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This article was co-written by Natalie Punt, DVM. Natalie Punt is a veterinarian, founder and CEO of mPet. She specializes in small animal emergency, general medicine and veterinary economics. Punt holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of California, Davis, a master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Buffalo, and a veterinarian degree from the Western University of Health Sciences.
There are 15 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
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If you recently found or adopted or inherited a kitten from someone, you probably need to know its age. Cats grow much faster than humans, and the needs of a two-week-old kitten will be different from those of a six-week-old kitten. While it is impossible to know the exact age of the cat, a relative estimate will help you properly care for this little friend.
Steps
Consider cat body features
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Find the umbilical cord. If you can see the umbilical cord of the cat, you can be sure that the cat has just been born. [1] X Research Source
- Mother cats often bite the umbilical cord when giving birth. The remaining umbilical cord will be a small piece of tissue under the kitten’s belly.
- A kitten’s umbilical cord usually falls off within the first three days after birth. If your cat still has its umbilical cord, it’s probably only a few days old.
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Observe the cat’s eyes. A cat’s eyes will go through many stages of development from birth to opening their eyes, and finally to changing eye color. Observing and tracking a cat’s eye color change can help you guess its age.
- Cats usually don’t open their eyes until 10-14 days old, but some can open their eyes as early as 7-10 days old. If your cat still has its eyes closed, it has only been born for a few days. If the cat’s eyes are open, it’s probably at least a week old. [2] X Research Source
- If the cat has opened its eyes but is still purring, it may be in the second or third week of life. A cat’s eyes are usually blue when first opened, regardless of what color they change as the cat grows older.
- If the cat is a little older and you notice that its eye color is starting to change, it is probably around 6-7 weeks old. At this point the iris in the cat’s eye begins to change to its true eye color as an adult. Note that you may not notice a change in your cat’s eye color if it’s a breed with blue eyes as an adult.
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Check the cat’s ears. Similar to the eyes, cats’ ears also change during the early stages of development. You can guess what age the kitten is based on the characteristics or changes of the cat’s ears.
- If the cat’s ears are still close to the head, it is probably less than a week old. Newborn kittens have closed ear canals, [3] X Source of study so their ears are pressed close to the head. Cats’ ears begin to open when they are 5-8 days old.
- Watch as the cat’s ears stand up. Cat ears open slower than cat eyes. Although a cat’s ear canal begins to open in about 5-8 days, it takes a while for the cat’s ears to pop up. You will see this clearly by the second or third week after giving birth. [4] X Research Sources
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Check the kitten’s teeth. A good way to determine the age of a kitten is to check the appearance and development of the cat’s teeth. A cat without teeth is a newborn cat, probably less than two weeks old. If the cat already has teeth, you can still estimate its age based on the number and characteristics of the cat’s teeth.
- A kitten’s baby teeth will crack out of its gums when the cat is about 2-3 weeks old. The first teeth to emerge are usually the front teeth. If you can’t see your cat’s teeth, you can probably feel it by gently touching the cat’s gums. [5] X Research Sources
- Your cat’s temporary canines will erupt when the cat is 3-4 weeks old. These teeth are long and pointed, growing next to the front teeth.
- The temporary premolars begin to emerge from the gums around 4-6 weeks. Premolars grow between the canines and molars.
- If the cat already has all the teeth except the molars, it is probably about 4 months old. [6] X Research Source[7] X Research Source Then the cat will have:
- 6 upper teeth and 6 lower incisors
- 2 upper canines and 2 lower canines (growing on either side of the last incisors)
- 3 premolar teeth
- 2 lower premolars
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Check your cat’s permanent teeth. If you see large and permanent teeth, it means the cat is 4 months old or older. The timing of tooth development when the cat is relatively old may be less accurate than when the cat is young, but you can probably guess the cat’s age fairly well based on how long the permanent teeth appear.
- The permanent incisors will appear when the cat is about 4 months old.
- At about 4-6 months, the temporary canines, premolars and molars are replaced by permanent teeth.
- If you already have enough permanent teeth and four molars, your cat is probably at least 7 months old.
- Note that the above guidelines apply to normal, healthy kittens; Health problems or accidents can cause your cat to lose teeth or slow down teething.
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Weigh kittens. Estimating a cat’s age based on weight can be inaccurate due to differences in cat size and breed, but it is still a factor that provides additional information about a cat’s relative age.
- The average healthy kitten weighs about 100 g at birth and adds about 7 g each day. [8] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source Thus, a normal kitten will weigh 100 – 150 g in the first week after birth. (Note that kittens weighing less than 100 g may be sick or malnourished. You should take your cat to the vet for a checkup.)
- A normal kitten will weigh from 113-170 g and be smaller than an adult’s hand at 1-2 weeks of age.
- Most kittens usually weigh 170-225 g at 2-3 weeks of age.
- Kittens weighing 225-450 g may be 4-5 weeks old.
- Kittens weighing around 680-900 g are usually 7-8 weeks old.
- The average cat 3 months old or older will gain 450 g per month until it reaches a stable weight of about 4.5 kg. Thus, a cat weighing about 1.4 kg can be 3 months old, and a cat weighing 1.8 kg is usually 4 months old. While this is a general estimate, it is a good rule of thumb to determine the age of cats over 12 weeks of age until they reach an adult cat weight of about 4.5 kg.
Cat behavior assessment
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Watch for signs of kittens weaning. This step only applies to kittens that are still with their mother. The mother cat will stop breastfeeding when the kittens are 4-6 weeks after birth. [9] X Research Source That time is also when the mother cat begins to run out of milk.
- If the mother cat has stopped breastfeeding completely, the kittens are probably around 7 weeks old. After 7 weeks, the mother cat will no longer breastfeed. You may notice the kittens trying to reach over to suckle, but they will be pushed away by the mother.
- Kittens at 7-8 weeks old begin to leave their mothers more often and for longer periods of time to explore their surroundings more. [10] X Research Source
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Observe the kitten’s movements. The fact that a kitten can walk steadily can reveal its age based on normal development. Kittens won’t be able to stand and walk until they’re 2-4 weeks old. [11] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to the source From birth until then, most of the time they just snuggle up with their mother and siblings and suckle. If there is a need to move during the first few weeks, the kitten will crawl, belly close to the ground.
- The kitten’s wobbly and unsteady gait indicates that it is only about 2 weeks old. [12] X Research Source
- If your kitten is starting to look steady when walking, it’s probably older than 3 weeks.
- From 3-4 weeks of age, kittens will begin to have upright reflexes, i.e. the ability to turn in the air and land on their feet. [13] X Research Source Vicky Halls, <i>The Secret Life of Your Cat</i>, p. 69, (2010), ISBN 978-0-600-62138-6
- At about 4 weeks old, kittens can walk more steadily and begin to explore their surroundings. The kitten’s curious and naughty nature will be shown with its increasing mobility. Kittens at this age are also beginning to show predatory behavior. [14] X Research Source
- Kittens that can run are at least 5 weeks old. [15] X Research Source[13] X Research Source Vicky Halls, <i>The Secret Life of Your Cat</i>, p. 69, (2010), ISBN 978-0-600-62138-6
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Observe the kitten’s response to noises and moving objects. Although a cat’s eyes and ear canals will open during the second or third week after birth, these senses are still developing at an early stage. The response to external stimuli shows that the kittens are about 3.5 weeks old.
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Assess your cat’s confidence and mischief. A healthy kitten will start to feel more confident at 5 or 6 weeks old. This is largely due to a development in coordination and movement. Kittens that reach this age will begin to explore their surroundings more boldly than younger kittens hesitate.
- By about 7-8 weeks of age, kittens have good coordination and motor skills. It will freely run, play and interact with people and other pets, explore the high spaces by practicing jumping.
Recognizing the sexual maturity of cats
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Watch your cat for signs of puberty. At around 4 months of age, a cat’s behavior begins to change due to hormonal changes. Kittens this age will meow loudly at night or try to escape. [16] X Research Source These are signs that kittens are starting to go through puberty.
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Watch for signs of your cat’s sexual development. [17] X Research Source At 4-6 months of age, kittens will go through the “adolescent” phase. Cats at this age will start to lose their plump body and start to look thinner, even as they gain weight.
- Male cats over 6 months may initiate odor-marking behavior (urine spray) to attract female cats to mate.
- Female cats can start estrus at 4-6 months of age. This behavior also includes scent marking, meowing, and rolling around.
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Define the “teenager” stage. Cats 7 months old or older are considered teenagers, they will both increase in size and become more mature in sex. Note that female cats at this age can become pregnant if not spayed. Along with sexual maturation, cats also become more aggressive.
- Cats begin to challenge other cats for dominance when they are about 6 months old. [13] X Research Source Vicky Halls, <i>The Secret Life of Your Cat</i>, p. 69, (2010), ISBN 978-0-600-62138-6 Young cats tend to bite more often than young cats and adult cats.
- The phenomenon of biting often occurs in missed cats, so you need to be careful when dealing with cats in this age group.
Confirming the cat’s age guess
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Ask where you adopted the cat. Careful cat shops or breeders keep records of kittens and at least provide approximate facts. If they don’t witness the kittens being born, they can still give you an estimate. Even if an animal shelter adopts a kitten after it’s been born for a while, there are experienced staff and veterinarians who can estimate the cat’s age.
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Ask a veterinarian. When taking your cat to the vet for the first time, you can ask the vet to estimate the cat’s age. During the physical exam, your doctor will also give you advice on testing and vaccinating your kittens so they can lead a healthy life.
Advice
- The time for cats to get used to interaction is when they are 2-7 weeks old. [18] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Going to the source Cat behavior at the age of 7-8 weeks is an important factor in determining whether they will live happily with people and animals. other pets. Unexposed cats can become feral and will later find it difficult to interact with humans.
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This article was co-written by Natalie Punt, DVM. Natalie Punt is a veterinarian, founder and CEO of mPet. She specializes in small animal emergency, general medicine and veterinary economics. Punt holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of California, Davis, a master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Buffalo, and a veterinarian degree from the Western University of Health Sciences.
There are 15 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 84,064 times.
If you recently found or adopted or inherited a kitten from someone, you probably need to know its age. Cats grow much faster than humans, and the needs of a two-week-old kitten will be different from those of a six-week-old kitten. While it is impossible to know the exact age of the cat, a relative estimate will help you properly care for this little friend.
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