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When kittens are first born, they are pure white and helpless; they cannot see, hear, keep themselves warm, or go to the toilet on their own. They fit in the palm of your hand and  usually weigh 80-100gms. Kittens are completely dependent on their mother (or me!) for protection, warmth, and nutrition. Even so, these kittens can purr and make distress calls. They spend 90 percent of their time sleeping and the other 10 percent eating.

By 3 days old  their ears are just beginning to unfold, though their eyes remain closed. Their sense of smell, hearing, and taste are slowly starting to develop.

By 6 days old their eyes are usually beginning to open.

By 10 days old, their eyes are almost completely open, though their eyesight is still unfocused and the kitten’s ears will unfold. Their colours will start to show by the end of the first week.

During their second week, they continue to grow by leaps and bounds. By the end of the week, their ears will be almost completely uncurled and they will begin to crawl. They still depend completely on a caregiver—either mum or me—for food and toileting.

The kittens still snuggle together for warmth and comfort and rarely venture far from mum, their blankets, or each other.

The kitten’s eyes are all blue, and they will stay that way for the first couple of weeks. Their true eye colour may not become completely apparent until they are two months old.

The kittens are becoming more comfortable venturing away from mom, though they are wobbly on their feet, are more aware of their surroundings, they are beginning to interact with each other, but still need mum. Their sense of smell is developing, and they will hiss at unfamiliar scents or sounds, though the tiny sounds that come out are most likely not as ferocious as they think! They are also kneading, though they cannot yet retract their claws.

Their teeth are coming in and their walking is becoming more confident. You can start providing a litter box and wet food.

At the end of the third week, they are now playing and getting more mobile.

At four weeks kittens are sturdy on their feet and playing with each other, toys, and people.

They are showing interest in the outside world, interacting with their litter-mates more and also beginning to interact with people and toys. That means it’s time to begin socialising the kittens!

Their ears are fully extended and they are holding themselves up well. They are sturdy! Their fur is beginning to fill out and you may be able to tell colours and colour pattern and who will have medium or long fur.

Playing is a great way to socialise kittens and teach them fun and positive ways to interact with people.

It’s amazing how quickly these helpless kittens have grown up over a four-week period. They are starting to explore the world around them and play frequently with friends and toys.

Get ready for a lot of fun! They are now developing lots of personality!

This is when the fun begins. Now that the kittens’ sight is fully developed, they are engaging in vigorous and exhaustive play, running around and exploring until they quite literally fall asleep right where they are. While they are experimenting with solid food, they  are still nursing from their mother a few times a day. Interacting with people is important for kittens at this age.

Active play means tired kittens! Play—with each other and with you—is an important part of kitten socialisation because it helps them bond with each other and build confidence around people.

The kittens are being handled by people early and often to encourage their social development. Getting love and play from humans helps them connect positive experiences with people—something that will help when they are adopted into new homes.

Continuing to socialise the kittens only gets more important as they grow. This is the age when the rest of their cat family begin teaching the kittens how to play, letting them know that human hands are not for biting or scratching.

The kittens are now proficient at cleaning themselves, having learned it from birth from their mother. They are also grooming each other, reinforcing the bond between siblings. Incorporate grooming into your interactions with the kittens.

The kittens are almost fully weaned and continue to play and learn. Being introduced in the home, and other pets is an important part of socialisation. They are pretty self-sufficient at this point, although they  still get comfort from mum.

As part of socialisation, the kittens are being introduced to different parts of the house, different objects, different pets and people, and different experiences—all to help them adjust to new situations.

The kittens have been introduced to scratching posts and had their claws trimmed for the first time. Training the kittens to understand these routines helps prepare them for their new homes.

This is the height of the kittens’ eye-paw coordination and play activity, leading them to try more daring and complex feats. It’s a good idea to keep a close eye on them during this time and ensure their play area is safe.

By nine weeks, the kittens are clearly showing an attachment to their caregivers, cuddling on laps and seeking out attention.

Their adult eye color is clear now.

As they start to look more and more like adult cats, the kittens’ growth rate is finally beginning to slow. Though they will continue to develop muscle tone and stealth, they won’t be doubling their weight in a matter of days or weeks anymore.

The kittens are on more of a schedule now, sleeping and eating at regular intervals. They eat mostly solid food, and mum is close to being done with the occasional nursing that may still be going on.

The kittens are exhibiting all of the behaviours of adult cats, using their body language to communicate with their caregivers.

They are fully weaned, and possibly ready to be spayed/neutered. They grow up so fast!

Bringing a new kitten home is a very exciting experience, although there is often lots to consider and prepare before you actually set off to pick him up. When you arrive home with him, you’ll need plenty of patience and certain supplies to best help him gently settle into his new life. Cats are often stressed by a change of environment, so whether you are bringing home a kitten home for the first time or you’re adopting an older cat, it can take a few weeks for him, you and the rest of the household to feel relaxed and comfortable in each other’s presence. Knowing what to expect when bringing a new cat home will greatly facilitate this transition.

It’s important to know in advance what taking care of your new cat will be like, particularly if you’ve never owned a cat before. Before you bring him home, you will need to purchase all the essentials he needs for his first day and night (in the next section you’ll find a “bringing kitten home checklist” of the items your new kitten requires). You’ll also need some time to get your home ready and to prepare your kitten’s new living space. Here are some suggestions how to make it safe, cosy and comfortable for him.

An inspection of your house to ascertain potential dangers is essential before bringing a kitten home. Certain plants, chemicals and other items which are toxic to cats should be removed from the house or securely stored away. For example, many varieties of lily are particularly toxic to cats –
You should also inspect all screens and windows to make sure they are secure, and your cat won’t be able to escape through them. Cats like to hide in small dark spaces when they’re scared, so be sure to block off small spaces to prevent your kitten from getting trapped in them.

A new cat or kitten will need a quiet, comfortable and secluded space of his own for as long as it takes him to adapt to his new environment. This is because it’s recommended to gradually introduce a new cat to your home, starting ideally with just one small, quiet, uninhabited room, away from noise and foot traffic. Providing too much space initially can be overwhelming and even frightening for a new kitten.

Before bringing him home, determine where his space will be; preferably a spare bedroom, the laundry room, or if there isn’t a dedicated room he can use, a blocked off space in the corner of your living room. Set up this room or space with a cat bed, litter tray and a small amount of food and water, positioned as far away as possible from the litter tray. Remove anything breakable of potentially harmful from the space, such as wires that could be chewed.

Cats are heavily reliant on their sense of smell and will settle much quicker if their new environment smells familiar. There are a few ways you can obtain a familiar scent to assist with the transition, if you plan ahead:

You will be provided with a blanket that has the scent from their litter-mates. They have been sleeping on for the past 2 weeks.

The essentials you’ll need for your new cat’s first day and night:

• One food bowl for wet food and one for dry food
• One water bowl
• Food and water (what they are eating currently)
• A soft, warm and comfortable bed
• A litter tray and litter (same system as what we use is best)
• A cat carrier (supplied by myself in your kitten pack)
• Toys 
• Blanket with litter-mates scent on it