Kitten Stages of Growth

Kittens go through specific stages of growth when they are born. As so many of them are found each year I thought it important to outline what those stages are as the growth stages of every different breed of cat   (except when it comes to eye color) is the same.

On average a newborn kitten weighs about three ounces. Each day it gains about a half an ounce muscle, bone and other tissues to do with the development of organs and body systems. Like human babies, kittens are born with blue eyes that change color. However unlike human babies they are born with their eyes closed. The kittens eyes open around 7th to 14th day of the month. Don’t be distressed if one of the cat’s eye’s opens before another. One eye can be open for as long as a week before another.

Usually both of the kitten’s eyes are fully wide opening by the time the cat is two weeks old. It is normal for the kitten’s ears to look odd as soon as it is born.

The ears might look as if they are pinned flat against the cat’s had. In the second or third week, the kitten’s outer ears perk up and adopt the pert triangular shape.

 By the third week, the kitten starts to crawl. He or she should be walking and running around by the fourth or fifth week. At this stage, the mother cat usually teaches her kittens how to use the litter box. The cat will also be very naturally curious and clown like.

 By the sixth week, a kitten’s retractable claws are in good working order. They are born with the claws extended. A six-week-old kitten will already have keen sense of smell and sight. At this time, the kitten will display an ability to groom itself and no longer need the mother to keep him or her clean. The sixth week is also the week when the kitten’s baby teeth grow in. This is a clear cue that the kitten is ready to eat solid food.

At 8 weeks of age, kittens will start to lose the natural immunities they have received from suckling their mother’s milk. This is the best time to begin vaccinating them, and will allow their own immune systems to mount a proper response to the vaccinations.

At around 10 to 12 weeks of age, kitten’s blue eyes begin to turn to the color they are meant to be , usually yellow or amber. However, eye color can vary tremendously from breed to breed. In some breeds full eye color pigmentation may not be achieved until the cat is a one or two years old. At four months of age, the kitten loses baby teeth and may begin teething. For the next eight months the teeth will grow in.

The kitten can officially be called an adolescent from the age of 6 months to 1 year, and by the eighth month, this teenager will develop sexual behaviors such as calling, mounting and possibly. This is why it is very important that to have your female spayed or your male neutered at around four months.

Pet Blog
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Can You Trust a Child With a Pet?

Acquiring a pet in order to teach a child responsibility about animals is the absolutely worst reason to adopt a pet. You wouldn’t give a seven year old a human baby to look after so why would you do the same with a canine baby? Still people get it in their heads that when it comes to teaching children how to be responsible that a new puppy is the ideal way to do it.

 Puppies are more than educational tools. They are living creatures with feelings and needs and should not be part of any experiment when it comes to the development of your child’s character.  

Perhaps the biggest misconception that people have about pets is that they can look after themselves and that ,mother nature can take its course., This is simply the worst attitude you can take towards your new animal. All dogs need health care and some measure of training.   A child is not really capable of giving that to a new pet.  

Technically you are both the parent of the dog (or cat) and the child so you must always keep an eye on both to make sure that the child is doing the basic things required to keep the pet happy including taking him for a walk or changing a litter box.  You should also never let a pet be used as part of a power struggle between you and your child. For instance, if your child neglects to take the dog outside or empty the litter box you should do it yourself.   You should not wait days for your child to get around to doing it as the personality that is going to suffer the most in this situation is the animal.   Both dogs and cats will hold their bladders and give themselves infections if they are not taken out or have a place to go to the bathroom. Of course, it should go without saying that even a worse fate can await a dog or cat that is not fed or given water for days on end because they are in the care of a responsible child.  

Remember too that if your child somehow injures the dog or gets bored with it that it is your responsibility to take care of it or find a good home for it.  

When selecting a dog it might be of some value to look at why a dog should choose you for an owner rather than at ,what’s in it for the dog.,   This can also help you decide what type of breed is best. For instance if you have a large yard to offer, you could afford a larger breed than most people.   Most of all try to stay away from pets that are notorious for not likening children such as Chihuahuas and Dalmatians.  When it comes to dogs usually a bigger dog is better for children. They are harder to injure and tend to be more affectionate. Avoid high-strung cats like Siamese if you are looking for a member of the feline family for your child to take care of.

Pet Blog
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