They bring joy to our hearts, smiles to our faces, and mess to our homes; nothing compares to the experience of raising ever-adorable and energetic kittens. While interacting with these sociable, friendly creatures in passing, it can be easy to assume we know all that there is about kittens and how to care for them. Especially if we’ve cared for older cats, we expect the generic routine of feed, water, snuggle and keep clean.
Once you adopt your first kitten, however, you may just realise how wrong you were.
Forgive our dramatic tone: kittens are still delightful and endless fonts of fun. We mean only to say that they are also surprisingly complex and varied, and helping a kitten grow will be a learning experience unique to every kit and their owner.
Ideally, kittens should remain with their mother for their first 12-14 weeks, since adopting them away any sooner than that could harm their development in a myriad of ways. For the first several weeks, kittens cannot expel their waste (use the litter-loo) without being stimulated by their mother, they cannot regulate their own body temperature, and their mother’s milk is vital for proper growth and development. Kittens cannot even see as well as adult cats until around 10 weeks old and won’t open their eyes until week 2!
For the first weeks of its life, a kitten will receive some immunity from illnesses from their mother’s milk. At 8 weeks, they should receive their first vaccinations and by 7 months they ought to be spayed/neutered, both of which will provide lifelong protection and ensure a happier, healthier life for them.
Kittens grow up fast enough to catch you off guard, and after a year of playing and learning you’ll find they’ve become a full-grown cat that you’ve come to love as family. This is an important detail to remember for anyone considering kitten adoption, since they all inevitably become cats that you have made a commitment of care to.
The experience of getting to know your kitten is unlike anything else you’ll encounter. Every kitten has a unique personality, set of needs, and unexpected quirks. As much as it takes work and dedication to raise them and teach them to live in your home, they will become endlessly rewarding members of your family and a comfort through every season. Any experienced cat parent will tell you their beloved bundle of fluff and claws is now an irreplaceable companion they could never imagine life without.
We experts at helping to ensure your Kitten (and eventually Cat) remains on a healthy diet and grows perfect with the right food. Find out more in our Kitten Food section.