

During the third and fourth weeks, kittens begin standing and attempting their first steps, although their initial movements are often unsteady. Their bodies are proportionally different from their adult form, with short, stick-like tails and oversized heads compared to their bodies and legs. As they gain coordination and confidence, these proportions will normalize.

It’s common for kittens to explore beyond their nest during this period, expanding their exploration. They also start interacting more with their littermates, sometimes forming alliances that may or may not be based on gender.

Regular nursing continues for the kittens during this stage. It remains crucial to provide the mother with high-quality food to support her while she nurses her litter.

Week 5: Beginning the Transition from Nursing:

At this stage, kittens will be actively walking around and beginning to engage in play with their littermates. They are developing a sense of independence while remaining close to their mother and siblings. This is an ideal time for them to socialize with humans.

Introducing canned food is appropriate now. Choose a high-quality kitten food with a named meat source as the primary ingredient, such as chicken. Ideally, they should eat the same food as their mother, which they will quickly adjust to. Use a shallow plate for feeding, as their initial attempts may be messy.

While the mother cat will encourage weaning, kittens still benefit from nursing to satisfy their suckling instincts until they are around eight to ten weeks old, when weaning will be complete.

This period is also suitable for teaching litter box habits. Provide a smaller, easily accessible box with shallow litter, such as a plastic storage box or a shoebox lid. Ensure the litter is natural, like corn cobs, paper, or wood chips, to prevent ingestion of harmful substances.

Week 6: Full Engagement in Social Interaction:

Socialization continues to develop, showcasing these energetic and lively kittens who will soon grow into adult cats. They are capable of running, pouncing, and leaping, entertaining both themselves and their human companions endlessly. However, they also tire quickly and can fall asleep suddenly (growing up is demanding), so it’s important to monitor their energy levels.

Kittens learn socialization with humans by observing their mother cat’s interactions. If she has a positive relationship with humans, her kittens are likely to follow suit. On the other hand, if kittens aren’t accustomed to human handling by six weeks, training them later may be a slow process, and they might not become comfortable being handled or being “lap cats.”