The first eight weeks of a kitten’s lifeare a whirlwind of developmental changes. As newborns, kittens are defenseless,blind, and fit in the palm of your hand. But by 8 weeks of age, they’rerunning, playing, and looking like miniature cats.

Each week, the kitten will have differentneeds in terms of feeding, bathroom help, medical support, and warmth. It’simportant to know how to identify a kitten’s age, as this determines whatcare the kitten needs and whether the kitten is developing normally.

Here’s what you need to know about thedevelopmental milestones of a kitten’s first eight weeks of life.

Kitten Age Chart

Newborn Kittens

Averageweight: 1.8–5.3 ounces (50–150 grams)

Physical Development

Newborn kittens will have their eyes closedand their ears folded. They will have no teeth and their gums, nose, and pawsmay appear bright pink in color. They do not yet have a gag reflex or theability to thermoregulate.

The umbilical cord will be attached andwill fall off on its own around 4 to 5 days of age. Their claws will benon-retractable.

At this age, they cannot hear or see; theycan only navigate the world around them through scent and through seekingwarmth and comfort.

Behavioral Development

Newborns will sleep for the majority of theday. Newborn kittens cannot defend themselves or walk, but they may be able tomove around by crawling. A healthy newborn will wiggle and meow if handled.

Average Temperature

A kitten’s temperature should be 95–97degrees Fahrenheit at birth. It is critical to provide a gentle heat source tokeep the kitten warm and stable. The kitten's environment should be keptbetween 85–90 degrees at this time.

Care

Newborn kittens belong with their motherfull-time. The mother will provide them with food, cleaning, warmth, andbathroom support.

If no mother is present, they must be fedwith a bottle and kitten formula every two hours by a knowledgeablecaregiver, stimulated to go to the bathroom, and kept at an appropriatetemperature.

1-Week-Old Kittens

Averageweight: 5.3–8.8 ounces (150–250 grams). By 1 week of age, thekitten should have roughly doubled their birth weight.

Physical Development

One-week-old kittens will still have theireyes closed, but no umbilical cord. They will still have no teeth, and theirclaws will still be non-retractable. At around 7 days old, the ear canalswill slowly begin to open and the ears will slightly unfold.

At 8–12 days old, the eyes will slowlybegin to open, which can occur over the course of several days. One eye mayopen more quickly than the other; it’s important to let the kitten’s eyes openat their own pace. All kittens will be born with blue eyes, which willtransition to an adult eye color with age.

Behavioral Development

One-week-old kittens, though larger thannewborns, will still be mostly uncoordinated and will similarly sleep forthe majority of the day. At this age, they should be able to hold their headup, move by wiggling their limbs, and be active and vocal if handled.

Average Temperature

At this age, kittens should be 97–98degrees F. It is critical to provide a gentle heat source to keep the kittenwarm and stable. The kitten's environment should be kept around 85degrees at this time.

Care

One-week-old kittens belong with theirmother full-time. If no mother is present, they must be fed with a bottle andkitten formula every two to three hours by a knowledgeable caregiver,stimulated to go to the bathroom, and kept an appropriate temperature.

2-Week-Old Kittens

Averageweight: 8.8–12.3 ounces (250–350 grams)

Physical Development

At 2 weeks of age, kittens' eyes will befully open and baby blue. Their vision will be poor, and they will not beable to see at long distances. The ear canals will be open, and the ears willbe small and rounded, like a bear cub.

If you open the kitten’s mouth, you willfind that there are still no teeth. Their claws will still be non-retractable.

Behavioral Development

Two-week-old kittens are becoming morecoordinated and will be beginning to attempt their first steps. But they willbe wobbly on their feet and uncoordinated.

Kittens at this age may exhibit somecuriosity about the world around them, will not yet be playing, and will spendthe majority of their time sleeping.

Average Temperature

Kittens should be 98–99 degrees F. It iscritical to provide a gentle heat source to keep the kitten warm and stable.The kitten's environment should be kept around 80 degrees at this time.

Care

Two-week-old kittens belong with theirmother full-time. If no mother is present, they must be fed with a bottle andkitten formula every three to four hours by a knowledgeable caregiver,stimulated to go to the bathroom, and kept an appropriate temperature.Two-week-old kittens may begin a dewormer.

3-Week-Old Kittens

Averageweight: 12.3–15.9 ounces (350–450 grams)

Physical Development

At 3 weeks of age, kittens will have blueeyes and small ears that are beginning to point upward, like a miniature cat.The kitten’s vision and hearing will be slowly improving.

At this age, a kitten's first babyteeth will begin to emerge. The tiny teeth at the front of the mouth, calledthe incisors, will start to come through the gums. Kittens will slowly beginretracting their claws.

Behavioral Development

At this age, kittens will be walking,exploring their surroundings, and even beginning to explorethe litter box. They may begin to become curious about cat toys,though they are not yet able to run or chase after moving objects.

They will sleep frequently and may beginsome small self-grooming behaviors. During this week, their coordination willbe improving rapidly.

Average Temperature

Three-week-old kittens will be 99–100degrees F. They still require a heat source but will be more active and maystray from it when not sleeping. The kitten's environment should be around 75degrees at this time.

Care

Three-week-old kittens belong with theirmother full-time. If no mother is present, they must be fed with a bottle andkitten formula every four to five hours by a knowledgeable caregiver. Introducea shallow cat litter box with a non-clumping litter, and monitor themto make sure they don’t try to eat the litter.

4-Week-Old Kittens

Averageweight: 15.9 ounces–1.2 pounds (450–550 grams)

Physical Development

At 4 weeks of age, kittens will have muchimproved vision and hearing. The kitten's teeth will continue to develop; thelong teeth next to the incisors, called the canine teeth, will start to comethrough the gums. Their claws will be retractable.

Behavioral Development

Four-week-old kittens will be confidentlyexploring and developing more coordination that allows them to walk, run, andeven begin to play. With their improved senses, they will be notably moreresponsive, making frequent eye contact with caregivers and reacting to sightsand sounds in the environment.

Their grooming skills may still be limitedbut improving. They will be starting to use a litter box.

Average Temperature

Four-week-old kittens will be 99–101degrees F. Continue providing a heat source, although they will likely use itonly when resting. The kitten's environment should stay comfortably warm andnever colder than 70–75 degrees.

Care

Four-week-old kittens belong with theirmother full-time. Orphans of this age should be bottle fed every five hours,including overnight. Four-week-old kittens will generally be using the litterbox and can begin to be introduced to toys.

5-Week-Old Kittens

Averageweight: 1.2–1.4 pounds (550–650 grams)

Physical Development

At 5 weeks of age, a kitten's baby teethwill continue to develop and the premolars will start to emerge. Their eyeswill be blue, ears will be growing and pointed, and claws will be retractable.

Behavioral Development

Five-week-old kittens will be running andplaying confidently. They will be developing social skills with humans andother animals. Their grooming skills will be improving. They will haveperfected their use of the litter box by this age.

Average Temperature

Kittens will be 100-101 degrees F at thisage. A heating source is no longer required as long as the environment is acomfortable temperature of 70–75 degrees.

Care

Five-week-old kittens, if healthy,may begin the weaning process. Kittens should receive ample “slurry”or kitten wet food, in addition to access to their mother’s milk or,if orphaned, a bottle.

If weaned, food and water should beprovided at all times. Always provide supplemental feeding and ensure that thekitten is maintaining a healthy weight and body condition during weaning.Provide a shallow litter box at all times.

6-Week-Old Kittens

Averageweight: 1.4–1.7 pounds (650–750 grams)

Physical Development

At 6 weeks of age, a kitten's baby teethwill begin to reach their final stage of early development. The molars willstart to emerge. The eyes will still be blue, and vision and hearing will befully developed.

Behavioral Development

Six-week-old kittens will be socializingconfidently with peers, play-fighting, pouncing, and defending themselves. Theywill be curious about their surroundings and eager to explore. They will beperfecting their grooming skills. Six-week-old kittens are becoming coordinatedenough to jump off short furniture and land on their feet.

Average Temperature

Six-week-old kittens will be 100–101degrees F. At this age, a heating source is no longer required as long as theenvironment is a comfortable temperature of 70–75 degrees.

Care

Kittens at this age should be receivingample kitten wet food, though they might not be completely weaned yet. Provideaccess to water, food, and a shallow litter box at all times. At six weeks,kittens can receive their first FVRCP vaccine to protect them againstviruses (rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia).

7-Week-Old Kittens

Averageweight: 1.7–1.9 pounds (750–850 grams)

Physical Development

All baby teeth will be present at 7 weeksof age. The kitten’s eye color will be changing, and the adult eye color willbegin to emerge. Male kittens’ testicles may begin to descend around 7 weeks.

Behavioral Development

Seven-week-old kittens will experience aspike in energy. Sleep will decrease and time spent playing will increase. Atthis age, kittens are able to run, climb cat trees, and confidently jumpoff of furniture.

Average Temperature

Seven-week-old kittens will be 100–101degrees F. At this age, a heating source is no longer required as long as theenvironment is a comfortable temperature of 70–75 degrees.

Care

Kittens should receive ample kitten wetfood, and may have kitten dry food as a supplement. Provide access towater, food, and a shallow litter box at all times.

8-Week-Old Kittens

Averageweight: 1.9–2.1 pounds (850–950 grams)

Physical Development

All baby teeth will be present at 8 weeksof age. The eyes will be completely transitioned to their adult color of green,yellow, brown, or blue. The ears will be proportionate.

Behavioral Development

Eight-week-old kittens will be energeticand independent. Their agility and coordination will be nearly fully developed.

Average Temperature

Kittens at this age will be 100–101 degreesF. A heating source is no longer required as long as the environment is acomfortable temperature of 70–75 degrees.

Care

Kittens should receive access to canned anddry kitten food three to four times per day, and they can receive the bulk oftheir calories from dry food if they choose. Provide access to water and ashallow litter box at all times.

If two weeks have passed since their firstFVRCP vaccine, kittens may receive a booster at this time. If the kitten hasnot been dewormed, oral dewormer can be administered. It is also a good idea tohave a fecal test run to check for internal parasites.

At this age, if they are 2 pounds andhealthy, they may be spayed/neutered, microchipped, and adopted.

When Is a Cat Fully Grown?

Cats are typically considered fully grownat about 9 months of age, when their adult canine teeth (the fang teeth) havegrown in and they have reached their mature size, which averages 8–10pounds.

At this stage, they will still have a lotof energy and kitten behaviors, such as climbing furniture and chasing feet,but physically they’re well on their way to maturity.