The first 6 weeks of kitten development: A comprehensive week-by-week guide
News Desk | Apr 07, 2025, 15:20 IST
Understanding kitten development in the first 6 weeks is essential for proper care. During this period, kittens grow rapidly—opening their eyes, developing motor skills, and beginning to explore their surroundings. They transition from nursing to solid food, and socialization becomes key. This stage lays the foundation for healthy behavior, making early support vital for lifelong well-being.
You will be fascinated to know the kitten’s development in the first week is incredibly fast. From blind, helpless newborns to curious, playful fluffballs, these kittens undergo rapid changes in the first 6 weeks of their development.
Whether you are a pet parent, foster caregiver or simply inquisitive to know the development stages of a kitten, this guide is just for you. Watching them grow week by week strengthens your bond with these furry pets. Let us take a more closer look.
Week 1
In the first week, your newborn kitten is like a tiny baby. Their concentration will be on feeding. Other physical changes are taking place simultaneously as they continue to grow.
Most of the time, they sleep, with some occasional twitching, which is a sign of healthy maturing. Their senses are not fully developed. In the first week, they are blind and deaf, rely mostly on touch and smell. Even their eyes start to open around days 7 - 10. With very little mobility, they can only scoot around using their front legs. Since their senses are not that active, they mostly rely on their touch and smell. Monitoring their weight is necessary in the first week, and keeping a check on their feeding schedule is of utmost importance.
Week 2
Astonishingly, your kitten grows by at the very least 10 grams per day. Finally, the kitten's sense of smell starts to develop more and more by the day, and it will also seem a little agitated; it might even hiss at unfamiliar odors. Their ears start to unfold and become more upright eventually. They eventually start responding to sounds and touch more often than before. Although the sleeping pattern continues. Remember to protect your kitten from bright lights as their pupils don’t dilate completely. It is also possible to determine the sex of your kitten by this time; always consult a vet before making any presumptions.
Week 3
Senses start to develop in week 3. Visible baby teeth and eyesight, hearing starts to improve significantly. Their ear canals are said to be open completely. They start to socialize with others and will want to explore their surroundings more. Their mobility improves, legs are a bit shaky, but they want to explore more. The weaning process typically begins around this week, you can introduce them to wet food, make sure they consume fresh water. As they grow, they start to rely solely on milk for nourishment.
Week 4
By this time, their depth perception increases, and their sense of smell is fully developed. Canines start to come in. their walk becomes more steady eventually. They might start showing interest in solid food or formula gruel. Motor skill enhancement begins at this age. Placing toys within their reach will help them grow and develop skills. Gentle encouragement is the key. A steady increase indicates a healthy development. Expose your kitten to various household items, and let them adapt to their surroundings; this will ensure positive interactions with humans.
Week 5
At five weeks old, they will need to be trained to litter in the box. They need a smaller, separate box that allows easy entry and exit. This is a critical period, these playful interactions will teach them vital life skills such as biting and getting to know their surroundings. Health-wise, some kittens may have their vet check-up and vaccinations this particular week. Week 5 is a truly fun week, full of play, learning and growing independence. This week, they become increasingly curious about humans, too.
Week 6
Kittens starts to run, pounce and leap. Keep in mind, if the kittens are not familiar with humans by the sixth week, their growth and development is a long process. Such a cat can never be a “lap cat”. Their social development is in full swing now. Veterinary care becomes more important during week 6. Vaccination rounds start for kittens, including protection against feline distemper and upper respiratory infections. If you have kept their names, they may start to recognise those and eventually will become familiar.
By nurturing these kittens in these early weeks of their development with proper nutrition, gentle handling and lots of love, you help lay the foundation for an extremely healthy and confident adult cat.
Discover expert advice and the latest tips on pet care, training, health, and more. Stay updated with all things pets at Times Pets!
Whether you are a pet parent, foster caregiver or simply inquisitive to know the development stages of a kitten, this guide is just for you. Watching them grow week by week strengthens your bond with these furry pets. Let us take a more closer look.
Week 1
In the first week, your newborn kitten is like a tiny baby. Their concentration will be on feeding. Other physical changes are taking place simultaneously as they continue to grow.
Most of the time, they sleep, with some occasional twitching, which is a sign of healthy maturing. Their senses are not fully developed. In the first week, they are blind and deaf, rely mostly on touch and smell. Even their eyes start to open around days 7 - 10. With very little mobility, they can only scoot around using their front legs. Since their senses are not that active, they mostly rely on their touch and smell. Monitoring their weight is necessary in the first week, and keeping a check on their feeding schedule is of utmost importance.
Kitten growth guide
Week 2
Astonishingly, your kitten grows by at the very least 10 grams per day. Finally, the kitten's sense of smell starts to develop more and more by the day, and it will also seem a little agitated; it might even hiss at unfamiliar odors. Their ears start to unfold and become more upright eventually. They eventually start responding to sounds and touch more often than before. Although the sleeping pattern continues. Remember to protect your kitten from bright lights as their pupils don’t dilate completely. It is also possible to determine the sex of your kitten by this time; always consult a vet before making any presumptions.
Week 3
Senses start to develop in week 3. Visible baby teeth and eyesight, hearing starts to improve significantly. Their ear canals are said to be open completely. They start to socialize with others and will want to explore their surroundings more. Their mobility improves, legs are a bit shaky, but they want to explore more. The weaning process typically begins around this week, you can introduce them to wet food, make sure they consume fresh water. As they grow, they start to rely solely on milk for nourishment.
Kitten care guide
Week 4
By this time, their depth perception increases, and their sense of smell is fully developed. Canines start to come in. their walk becomes more steady eventually. They might start showing interest in solid food or formula gruel. Motor skill enhancement begins at this age. Placing toys within their reach will help them grow and develop skills. Gentle encouragement is the key. A steady increase indicates a healthy development. Expose your kitten to various household items, and let them adapt to their surroundings; this will ensure positive interactions with humans.
Week 5
At five weeks old, they will need to be trained to litter in the box. They need a smaller, separate box that allows easy entry and exit. This is a critical period, these playful interactions will teach them vital life skills such as biting and getting to know their surroundings. Health-wise, some kittens may have their vet check-up and vaccinations this particular week. Week 5 is a truly fun week, full of play, learning and growing independence. This week, they become increasingly curious about humans, too.
First 6 weeks of Kitten Development
Week 6
Kittens starts to run, pounce and leap. Keep in mind, if the kittens are not familiar with humans by the sixth week, their growth and development is a long process. Such a cat can never be a “lap cat”. Their social development is in full swing now. Veterinary care becomes more important during week 6. Vaccination rounds start for kittens, including protection against feline distemper and upper respiratory infections. If you have kept their names, they may start to recognise those and eventually will become familiar.
By nurturing these kittens in these early weeks of their development with proper nutrition, gentle handling and lots of love, you help lay the foundation for an extremely healthy and confident adult cat.
- What should a 6-week-old kitten be doing?
Their care is now easier for their parents. They can groom themselves and can use litter boxes now. Around this time kittens are very active and playful. - At what age do kittens start seeing clearly?
They begin to open their eyes around 7-10 days. By 8 weeks, their vision is close to that of an adult. - What is the normal behavior of a newborn kitten?
Newborn kittens have very specific behaviour. They are sleeping most of the time, they require feeding 2-3 times, and they like to make soft noises.
Discover expert advice and the latest tips on pet care, training, health, and more. Stay updated with all things pets at Times Pets!