Such early neutering does not appear to have any long-term health risks to cats, and may even be beneficial in male cats. Kittens are usually spayed or neutered at seven months of age, but kittens may be neutered as young as seven weeks (if large enough), especially in animal shelters. This FVRCP inoculation is usually given at eight, twelve, and sixteen weeks, and an inoculation against rabies may be given at sixteen weeks. The usual combination vaccination protects against feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR), feline calicivirus (C), and feline panleukopenia (P). Healthĭomestic kittens in developed societies are usually vaccinated against common illnesses from two to three months of age.
#NEWBORN ORANGE TABBY KITTENS FULL#
A cat reaches full "adulthood" around one year of age. Kittens generally reach sexual maturity at around seven months old. In many jurisdictions, it is illegal to give away kittens younger than eight weeks of age. Usually, breeders and foster/rescue homes will not sell or adopt out a kitten that is younger than twelve weeks. ĭomestic kittens are commonly sent to new homes at six to eight weeks of age, but it has been suggested that being with their mother and litter-mates from six to twelve weeks is important for a kitten's social and behavioural development. This often leads to broken bones, burns, heat stroke, damaged internal organs or death. Cats have a habit of seeking refuge under or inside cars or on top of car tires during stormy or cold weather. Kittens are vulnerable because they like to find dark places to hide, sometimes with fatal results if they are not watched carefully. Play with other kittens peaks in the third or fourth month after birth, with more solitary hunting and stalking play peaking later, at about five months. Kittens are highly social animals and spend most of their waking hours interacting with available animals and playing on their own. Another marked difference is the distance between anus and urethral opening, which is greater in males than in females. The male's urethral opening is round, whereas the female's urethral opening is a slit. By six to eight weeks this becomes harder because of the growth of fur in the genital region. The sex of kittens is usually easy to determine at birth. Some mother cats will scatter their kittens as early as three months of age, while others continue to look after them until they approach sexual maturity. Kittens live primarily on solid food after weaning, but usually continue to suckle from time to time until separated from their mothers. Kittens generally begin to lose their baby teeth around three months of age, and they have a complete set of adult teeth by nine months.
As they reach three to four weeks old, the kittens are gradually weaned and begin to eat solid food, with weaning usually complete by six to eight weeks. Later, the mother demonstrates hunting techniques for the kittens to emulate. These innate skills are developed by the kittens' mother or other adult cats, who bring live prey to the nest. They learn to wash themselves and others as well as play hunting and stalking games, showing their inborn ability as predators. Their coordination and strength improve, and they play-fight with their litter-mates and begin to explore the world outside the nest or den. Kittens develop very quickly from about two weeks of age until their seventh week. Kittens cannot see as well as adult cats until about ten weeks after birth. At first, the retina is poorly developed and vision is poor.
Kittens open their eyes about seven to ten days after birth. As mentioned above, they cannot urinate, so they have a very high requirement for fluids. This milk transfers antibodies to the kittens, which helps protect them against infectious diseases. The mother's milk is very important for the kittens' nutrition and proper growth. They also cannot regulate their body temperature for the first three weeks, so kittens born in temperatures less than 27 ☌ (81 ☏) can die from hypothermia if their mother does not keep them warm. įor the first several weeks, kittens cannot urinate or defecate without being stimulated by their mother. When they are born, kittens emerge in a sac called the amnion, which is bitten off and eaten by the mother cat. Kittens are typically born after a gestation lasting between 64 and 67 days, with an average length of 66 days. A pair of sibling kittens from the same litter at 11 weeks oldĪ feline litter usually consists of two to five kittens, but litters with one to more than ten are known.
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