Kittens: articles, photos and videos of small kittens
We know i kittens: all the information on how to welcome a new kitten into your home, behaviour, what to feed it, how to keep it healthy with articles, insights, images and videos of small kittens of all breeds and foundlings.
At around seven days old, very young kittens’ ears will open and their eyes may begin to open, although their vision is still blurry. They have doubled their birth weight to around 210-240 grams and become more aware of their surroundings.
Characteristics
| Weight: | 210-240 grams |
|---|---|
| Teeth: | without teeth |
| Eyes: | They can start to open up |
| Ears: | they can start to open |
| Dimensions: | Smaller than a hand |
Behavior
As the days pass from their birth, the kittens become more and more aware of their surroundings but it is easy to find them curled up to find warmth and comfort and they are rarely away from their mother or their human. They sleep most of the time.
Care And Cleaning
Small newborn kittens up to four weeks of age require one constant care 24 hours on 24. Clean them with a warm, damp cloth every time they finish eating, but be careful not to wet them too much or immerse them in water otherwise they will catch a cold. Make sure you always dry your kitten completely with a hair dryer (low heat) and a clean towel.
Diet
Until they are 10 days old, newborn kittens should be fed every two hours, 24 hours a day. Once the kittens are over 10 days old, they can eat every 3-4 hours. Use kitten-specific bottles to feed them milk replacer for small kittens, which can be purchased at most pet stores. Make sure you don’t give your kitten adult cat milk, cow’s milk, or goat’s milk, as it could cause life-threatening diarrhea. Read here which milk to give to kittens.
Feed the kittens by tilting the bottle. After they finish eating you will need to burp them: put them on their shoulder and pat their back very gently until they do.
Find out when it’s time to wean the kittens.
How To Keep Them Warm
Newborn kittens cannot control their body temperature until they are at least three weeks old and they get cold very easily which can be dangerous. Keep kitty warm with clean bedding and if you don’t have anything on hand, use your body heat to warm a kitten and pet it gently to promote blood circulation.
Keep little kitties warm by building a comfortable shelter such as a box with a clean blanket and a bottle of warm water, but make sure they have enough room to get away from the heat if they want to.
How To Make Them Urinate And Defecate
Young kittens under four weeks of age need to be stimulated to go to the bathroom after each feeding: the mother cat uses her tongue to do this, but we humans can use a warm, moistened cotton ball, tissue or washcloth to gently stimulate the kitten’s anal area. Induce this bowel movement in the kitten once or twice a day and if you notice that the puppy has problems urinating or defecating, do not hesitate to consult your trusted veterinarian!
Read more about helping a kitten defecate.
Socialization
Once the kittens are three to four weeks old, start letting them play indoors or outdoors and encourage socialization.
