Page 88 - Complete Cat Care: How To Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy

Early kitten care

Looking after the welfare and safety of a new litter of kittens is a big
responsibility, but you will not have to take on the task single-handed.
Mother cats know instinctively how to raise a family.

The first weeks toys to stimulate their interest. box. They will wander everywhere
Until they have been weaned (see Objects that roll around are always and can all too easily end up
opposite), kittens need to stay with popular, but don’t offer anything being stepped on or getting injured
their mother and siblings all the that could snag and damage tiny while moving around the house.
time. The mother cat is not only a claws. Games often turn into rough Do not allow the kittens to go
protector and source of nutrition, and tumble, but even if the entire outdoors until they have been fully
but a teacher of feline behavior as litter becomes a tussling furball vaccinated (see also Making the
well. It is through interaction with there is no need to separate them. home safe, pp.16–7).
brothers and sisters that kittens They are highly unlikely to do each
practice their social and life skills. other harm and this mock fighting Using a litter pan
86 No kitten should be removed from is an important part of their You will probably find that you
this family support group unless mental and physical development. have very little work to do in
absolutely necessary. whereabouts of young kittens, training kittens to use a litter pan.
Keep a constant eye on the
Kittens start playing games
As soon as they find their feet, at
Breeding together as early as 4 weeks of especially once they are mobile around 3 weeks of age, they will
start copying their mother and
and can climb out of the kittening
age and will benefit from a few

Stages of development
Newborn kittens are blind, deaf,
and completely dependent on
their mother, but they develop
rapidly. Within a few weeks
helpless infants turn into lively △ Five days △ Two weeks
individuals that have learned all The kitten has some sense of the surrounding The eyes are now open although vision
the basic lessons about being a cat. world, even though the eyes are not yet open. is imperfect. For a few weeks, all kittens
Adulthood is generally reached at The ears lie flat against the head and hearing have blue eyes that gradually change to
around 12 months, although some is still undeveloped. the permanent color.
cats take longer to complete
their full growth.

▷ Eight weeks
Very active and
fascinated by anything
and everything, the
kitten is instinctively
△ Four weeks adopting characteristic △ Ten weeks
Up and running, tail held erect as a balancing feline habits such as self-grooming and will Not quite a cat—but almost—the kitten
pole, the kitten starts exploring. Sight and practice hunting by pouncing on toys or will soon be ready to leave home. It is
hearing are well developed and the digestive siblings. Weaning should be fully completed important for vaccinations to be given
system can cope with solid food. around this stage. at this age.

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