Have you found yourself with a new kitten to take care of? In this post, you'll learn their needs will evolve as they grow, so you'll have to be able to tell how old they are. Our Perry vets discuss how to do this.
Why It's Important to Identify a Kitten's Age
If you've brought a new kitten home, knowing just how old it might be is vital to taking proper care of it. Since kittens' needs change so quickly, the requirements of a one-week-old kitten will be dramatically different than those of a four-week-old kitten.
How to Tell a Kitten's Age
While we will cover more detail later in this post, here are four simple steps you can follow to obtain reasonably accurate insight into your kitten's age.
1. Look at Their Teeth
You can examine your kitten's teeth to give you a clue as to how old they are.
A kitten's baby teeth will start to emerge when they are around three weeks old, and their permanent teeth will begin to come in when they are around three or four months old. The middle incisors are typically the first to come in around the 14-week mark, with the second and third incisors following at about 15 and 16 weeks.
Kitten teeth are exceptionally small, which makes it tricky to tell if their incisors are baby or permanent teeth. It's easiest to check their mouth periodically during this timeframe when you might be able to see some of their baby teeth and some permanent teeth, to compare their sizes. The baby teeth are somewhat smaller with pointed tips, while permanent teeth are a little wider with flat edges.
2. Check Your Kitten's Weight
A kitten's weight in pounds will roughly correspond to his age in months, and he will gain weight at a relatively predictable speed until he is about five months old. As long as a kitten is physically healthy, you can safely estimate that a one-pound kitten is about one month old and a three-pound kitten is about three months old.
3. Confirm Whether They Have Opened Their Eyes
Kittens are born with their eyes closed, and will open them once they reach about 10 days old.
4. Watch for Signs of Walking or Playing
Most kittens start to walk around three weeks of age, but it will take a little longer for their movements to become fully coordinated. You can be comfortable estimating a kitten who is walking pretty well and playing is at least one month old.
Development & Behavioral Milestones
To achieve the most accurate age estimate for your new kitten, you'll likely need to bring them to a vet for their first veterinary checkup. Here are some milestones you can watch for to estimate your kitten's age more accurately. Use this information like a "kitten age chart":
Newborn
- Their eyes are still closed, and their ears are folded.
- The umbilical cord is still attached.
- Nose and paws may be pink in color.
- They are still unable to see or hear.
- They typically weigh between 50 – 150 grams.
- Body temperature is usually low, around 95 – 97 degrees.
One Week Old
- Their eyes still remain closed.
- The umbilical cord is no longer attached.
- At round the seven-day mark, their ear canals will begin to open.
- When they are around 8 – 12 days old, their eyes will gradually begin to open. Never try to pry open a kitten's eyes; allow this process to unfold on its own.
- By the time they are one week old, your kitten should have doubled his birth weight (to about 150 – 250 grams).
Two Weeks Old
- By this time, your kitten's eyes will be fully open and baby blue in color. His vision will still be developing.
- The ear canals will be open and the ears will appear small and rounded, similar to a baby bear cub.
- While your kitten will be wobbly on their feet, they will start trying to develop their coordination and movement.
- Your kitten should now weigh anywhere between 350 – 350 grams.
Three Weeks Old
- At three weeks of age, a kitten's first teeth will begin to erupt. The tiny teeth at the front of the mouth called the incisors, will start to poke through the gums.
- Three-week-old kittens will have ears that point upwards.
- At this age, kittens will be walking, exploring their surroundings, and even beginning to explore their litter box.
- The average kitten should weigh from 350-450 grams.
Four Weeks Old
- Your kitten's teeth will continue to develop and by this time their canine teeth will start to poke through the gums.
- Four-week-old kittens will be confidently exploring and developing more coordination that allows them to walk, run, and even begin to play.
- Your kitten should still weigh anywhere from 350-450 grams or roughly 1 pound.
Five Weeks Old
- The premolars will start to emerge, indicating that a kitten is ready to be introduced to weaning onto wet food.
- Your kitten should now weigh roughly 550-650 grams.
Six Weeks Old
- At six weeks of age, a kitten's deciduous teeth will have fully emerged, and she will typically be perfecting her weaning onto wet food.
- At this stage, your kitten can weigh 650-750 grams.
Seven Weeks Old
- At seven weeks, kittens will have all of their baby teeth. Most seven-week-old kittens will be fully weaned onto wet food.
- At this age, the adult eye color will begin to emerge. Kittens' eyes will change from baby blue to the eye color they will keep permanently. Kittens with grey, green, or yellow eyes are likely 7 weeks or older.
- They will weigh around 750-850 grams.
Eight Weeks Old
- At eight weeks old, most kittens will be eating independently.
- Kittens of this age will have their permanent adult eye color.
- Your kitten should weigh about 850-950 grams or roughly 2 pounds.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.