Rescue - Kitten 101

Kitten 101: Newborn to 8 weeks old

We congratulate you on adopting a kitten! Here’s our gift to you from us: a kitten guide and all you need to know about kitten care.

Cat Haven Rescue | Published on October 9, 2023

“Image by Jan-Mallander from Pixabay”

Caring for Kittens

We love kittens! They are adorable and fun fur-balls of fun!

If you are interested in adopting a kitten then keep reading.

How to Care for a Newborn Kitten

First, we want to give newborn information if you have newborn kitties in your care. Cats are born with their ears and eyes closed. At this stage in their lives, they are very vulnerable and rely on mama cat for food and comfort. Provide a safe, warm, and clean living space for mama and her babies. Continue to care for mama as she cares for her young. This will last for about 4 weeks.

In the event that you have newborn kittens and no mama, you will need to provide the food and comfort for the newborn events to keep them safe and alive. Ensure that the kitties are warm. Warmth is very important-- kittens can not regulate their body temperature at this time. Use blankets and/or a heated lamp. Contact a veterinarian or animal shelter to see if they have milk replacer formula for the kittens to eat.

Kittens from birth to 8 Weeks

The care for your kitten is based on the age of the kitten.

It can be a little difficult to determine the age of a kitten, so we provided a chart to help you!

“Image by Kitten Lady via Kitten Lady website.”

One Week Old Kitten

Kittens who are 1 week old have open eyes. They are looking looking around and starting to notice their surroundings. Their ears are starting to unfold and open up. Their weight is about double the size.

Two Week Old Kitten

Kittens develop their sense of smell around this time. Their ears are opening up more. You may see your kitten start to crawl. They will flip and flop over as they try to move around the area. Be sure to clean their fecal waste and to bring new bedding. Always keep the kittens warm if mama is not around.

Three Week Old Kitten

The third week is here and you can start sexing (determine the gender) your kittens. You can introduce them to wet food (canned, soft kitten food) since they have teeth now. We still recommend bottle feeding kittens if there is no mother. They will eat more than before so make sure you feed regularly, four to five times per day. They will weigh about 15 ounces.

Kittens at this age are also walking more and wobbling less. This means you can start litter box training in an accessible box with unscented litter.

Four Week Old Kitten

Your kitten is starting to look more like a cat. They can play with toys, people, and their siblings. This is a perfect time to jump in and social with your cats to desenitize them to you and their surroundings. Pet your kitten to get them use to your touch. Be careful, they may nibble your fingers due to their playful energy.

The ears are perked up, they have better balance, and their coat is thicker. You may see their canine teeth emerge.

Five Week Old Kitten

Spunk. Personality. Play.

Your kitten will start to show off his/her personality. Your kitten’s eyesight have matured, and their world has changed. Play and socialization are essential at this time. Tired your kittens and fulfill their needs by playing with them: lasers, toys, cat grass, flirt poles, watching birds and cars through the window, etc).

Do not be discouraged if your five week old kittens still nurse on their mother. Work with them every day by introducing wet, soft food. Soon, they will be eating completely on their own.

Six Week Old Kitten

Your kitten should be using the litter box and eating more solid food. You can see more behavior and play in your kitten. They will hide, stalk, pounce, and bounce. Six-week old kittens can get carried away with play and will require training. Give your kittens lots of toys for enrichments, perhaps a cat wheel or a simple flirt pole with a toy attached at the end of the rope will do the trick. It’s important to let your kitten know what they can play with and what they can not-- such as hands, feet, and furniture.

Seven Week Old Kitten

You will continue to see your kitten be playful. Continue to play and introduce your kitty to different smells, toys, and people.

You can also try introducing them to other pets, if you are interested. Remember to gradually introduce your kittens to different situations. We wouldn’t want to overwhelm them.

Eight Week Old Kitten

You kitten has grown so much since birth! This is the age where kittens are typically available for adoption and seeking adoptive homes. They are independent and not reliant on their mother.

Your kitten will be about (2) two to (3) three pounds and is heavy enough to undergo a spay or neuter.

“Image by Joann Elle at Getty Images.”

“Image by Tsekhmister at Getty Images”.

side view of a walking bengal cat kitten, six weeks old, isolate

“Image by Eric Isselee from Life on White”.

Exclamation Mark Sign Warning About An Emergency

We recommend familiarizing your kitten with grooming and regular nail trimming.

Prepare Your Home for a Kitten

Kitty proofing your home might save you the headache. Kitties are still learning the rules and their daily routine. We encourage adopters to prep their home for their kitten, and here is what you can do:

Place an uncovered litter box in an easily accessible area away from the kitten’s place of sleep and feed.
Provide toys and an area big enough for playing with your kitten.

Flirt poles
Balls with bells
Wands with feathers at the end
Puzzles

Add a bed for your kitten to sleep comfortably and safely.
Your kitten will need places to hide away from anything that might frighten them. Give them a box, tower, basket, or a separate room they can enter and leave easily.
High and low places: Cat are either tree climbers-- cats that like to climb above their environment, or to be up high, or they are bush dwellers-- cats that like to be on the ground and hide in nooks and crannies. Provide your cats with both options to see which suits them best. This is great for them to exercise and to have designated areas to relax. Here’s a list of furniture you can buy for your cat’s enrichment:

Cat towers of different sizes
Cat hammocks
Shelves build into the walls or any cat wall furniture
Cat beds
Cat scratch towers and scratchers for the wall
Simple blanket on the floor or couch
Tunnels
Playpens

Fresh wet food and moving water (a cat water fountain)

Always supervise when your cats play with toys, especially when playing with feathers-- cats often choke if ingested.

Two are better than one

If you are thinking about adopting a kitten, we recommend adopting two.

Kittens are at a stage in their life where they are learning new concepts and adapting to their environment. We highly enocurage pet owners to adopt two kittens instead of one. This may save you from hardships.

Having two kittens in your home, you create an opportunity for the two kittens to learn from one another. You reduce feelings of loneliness and stress.

A lone kitten can be more trouble than you think. By not having a second cat, your kitten may get severely bored and find trouble (e.g. chewing wires, scratching furniture, tearing clothes, paper, or tissue, and breaking objects.

Adjusting to the environment: 333 rule

Cats are territorial. Whether you are adopting from a breeder or rescuing a kitten from shelter/rescue, all cats need to adjust to their surroundings.

We follow the 333 (3-3-3) Rule. This rule is used to help owners help their animals cope with any stress or anxiety that they may have by decompressing when moving into a new home.

It is broken down into (3) three sections: 3 days, 3 weeks, and 3 months.

3 Days

For the first (3) three days, give your kitten some space. Set healthy boundaries. Your kitten will need time alone to decompress and explore their surroundings. Don’t force your kitten to do anything they don’t want to do. Start your planned routine with your kitten immediately.

3 Weeks

After 3 weeks, your kitten will feel more comfortable. At this time, you may try to test boundaries. Engage in play; use flirt poles and wands to create some kind of distance. If your kitten does not engage, do not force them. Speak to your kitten. Give praise and some chin scratches, if you can, when they loosen up and approach you. Never run up to your kitten; let them come to you.

3 Months

You have made it to 3 months! Congrats!

Your kitten should be more comfortable at home and following their routine. Your kitten may meow when you call their name or when you approach them. You should be able to pet your kitten without an issue. If your kitten is not completely comfortable do not get discouraged. Love is kind and love is surely patient.

Continue to give affection and to respect boundaries, and mostly, enjoy spending time with your kitten!