What to expect with newborn kittens

The mother cat, as soon as the kittens are delivered, starts cleaning them by licking. This is very important to stimulate the mother-kitten bond and help the kittens breathe. Kittens are born with their eyes closed. The licking is continued during and after feeding in order to stimulate digestion. The kitten only eat and sleep during this stage and are to be kept warm.

A newborn kitten weighs 2.5 to 3.5 oz (70 gms on an avg) , and gains about 0.5 oz (20 gms) daily. Around the tenth day, the kittens open their eyes and start using their other senses as well. From the third week they start exploring their environment. During the following weeks, the kittens observe their mother and slowly learn how to use the litter box. At this stage, the kittens learn to play with each other and important skills such as attacking, defending, escaping and chasing are learnt. They also teach each other warning calls and signals they need to use in case of danger.

The kittens’ senses are fully developed within five weeks. From the sixth week onwards, they learn to clean themselves. They can now be gradually weaned off from their mother’s milk and at any time between 10 to12 weeks be separated from the mother and taken to a new home. At this point, they need to be on a special diet formulated to meet the requirements of young cats.

During 4 to 6 months, cats lose their baby teeth and acquire permanent ones. They are now capable of stalking and hunting like adult cats.