Kitten Development Stages

Week 1

Kittens are born completely blind and defenceless. Their first few days are crucial as the mother's milk is rich in colustrum which is a thick, creamy liquid that is rich in antibodies that boost the kitten's immune system

Week 2

The kitten's eyes will open, although they will still appear a little clouded. It will now 'hiss' less when it smells a stranger. Their development begins to gather pace.

Weeks 3-4

Kittens begin to explore the world around them. and play with each other.

Weeks 5-7

Now is a good time to introduce kittens in a litter to a litter tray in preparation for the weaning process.

Week 7

A cat will now feed her kittens a little less during this week, so the kittens need to be weaned onto solid food. Make sure you have a litter tray nearby!

Week 8

Some kittens are separated from their mothers during this week. However, ten weeks is a much better time for this to happen.

Week 9

Kittens will start to play much more aggressively with each other as they begin to prepare for the bumps and scrapes of life as an adult cat.

Week 10

A kitten can be safely separated from its mother at week 10 and can also be innoculated or vaccinated. Kittens should not be allowed outside, however, until the vaccination period is complete. Your vet will be able to tell you how long this period will be. Expect it to be around a fortnight to three weeks until the kitten has completed the vaccination period.

Week 14

Kittens will begin to act like adult cats now. Their play is less aggressive and their vaccinations will also have taken effect. Your kitten is now ready to begin to explore the world outside your home. Your kitten is effectively now an independent juvenile cat.

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Pet Health Insurance aims to give you as much information as possible about pet insurance and why you should have it for your pet. We have gathered together links to many of the top online pet insurers but we do not provide or endorse any particular product or make recommendations in any way. Please ensure that the pet insurance product that you purchase from any online provider meets your needs and that the provider is correctly regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).