Kitten Facts
Learn how to find out so many things about your kittens like their age, gender, and health. Let’s get started.
Determining Age
Its important to know the age of your kittens in order to help them.
Below is a chart of approximate kitten ages.
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Newborns
You can tell that a kitten was born recently because their ears are flattened against their head, their umbilical cords are still attached, and their eyes are closed.
One Week
By one week, a kittens umbilical cord should be off, their ears still flat against their heads, and their eyes should begin opening at around 8-10 days of age.
Two Weeks
At two weeks, the kitten’s eyes should be fully open and a bright blue shade. They might begin trying to walk, and it’s funny to watch them waddle around.
Three Weeks
At three weeks, a kitten’s ears begin to unfold and move away from the head. A few teeth begin to come in as well. They will also begin to explore the litter box and may start to play.
Four Weeks
At four weeks, a kitten begins to explore and is no longer wobbly on their feet. Their canines will join the other tiny teeth in their mouth, and their ears will be unfolded but rounded slightly. They may begin weaning onto wet food at this age as well.
Five Weeks
At five weeks, a few more teeth will come in and they will be weaning onto wet food if they haven’t been already.
Six Weeks
Almost all of a kittens teeth will be in their mouth at the age of six weeks. They are very fun and playful at this age.
Seven Weeks
Most, if not all, of the kittens teeth will be in their mouth at this point. Their true eye color will begin to show at this age, which is a really fun moment!
Eight Weeks
By now, a kitten should be around 2 pounds and ready to be spayed or neutered and adopted into their forever home!
Finding Out Gender
Of course, knowing the gender of a kitten is essential. Here is a step-by-step on how to find out if your kitten is a “he” or a “she”!
Finding Out Gender
-Turn the kitten on its back or lift its tail in order to see its genital area
-If the kitten is a boy, the genital should be closer to the belly (farther away from the rectum), and it should look somewhat like a raised oval or circle
-If the kitten is a girl, the genital should be very close to the rectum, and should be flat and look like a line
-If the kitten is a boy, the genital should be closer to the belly (farther away from the rectum), and it should look somewhat like a raised oval or circle
-If the kitten is a girl, the genital should be very close to the rectum, and should be flat and look like a line
Color Tricks
Some colors are common in males or females, while very rare in the other.
Calicos and torties are common in girls, while very rare in boys. Chances are, if you find a calico or tortie kitten, it’s a girl.
Even though it’s possible to have an orange female cat, it’s very uncommon and gingers are usually boys.
Researching Your Kitten’s Health
Obviously, you want your kitten to be healthy. Let’s discuss how to figure out if your kitten is sick.
“The Proof is in the Poop”
Although it may sound gross, poop is a very important feature to pay attention to. Poop can basically tell you how a kitten is doing on the inside. The perfect kitten poop should be not too soft, not too hard, but right in the middle. You never want to see runny poop or very hard poop, because it could mean your kitten is very sick. These things should be taken very seriously, and you should talk to a vet right away if you notice anything wrong with your kitten’s poop.
Activity and Behavior
When you are fostering a kitten, you probably know him/her pretty well and their personality. If you notice anything different about them that is concerning, go with your gut and call a vet. It could be a fluke, but it could save your kitten’s life.