Kitten Milestones Chart
A week-by-week kitten development chart — weight, eyes, teeth, behaviour and care needs at every stage. Useful whether you're raising a litter, fostering, or working out how old the kitten you just found actually is.
Week-by-week development
| Age | Weight | Development | Care needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 3–4 oz | Eyes and ears closed; can only crawl | Mother or bottle every 2–3 hrs; external heat |
| 1 week | 4–8 oz | Umbilical stump falls off; ears begin unfolding | Bottle every 2–3 hrs; stimulate to toilet |
| 2 weeks | 8–12 oz | Eyes open (blue); baby incisors erupt | Bottle every 3–4 hrs; deworming may start |
| 3 weeks | ~12–14 oz | Walking wobbly; hearing developed; canines in | Introduce a shallow litter tray |
| 4 weeks | ~1 lb | Playing, pouncing; all baby teeth coming in | Start weaning gruel; using litter tray |
| 5–6 weeks | 1–1.5 lb | Confident running and climbing; eye color changing | Mostly wet kitten food; first vet check |
| 7–8 weeks | ~2 lb | Fully weaned; strong social play | First vaccinations; 4 meals/day |
| 10–12 weeks | 2.5–3 lb | Adult incisors replacing baby teeth | Second vaccinations; ready to adopt |
| 4 months | ~4 lb | Adult canines; teenage energy begins | Vaccination series completing; 3 meals/day |
| 5–6 months | 5–6 lb | Most adult teeth; sexual maturity approaching | Desexing typically done now |
| 9–12 months | 7–10 lb | Adult size for most breeds | Switch to adult food; 2 meals/day |
The critical socialization window
Between roughly 2 and 7 weeks, kittens form their lifelong template for what is normal and safe. Kittens handled gently by several people during this window — and exposed to household sounds, other pets and gentle handling of paws and ears — grow into markedly more confident, easier-to-vet adult cats.
It's also why taking a kitten from its mother and littermates too early causes problems: much of what they learn about bite inhibition and social boundaries comes from being told off by siblings.
Feeding by stage
| Age | Food | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 weeks | Kitten milk replacer (never cow's milk) | Every 2–4 hours, day and night |
| 4–6 weeks | Gruel: wet kitten food + formula | 4–5 times daily |
| 6–8 weeks | Wet kitten food, softened dry | 4 times daily |
| 2–4 months | Kitten food, wet and/or dry | 3–4 times daily |
| 4–12 months | Kitten food | 3 times daily, then 2 |
Portions for each stage are in the cat food calculator(it has a kitten mode), and if you're unsure of the age at all, thekitten age calculator estimates it from weight and milestones.
If you've found a very young kitten
- Warmth before food. A cold kitten cannot digest — warm them gradually first, against your body or with a wrapped heat pad.
- Never cow's milk. Kitten milk replacer from a pet store, or a vet, is essential.
- Under 4 weeks they cannot toilet alone — a warm damp cloth on the belly and rear after each feed stimulates them.
- Call a vet or rescue early. Neonatal kittens are fragile and round-the-clock work; local rescues often have experienced bottle-feeders who can help or take over.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell how old a kitten is?+
Weight is the fastest guide — kittens gain roughly a pound a month for the first six months, so a 3 lb kitten is about 3 months old. Cross-check with milestones: eyes open at 1–2 weeks, walking at 3, weaning at 6–8, and adult teeth from 11–16 weeks.
When can kittens leave their mother?+
Twelve weeks is ideal, and eight weeks is the practical minimum. Kittens taken earlier miss critical social learning from their mother and littermates, which is associated with biting, poor litter habits and anxiety later.
When do kittens start eating solid food?+
Weaning begins around 4 weeks with a gruel of wet food and kitten formula, and is usually complete by 6–8 weeks. Before 4 weeks they need kitten milk replacer — never cow’s milk, which causes diarrhea.
When do kittens get vaccinated?+
The core series typically starts at 6–8 weeks and repeats every 3–4 weeks until about 16 weeks, since maternal antibodies interfere with earlier vaccines. Your vet will set the exact schedule based on the kitten’s age and situation.