https://www.chewy.com/education/cat/general/kitten-age-chart
Bringing home a new kitten is an exciting and busy time, filled with preparations and learning how to meet your little one’s needs. Understanding a kitten’s age is essential for providing proper care, as feeding, play, and socialization can vary depending on developmental stage.
While factors such as nutrition and maternal care can influence growth, physical cues like eye color, teeth, and coat texture can help determine a kitten’s age.
Newborn kittens are born with closed blue eyes, which begin to open around 1 to 2 weeks, and their adult eye color typically starts appearing around 6 to 8 weeks.
Teeth and coat also provide clues, with baby canines emerging around four weeks and adult teeth appearing between 4 and 6 months, while their soft, fluffy coat gradually transitions into the adult fur by 6 to 12 months.
Kittens go through distinct stages with unique milestones that guide their care. From birth to eight weeks, kittens rely entirely on mother’s milk or formula, and weaning begins around four weeks.
Between 6 weeks and 6 months, rapid growth occurs, including the development of adult teeth and coat, and this is a critical time for initial training and socialization. Kittens may start showing sexual maturity during this period, especially female cats, which can result in behavioral challenges if not spayed.
From 6 months to 2 years, kittens enter a high energy stage, where their instincts can lead to mischievous behaviors such as scratching furniture and climbing curtains, making outlets for play and vertical space essential for healthy development.
Knowing a kitten’s age also helps inform feeding schedules, socialization, and when it’s safe for them to go to a new home. Kittens are generally ready to leave their mother around eight weeks, once they are fully weaned and capable of eating solid food.
While 12 week old kittens are still fine to adopt, earlier adoption allows for adaptation and bonding, provided they have completed necessary growth and socialization milestones.
Gradual weaning and careful observation of physical development are crucial for ensuring kittens grow into healthy, happy cats, setting the foundation for a lifelong bond with their human family.
Chewy editorial team knows that every kitten brings a spark of joy and curiosity into a home, turning ordinary days into heartwarming adventures.
Understanding their developmental needs helps you nurture them into confident, happy cats while deepening your bond. With patience, love, and care, every stage of kittenhood becomes an opportunity to create memories that last a lifetime.
