Cat Owner's Manual › Chapter 7: Cat Growth & Development › Kitten Growth Stages ›

Kittens: 8 to 15 Weeks

Full weaning takes place at or before 8 weeks. Kittens can be supplied with small amounts of thinned gruel (dry food mixed with water) as early as their third or fourth week. As time passes, the amount of liquid in the meal can be reduced and the solid matter increased. All baby or "milk" teeth are present at 8 weeks. Males begin to outweigh females at approximately 10 weeks of age. At 12 weeks, eye color (which in very young kittens is almost always blue) changes to permanent adult hue. The first physical exam, stool check, and immunization should occur at 9 weeks. Kittens may leave their mother for a new home anywhere from the age of 8 to 10 weeks, depending on when it makes the transition to solid food. This transition should occur automatically without human input.

Programming Milestones: Sibling interaction during play teaches kittens the importance of retracting their claws and not inflicting serious bites.

cautionCAUTION: Do not take un-vaccinated kittens outdoors, unless it is for a trip to the veterinarian.

Comments (1)

Chapter 7: Cat Growth & Development

Comments for This Page (1)  |  Post a Comment

is it good to feed your kitten can food or should it be dry food soaked in water

purred by wendy king on Dec 24, 2008 AT 9:12 am PST
Helpful? Y / N    Report this Comment

Post a Comment for This Page

Please log in or register to post a comment.

Email
Password:

Quirk BooksThe Cat Owner's Manual is a basic guide to cat care.
The book was written by a celebrated veterinarian and an acclaimed author. It provides cat owners with well-researched and helpful information presented in a lighthearted manner. The creators chose to write the book in a style similar to what you'd find in "operating instructions" for a car or computer. Of course they--and we--respect the fact that our beloved pets are not products or machines!