Tiny, helpless and just so adorable, newborn kittens are totally dependent on their mothers for warmth and food, but they develop very quickly during their first few weeks of life. This guide will describe the changes and milestones that your kitten will go through in the first two months.

Weeks 1-2

Newborn kittens are tiny, with their birth weight being around 100 grams. They're born with their eyes closed and after 7-12 days, their eyes will open but their vision will be a bit blurry. All kitten's eyes are bright blue when they're born. They’re also born deaf and may have part of the umbilical cord still attached to their belly button, but this soon falls off.

They won’t be able to move much at first as they can’t support their bodies. But they’ll easily crawl towards their mother and siblings for food and warmth using their whiskers and sense of smell. At this stage their mum will lick them to stimulate them to go for a wee and poo.

As they can’t regulate their own body temperature for a few weeks, kittens need to be kept warm, so they’ll stay close to their mum and siblings in their nesting box for a lot of the time. They’ll start to stand, albeit on wobbly legs, by their second week.

Newborn kittens don’t have strong immune systems and need colostrum from their mothers (the milk produced in the first 48 hours after birth). This gives them their mother’s antibodies to protect them from infectious diseases. It's really important to make sure that the mother has had all the necessary vaccinations, so their kittens are also protected. This immunity usually lasts until the kittens have their first vaccinations at around 6-8 weeks of age.

Kittens should have their first treatment for worms at 2 weeks – your vet will advise on the best product to use. Keep worming them every 2 weeks until the kittens are 4 months old.

Socialisation of the kittens can begin when they’re 2 weeks old. Make sure the mother is relaxed and happy with her kittens being handled before you stroke them or pick them up. Kittens handled daily from 2-7 weeks (the sensitive period) will be less anxious and fearful of new people and experiences as they get older.

Weeks 3-4

The kittens will be growing and able to control their body temperature a bit better now. Their eyes should be open, and they’ll be able to slowly move around. You should now be able to tell if they’re male or female kittens. If the mother is comfortable with you handling the kittens, gently lift them up and look under their tail area.

The top opening is the anus, and the lower opening is the genital opening. In females the distance between the openings is closer together than in males. In older kittens, the differences are more obvious - in male kittens, the anus and penis look like two circles one above the other. In female kittens, the anus and vulva look like a circle with a slit underneath it, like a lowercase letter ‘i’!

As they start to go to the toilet themselves and move around, you’ll need to start getting a bit more involved! Make sure there’s a litter box nearby. The mother will still groom them but will be less keen to nurse them. In the third to fourth weeks, this is when weaning begins.

You’ll notice the kitten’s baby teeth will start to come through and the kittens will enjoy and playing with their siblings. This is an important time for the kittens as they learn how to interact with others. Early socialisation will shape their behaviour and character as they get older.

Weeks 4-7

The weaning process is now well underway, and you’ll need to be prepared to start feeding them some solid kitten food several times a day. Their movement, eyesight and hearing will be well developed by week 5 and they should be able to use a litter tray. They may find their baby teeth a bit painful as they come through, so may start to chew things. Provide them with some kitten toys for them to chew on to save any furniture that might be within reach!

As they become less dependent on their mothers, kittens should be allowed to experience as many new animals, people, noises and situations as possible. Weeks 2-7 are known as the ‘sensitive period’ when kittens are open to experiencing new things without fear. The fear response starts at around 6 weeks.

Let them explore their surroundings as much as possible and introduce the kittens to a variety of new things (while keeping them safe). This way they’ll grow into confident adults, able to cope with new experiences. A kitten that is fearful of anything new or scared of familiar household sounds like the doorbell or vacuum cleaner, may grow into an anxious and stressed adult. If you’ve got other pets, make sure they have positive interactions with them, so they accept them into their social group.

Gently handle the kittens every day – ideally by a variety of people for up to an hour in short sessions. If the mother is unhappy with this, make a fuss of her to distract her or give her some of her favourite treats. Make sure hands are washed before handling the kittens.

Sitting on the floor is the best place to handle them, just in case a wriggly kitten gets out of your hands and falls on the floor. Gently pick up the kittens and slowly stroke them. If they show signs of distress, place them back with their littermates. The kittens must form a positive association with being touched sot that your kittens will then be comfortable meeting new people as they grow older.

Weeks 7-8

Now fully weaned and eating solid food, kittens should be fed a well-balanced and nutritious diet. Foods specifically for weaning or for growth are available – ask your vet to recommend a diet if you’re unsure.

Kittens often prefer wet food, but dry food can be mixed with some warm water. This can gradually be made less moist as time goes on. Fresh drinking water should be provided at all times.

At 7-8 weeks your kittens will start to be much more adult-like. They’ll run away and hide or show aggressive behaviour to any potential threats. They’ll also want to play… lots!

The first 2 months see kittens developing fast – from a tiny newborn that you can hold in the palm of your hand to an active, lively kitten tearing around the house. Making sure your kitten is well socialised at this stage will mean they’ll grows into friendly, well-behaved adult cat when they go on to their forever homes. Enjoy every moment of this kitten stage!

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Felis – https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.