Developmental milestones in your kitten
Has your cat littered a beautiful brood of kittens? Or have you just brought home a cuddly bundle of fur? Well, your joy knows no bounds when you open your home to your feline friend! If you are new to pet parenting then you will naturally be a little scared as they seem so helpless to you with their temporary inability to see or hear for the first couple of days. If you are wondering when they will begin to show changes, here are a few pointers on the developmental milestones in your kitten!
Senses
Kittens are born blind and with their eyelids tightly shut. When they turn two weeks old their eyelids will open and their vision begins to develop. Kittens are also born deaf with their ear canals sealed. By the time they are a little over two weeks old, their ear canals slowly open and they can hear sounds. By the 25th day your kitten will be aware and will respond to sights and sounds.
Elimination
Kittens are able to eliminate urine and excrete faeces by themselves. Their mother usually licks to massage their genital area that stimulates the elimination process. By the 23th day kittens are able to eliminate without the help of their mother.
Walking
Kittens initially move by squirming and swimming on the floor. By the 18th day your kitten will begin their first steps of walking. Kittens are also unable to withdraw their claws right from their birth. By the 27th day the claws can be removed voluntarily. Observing their mothers, kittens as young as 30 days will learn to use the litterbox.
Eating
By 4 to 6 weeks of age your kitten can start eating solid food and can be slowly weaned at 8 to 12 weeks of age. During the phase, when your pet eats solid food, their first set to teeth start appearing. The canine teeth appear at 3 to 4 weeks of age, incisors at 2 to 4 weeks and the baby premolars at 4 to 6 weeks of age.
These first set of teeth are temporary and are slowly replaced by a permanent set of teeth. The incisors get replaced at 3 to 5 months of age, the permanent set of canine teeth appear by 6 months of age and the permanent premolars develop at 4 to 6 months of age and the molars at 5 to 7 months of age.
Teething toys and treats along with catnips provide tremendous relief to your pet during the teething phase.
Reproduction
Your kittens may just be your adoring friend but the truth is cats grow out of the kitten phase very soon. Kittens grow quickly. Adolescence and puberty in your kitten sets as soon as they are 6 to 8 months old. Unplanned pregnancies become quite common if they are not regularly checked and the right precautions are not followed.
