Newborn to 4 month Ragdoll Kitten Development
Newborn Kittens
The newborn Ragdoll kitten weighs about 80-120 grams. They are born completely white and can usually be sexed right away. Newborn kittens will have their eyes closed and their ears folded. They will have no teeth, and their gums, nose, and paws may appear bright pink in color. They do not yet have a gag reflex or the ability to regulate their temperature. The umbilical cord will be attached and will fall off on its own around 4 to 5 days of age. Claws will be non-retractable. At this age, they cannot hear or see; they can only navigate the world around them through scent and through seeking warmth and comfort. Their only activities are nursing, sleeping and passing waste. The kittens’ mother will keep them clean and lick their bottoms to stimulate them to eliminate.Care information: Over the first few days we check on kittens a minimum of every 3-4 hours (even overnight) to ensure everyone is nursing and doing well. Newborn kittens belong with their mother full-time, as mothers will provide them with food, cleaning, warmth, and bathroom support. If no mother is present, they must be fed with a bottle and kitten formula every two hours, including overnight. They need to be stimulated to go to the bathroom, and kept at an appropriate temperature.
One Week Old
Kittens should gain approximately 10 grams per day at this stage. They nurse up to 8 hours a day. They are very vulnerable to cold or dehydration at this time. Hearing will begin as their ear canals have opened up. They will start to purr, hiss, and cry when hungry. They still can’t retract their claws. By one week old color and pattern may be visible. One-week-old kittens, though larger than newborns, will still be mostly uncoordinated and will similarly sleep for the majority of the day. At this age, they should be able to hold their head up, move by wiggling their limbs, and be active and vocal if handled.Care information: One-week-old kittens belong with their mother full-time. If no mother is present, they must be fed with a bottle and kitten formula every two to three hours, including overnight. They need to be stimulated to go to the bathroom, and kept an appropriate temperature.
Two Weeks Old
Their eyes will open and the world will be blurry as their vision adjusts. The sense of smell is increasing, and they will find a favorite teat by scent. Unfamiliar odors may cause him to hiss. Two-week-old kittens will be becoming more coordinated, and will be beginning to attempt their first steps. They will be wobbly on their feet and uncoordinated, they may even start to roll over which they will practice over and over.. Kittens at this age may exhibit some curiosity about the world around them, will not yet be playing, and will spend the majority of their time sleeping.Care information: Two-week-old kittens belong with their mother full-time. If no mother is present, they must be fed with a bottle and kitten formula every three to four hours, including overnight. They need to be stimulated to go to the bathroom, and kept an appropriate temperature.
Three Weeks Old
A kitten’s vision will improve this week so they will start to feel brave exploring their surroundings. They will try to play with their litter mates as they learn to control their body - though they are still quite wobbly. During this time, their teeth start to come in. They may start to purr when given human attention so this is a great time to socialize with humans. Kittens will slowly begin retracting their claws.Care information: Three-week-old kittens belong with their mother full-time. If no mother is present/able to provide milk, they must be fed with a bottle and kitten formula every four to five hours, including overnight.
Four Weeks Old
At this time, a kitten will start to groom itself, learning by watching its mother. They will become curious about their surroundings experimenting with everything around them. The kitten is ready for canned food and will enjoy sampling it. Dry food is also down at this time for them to try. They will also be interested in humans as they are ready to imprint.Care Information: Four-week-old kittens belong with their mother full-time. If no mother is present/able to provide milk, they must be fed with a bottle and kitten formula. Four-week-old kittens can begin to be introduced to toys.
Five Weeks Old
A kitten will be able to walk easily now and will start wrestling with its litter mates. This is a golden age when playful kittens are so fun to watch. Even if a kitten is eating solid food at this time, they will benefit from nursing from their mother for emotional reasons. They will begin using a litter box. They will start to seek out human company enjoying the human lap and being petted. At 5 weeks of age, a kitten's teeth will continue to develop. The premolars will start to emerge. Claws will now be retractable.Care information: Five-week-old kittens may begin the weaning process, while still with their mother full-time. Kittens will receive ample kitten wet food, in addition to access to their mother’s milk. Dry food and water is provided at all times. We supplement feed as needed and ensure that the kitten is maintaining a healthy weight and body condition during weaning. We provide a shallow litter box at all times.
Six Weeks Old
This stage is when a kitten starts to become very busy. They will seem to find a toy in anything and hop all over a room. Then in the next moment they will be fast asleep. A scratching post will be introduced now and they quickly learn from their mother how to use it. More toys are enjoyed like balls, mice and wands. Dry food will predominantly be eaten at this time also, with wet food now a morning & evening snack. At 6 weeks of age, a kitten's teeth will begin to reach their final stage of early development. The molars will start to emerge. Their vision and hearing will be fully developed.Care information: Kittens receive ample kitten wet food twice daily and have access to water, dry food and a shallow litter box at all times. Six-week-old kittens receive their first dewormer.
Seven Weeks Old
By now kittens will begin to be pretty independent from their mother. All baby teeth will be present at 7 weeks of age. Male kittens’ testicles will begin to descend around 7 weeks. Seven-week-old kittens will experience a spike in energy. Sleep will decrease, and time spent playing will increase. At this age, kittens are able to run, climb cat trees, and confidently jump off of furniture.Care information: Kittens receive ample kitten wet food twice daily and have access to water, dry food and a shallow litter box at all times.
Eight Weeks Old
A healthy Ragdoll kitten should weigh about 800g at 2 months old. They are very absorbed with playing with their litter mates and learning acceptable cat social skills. It is a critical developmental milestone for them to be able to play with other kittens at this age. They may not be as interested in humans as they were just 2 weeks ago unless the humans are sporting a wand toy. They are also learning proper boundaries from their mother that will serve well in future relationships with humans.Care information: Kittens receive ample kitten wet food twice daily and have access to water, dry food at all times. They are now using a normal size and open top litter box. At eight weeks, they will have their first veterinary check and receive their first FVRCP vaccine to protect them against viruses (rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia). Eight-week-old kittens receive their second dewormer.
Nine Weeks Old
During these busy weeks motor skills will improve as they expand their abilities. Their play includes the skills needed for hunting prey. A busy playful kitten is a sign of a thriving kitten. The body will get muscular and bulky. Kittens are fully weaned from their mother by nine weeks.Care information: Kittens receive ample kitten wet food twice daily and have access to water, dry food and litter box at all times.
Ten Weeks Old
At this stage the coat thickens up and they get that round squeezable kitten look. If it is summer and warm out, they may not get this thicker coat until the cooler weather arrives. The colors in their coat will get darker so the points are more prominent. They will be gulping down lots of food as they keep up with his energy needs.Care information: Kittens receive ample kitten wet food twice daily and have access to water, dry food and litter box at all times. Ten-week-old kittens receive their third dewormer.
Eleven Weeks Old
A shift in their personality occurs now. They get calmer and seek human company again. They remember how good a nice scratch and warm human lap feels. They are no longer dependent on their mother to care for their needs and are ready to meet and bond with their special humans.Care information: Kittens receive ample kitten wet food twice daily and have access to water, dry food and litter box at all times.
Twelve Weeks Old
Care information: PurrRealDoll kittens get their second veterinary health check, second FVRCP booster vaccination, spay/neuter and microchip at this age. They remain with us to get the healing process started. They are now usually ready to go to their new homes and will arrive as happy, healthy, confident bundles of fluff!Four Months Old
A kitten at this age will start to look less like a kitten and more like a small adult. Their head will be in better proportion to the body. They will start to lose baby teeth and gain adult teeth. Unfortunately they may start to chew on things (wires in particular seems to be a favourite) but this problem can be solved with a few cat chew toys.Care information: Adoptive families will be responsible to ensure their kitten receives its third FVRCP booster vaccination and Rabies vaccination when their kitten 16 weeks of age.
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