Going Through The Stages of a 0 to 6 Months Old Kitten:

Whether you found a stray newborn kitten in your backyard (like I did, maybe put highlighted blue text here that will bring viewers to the about page) or you spent the last year searching every adoption page on the internet for your perfect furry companion, you’ll have to know the best way to take care of them and give them the best start in life that they possibly can get; the first 6 months of a kittens life is the most important stage and to ensure that they are happy and healthy, and don’t have any potential health issues later down the line, we as the owners need to ensure these first 6 months go as smoothly as possible, with YesKitten’s tips, this becomes a whole lot easier! Let’s go through the steps!

A kitten’s upbringing can be set apart into 4 stages: 0-4 weeks, 5-11 weeks, 2-4 months, and 4-6 months. Let’s take a look at the all so important first stage of life. Here’s what to expect from them in the first 6 months.

0 to 4 Weeks Old:

The term ‘newborn kitten’ is usually said for kittens that are less than 4 weeks old. This is a very important time where the kitten will either be left behind by their mother for different reasons or rescued with the rest of their litter. Although having their mother with them these first few weeks is important and ideal; it is still possible to make sure they grow and thrive properly with the care and support from you.

If you are in a scenario where you have the mother with the kitten, there is a lot of weight taken off your shoulders, as the mother will naturally provide warmth, proper nutrition, and a safe environment. Now, if you simply have a kitten or two that is apart from their mother, you will have to take the place of the kitten’s mother and really be on top of it to ensure they are staying healthy and growing properly.

This includes hand feeding them with a bottle every 2-4 hours (just as a human baby would) with a mother’s milk replacement that you will mix yourself at home, the formula can be found in most general pet stores. You need to provide them a safe and warm environment that is closed off to outer dangers, this could be a kitten playpen that will take up about 3-5 feet of your space, inside it needs to be plenty of warm blankets, a heating pad, and their first litter box; however, it will take some time before they use it as in the very beginning you’ll have to make them urinate and defecate simulating their mother’s lick with a wet tissue, it’s not the easiest thing to do but it’ll pass in no time and you’ll forget it was even a part of the process. Those are the very important care tips for your kitten this age, now let’s move onto 5-11 weeks.

5 to 11 Weeks Old:

At this point in time, newborn kittens should start to be weaned off their mothers or slowly moved from bottle feeding to wet food and/or kibble, we’ll get more into the differences and benefits between the two in the “Diet/Nutrition” section. With all the energy gained from their new high-protein diet and their rapid growth, you’ll quickly see a drastic change in your kitten that was once only sleeping and pooping every time you saw them; it’s almost like their evolving right in front of your eyes. With their growing age will come a new sense of heightened bravery that you will notice very quickly, everyday will be a new adventure for them, and it’s up to you to make sure they have a safe surrounding so that they’re not led to dangerous situations.

2 to 4 Months Old:

This period of time is going to be one of the most important of their lives, this is because this is a period where there is rapid growth both physically and cognitively. The development of your kitten in this time will ultimately shape its future behavior for the rest of its life. They’re going to have a lot more energy during this stage than they ever will in the future, so be ready to play play play! And maybe be woken up a few times during the night… There’s some good habits that can be incorporated into your daily routine that will help your kitten grow to its full potential, some of these include:

• Introducing them to other people and pets early on. This is so important for the socialization of the kitten as if you get them used to contact with others, it will later down the line be very beneficial to both you and them. Aspects such as you getting another kitten down the line, having company over the house, taking them to the vet, and even how much they like being around you, their owner.

• Another important thing to remember during these very important months of growth is that their habits and behavior that they have during this time is very well going to carry over to their adult years, so be sure to follow a consistent routine. This means for aspects such as keeping them out of certain rooms, biting and scratching you or furniture, jumping onto kitchen tables/stovetops, not using the litter box properly, etc.

4 to 6 Months Old:

Now that your kitten has found themselves quite a bit and have gotten used to you and their new home. They are now very much who they will always be, hopefully you love them and their habits! And don’t worry, although it’s a lot harder, it’s not impossible to change some bad habits after this point in time. Now we are getting into a bit less fun stuff for yourself and your kitten, but these are just as important as the last topic. This is trips to the vet for things such as their second vaccinations, deworming, flea medication, and getting spayed or neutered. It is needed to get them spayed or neutered as it’s going to obviously prevent pregnancies which is the biggest case, but also it will give them a healthier and happier life because it will help prevent uterine infections, uterine cancers, and breast cancer. Also, without getting your kitten spayed, they will also go into heat every 2-3 weeks which can be very uncomfortable and stressful to them; you would not want to see them like this as it completely changes their personality from the loving high energy kitten you’re used to seeing.

Remember, just because your kitten is considered “full-grown” at 18 months old doesn’t mean that they won’t always be your little baby. So remember to love them and treat them as one!