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

Kittens: Birth to 8 Weeks

About two-thirds of kittens are born headfirst, and about one-third tail first. They are born blind, deaf, unable to walk, and weighing only about 4 ounces (113 g). Eyelids open at 10 to 12 days of age. Ears open at 14 to 17 days. Kittens begin to crawl at 16 to 20 days, to walk at 22 to 25 days, and to run at 4 to 5 weeks. Consumption of solid food begins at 3 to 4 weeks.

Programming Milestones: Litter box training will begin at 3 to 4 weeks. Under normal circumstances this will be taught by the kitten's mother. The owner's only responsibility is to provide clean, easily accessible litter pans and to watch to make sure the training "takes." Kittens will begin to clean themselves at 4 to 5 weeks, play with littermates at 4 to 5 weeks, and practice hunting techniques at 6 to 8 weeks. Most of these downloads will occur without human input.

This is also a crucial time for socialization. Frequent, gentle handling beginning at 14 days helps a very young kitten become accustomed to people. However, the kitten should remain with its mother and littermates during these weeks. Only they can help it download essential feline programming.

cautionCAUTION: A feline mother will occasionally carry her kittens by the scruff of the neck. Do not emulate this behavior, as it may cause injury to the kitten.

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Chapter 7: Cat Growth & Development

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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!