Our kitten ageing chart helps you to tell how old a kitten is at a glance.
Whatever their age, there’s no denying that kittens are adorable. But figuring out how to tell how old a kitten is from pictures is a useful way to ensure you’re caring for your cat as it develops. While it can be tricky to work out a kitten’s age just by looking, our at-a-glance kitten ageing chart is here to help you out.
Remember, it is important that kittens stay with their mother for at least the first eight weeks of life. Removing them before this time can have dire consequences for their behaviour, health and survival.
If you’re looking to buy a kitten, find out more about what to look out for with the Kitten Checklist.
Newborn
- Wondering when do kittens open their eyes? The answer is anytime between five-14 days. After birth, a kitten’s eyes remain closed, their ears are folded and they are unable to stand
- They’ll still have an umbilical cord – this will fall off by day three
- Kittens suckle from their mother every two hours
- They need help with toileting too. They’ll need their mother to lick their perineal area to stimulate toileting
Weight Length
100g 7 inches/18cm
One week
- Kittens are still not able to move much and their eyes will remain closed
- They’ll still require help from their mother with toileting
- They should have doubled their birth weight by now and will be approximately the length of a pen from their nose to the base of their tail!
Weight Length
200g 7 inches/18cm
Two weeks
- The kitten’s eyes and ears will now be open
- Their baby teeth will begin to appear
- They may begin to walk, although they might look a bit wobbly or uncoordinated. You might even notice them playing with their siblings
- They’ll still need feeding from their mother
- Getting kittens introduced to people (often referred to as ‘socialisation’) is important at this stage. Find out more
Weight Length
300g 8 inches/20cm
Three weeks
- The kitten’s ears will now point upwards
- They’ll still be growing their baby teeth – watch out for those!
- They might walk more confidently, although don’t be surprised if they still appear wobbly
- They will still need feeding from their mother, although they may get used to toileting by themselves now – time to introduce them to the litter tray
- Introducing kittens to scratching posts and toys is a good idea and sets them up for their new home
Weight Length
400g 8.5 inches/22cm
Four weeks
- Kittens can now begin to eat solid food
- Their baby teeth will continue to grow
- You might notice them interacting with their siblings more – they might even be able to walk, run and play
Weight Length
500g 9 inches/23cm
Five weeks
- You might notice their eye colour change from baby blue to the colour they’ll keep as adults
- Their teeth are still growing
- They may be able to run, avoid obstacles and even stalk and pounce
- They’ll start to groom themselves – or their siblings!
- They’ll begin to learn how to use a litter tray on their own
Weight Length
600g 9 inches/23cm
Six weeks
- Kittens seem much more playful, usually chasing, hiding and pouncing. It’s time to teach them how to play safely!
- They’re still learning how to use a litter tray
- They’ll be able to groom themselves well
Weight Length
700g 10 inches/25cm
Seven weeks
- Kittens should be eating solid food now. While they’re no longer dependent on their mother for milk, they may still want to suckle from her
- Their eye colour will have completely changed from baby blue to the colour they’ll have as adults – kittens with grey, green or yellow eyes are likely to be seven weeks or older
Weight Length
800g 10 inches/25cm
Eight weeks
- Kittens will need their first set of vaccinations for feline herpesvirus, feline parvovirus and feline calcivirus, so time to book in with the vet
- It is also a good idea to use this time with your vet to discuss when to neuter and microchip
- Once kittens are weaned, socialised and vaccinated, they are ready to go to their new home!
Weight Length
900g 11 inches/28cm
