Kitten Development: 0-5 weeks

Image via Wikipedia

Knowing the basic stages of kitten development can help you determine if your kittens are healthy and growing well.

A kitten umbilical cord will generally fall off in a couple of days after birth. Kittens are born without teeth. In normal kitten development, their baby teeth should start to come in at around 2-4 weeks old. By 2 months old they should have all of their baby teeth.

At around seven to ten days you will notice a newborn kitten’s eyes begin to open. Their eyes will open when they are able to handle light.  If you notice that your kitten’s eyes are not opening, do not pry them open as you can damage them. If their eyes have not opened by about day 14, consult with a veterinarian. At about 5 weeks old kittens are able to see clearly as this is the time that their retina has matured. Their eyes will start out bluish in color and will then over time change. You will need to consult a veterinarian if their eyes look any other color, mainly solid blue or white. These are signs of major eye problems in kittens.

Around week two of kitten development, their ears will start to open. By one month old kittens should be able to hear well. Deafness can occur, but may be hard to notice in a litter. It may only be pinpointed once a kitten is seperated and on its own.

Kittens will learn to crawl by 2 weeks of age and walk a few days after that. At around 3 weeks old a kitten should be getting around very easily.

At 4-5 weeks of age kittens should be actively playing and “stalking” If they have litter mates they will learn socialization from their siblings. If they are alone, play with them and offer toys. Have them chase string or feathers to encourage them to stalk.

By 5 weeks old, kittens can be trained to use a scratching post and to make full use of a litter box. You can start teaching these behaviors as early as 3 weeks old. Kittens learn easy by imitation. Mostly a kitten will learn these behaviors from their mothers, if you have a kitten that is orphaned you must show them how to do these things by simulation.

Kitten development up to 5 weeks of age can be a great joy to watch. It can be quite fun watching a kitten learn to walk and pounce. Make sure to start training a kitten during these formative weeks.