New Born Kittens Development - Week 4

I can't believe four weeks have passed already. A month has passed and the kittens are developing at fast speed - they do grow up too fast! At this stage you will notice the following:

1. Depth perception has developed. That's why they cling on to you for they dear lives with their tiny claws.

2. Sense of smell is fully developed.

3. The sense of hearing is now well developed. They will run and hide if they hear loud noise.  

4. Baby teeth will start to show. 

5. Kittens are learning to walk without stumbling. Some of the kittens may even started running randomly. 
 

6. The kittens are becoming more and more active. They also look for adventure outside their kitten "cot". They will interact more with their siblings. I've heard this interactions can even lead them to form "alliances" which may or may not be gender-based.

7. The mother will begin to leave her kittens for short periods of time. At this stage, you can provide a small bowl of water for the kittens to drink from.

New Born Kittens Development - Week 3

You will start to notice more activity now that the kittens have reached week 3 as they sleep less and want to play more, also 4 things have taken place:

1. Ear Development. Ear canals are now completely open.

2. Digestive System. Kittens can voluntarily eliminate as their digestive system is developing. 

3. Awareness. They interact with each other and with people, and will want to carefully explore their surroundings. 

4. Grooming. They also groom themselves and one another and are looking cuter and cuter as the days go by.

New Born Kittens Development - Week 2

By now you should have noticed that your newborn kittens are developing at a very fast pace. I have also noticed kittens starting grooming themselves. At two weeks at least 4 things become more prominent:

1. Growth - Kittens are continuing their growth at a very fast rate (around 10 grams per day). 

2. Eyes development - Their eyes have started to open and will be completely open at 9 to 14 days old or so. All kittens' eyes are blue, and will remain so for several weeks. Their vision will be blurred at first, and their pupils don't dilate and contract readily, so they should be protected from bright lights. 

3. Sense of Smell - The kittens' sense of smell is developing, and they might even hiss at unfamiliar odours.

4. Sex - You might be able to determine the sex of the kittens around this time.

New Born Kittens Development - Week 1

During the first week of a kitten's life he will be concentrating on feeding and growth. At this point you might be asking yourself a few questions, here are a few answers that might help:

1. When will the new born kittens open their eyes? By the second week their eyes will begin to open although their vision will not be very clear at this stage. Do not force their eyes open as it could result in damage. All kittens have blue eyes at this stage.

2. When will the umbilical chord fall off? The umbilical cord should fall off within two or three days, but it could also take up to a week or so. However their eyes and ear canals will not be open yet.

3. When should I get my kitten vaccinated? Provided the mother has been vaccinated, or has natural immunity, the kittens will receive the same immunity for the first 24-48 hours through her colostrum (first milk). They will need to receive a vaccination course at 9 and 12 weeks. 

4. Should I let other animals near the new born kittens? Animals can be unpredictable, I have heard of male cats damaging new born kittens, so the short answer is NO.

4 Helpful Tips For Cat Owners

I have always had cats but I love my British Blue kittens, they are really affectionate and considerate cats. Here are a few things I've observed as a British Blue Shorthair cat owner and would like to share with you. I am by no means a cat expert, I am however a good observer and hope these tips will help you.

1. What gets rewarded gets repeated. I've noticed that this can be true even for cats. You can encourage your cat to use the cat scratcher (instead of the sofa or wallpaper) merely by stroking him while using it and using affirming words such as "Good boy Muffin!" with a pleasing tone. I've noticed that, contrary to what people think, your cat does want to please you.

2. Clip those claws. I have also noticed that my cats scratch less when their claws are shorter. You can clip your cats claws if you want - just make sure you only clip the transparent part of their nails not the opaque area otherwise you might hurt them and cause bleeding.

3. Fun doesn't have to cost money. Muffin's favourite toy is a paper ball and he loves to play catch. I use paper balls to play with my kittens and they love it. Fun doesn't have to cost money and even a piece of string can turn a boring evening into fun for all.

4. Call them by name before dinner. Call them by their names so they can get used to it and actually respond. I also make a distinctive 'pssssh, psssh, psssh' sound when I serve them food in order for them to associate the sound with dinner. This also helps when you simply want them to come to you just for fun. Make sure you also reward them every now and then with treats as what gets rewarded gets repeated.

Why Does My Cat Have Whiskers?

Elaborate Sensory Devices
Whiskers are extraordinary sensory devices that help your cat interact with the world. They go deeper into your cat's skin and connect with many more nerve endings. Whiskers are very sensitive to touch and vibrations and tell your cat a lot about the size and shape of objects in the dark, they are pathways that carry information to your cat's brain in  the same way that fingers do to humans. Never cut or remove them as your cat needs them, without their whiskers a cat may become disoriented or insecure. Whiskers fall out and re-grow naturally

Mood Detector
Whiskers can also help to identify your cat's mood.
Relaxed and sticking out sideways = Your cat is calm.
Pushed forward = They are excited and alert.
Flattened against their cheeks = Angry or scared

Strategically Positioned
You will find whiskers on the side of your cat's cheeks, further back on the cheeks and above the eyes. They are as long as the width of their bodies, which help gauge the width of openings in the dark. Whiskers above the eyes send signal to the brain providing blinking reflexes so that your cat can close their eyes quickly in order to prevent something from entering their eyes. Legs whiskers help your cat with prey detection and facilitate safe landing.

Top Tips For Introducing Kittens To Each Other

The day we had the wonderful joy or bringing Poppy to our home to join Muffin was one of the most exciting days of our lives!  The only problem was that Muffin kept hissing and trying to claw Poppy.  Not the joyful union that we imagined.  So, after some research we came across these great tips for introducing kittens to each other.

• Introduce them to each other slowly, don't force them to get too close to soon.
• Supervise them at first as you don't want them to scratch each other.
• Give them separate spaces within the same room while they get used to each other.
• Comfort both kittens equally during the transition.
• After a day or two leave them to play freely together if they seem comfortable together.

I am pleased to say that Muffin and Poppy are now best friends. Happy endings do happen in real life after all!