Kitten Age Chart: How To Know How Old Your Kitten Is

• Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.

Kittens are highly energetic, adorably fluffy, and naturally curious. While these cuddly felines are playful and affectionate, they can be a handful to take care of, especially depending on their age.

Because they quickly grow through milestones and require different care at each stage, it’s helpful to know how old a kitten is. This information, however, isn’t always readily available when you foster, find, or get a new kitten, so you’ll need to do a little investigating.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through a typical kitten growth chart, plus what to expect for the first 12 weeks, so you can get a better idea of how old your kitten is and what kind of care they’ll need.

Kitten Age Chart

Kittens 0-1 Week Old

Weight range: 50-250 grams

Physical appearance: Kittens enter the world blind and deaf, with eyes tightly shut and ears folded flat against their heads. These little wonders are so small that they can fit comfortably in your palm. At birth, their mouths are pink and toothless.

Behavior: In their first week, kittens spend most of their time sleeping and feeding. Healthy kittens will squirm and softly meow when handled, even though they can’t move around much yet.

Care: Newborn kittens require constant warmth, feeding, and attention, explains Dr. Lara Girsko, chief editor at ThePetStaff. They should be nursed or bottle-fed with a specialized kitten formula every two to four hours.

Kittens 1-2 Week Old

Weight range: 250-350 grams

Physical appearance: Between one and two weeks, a kitten’s eyes will open, offering them a glimpse of the world (though their vision will remain blurry). All kittens are born with entirely blue eyes. Ears will unfold around day seven.

Behavior: At this age, kittens are all about sleep and nursing. Their initial movement is limited to gentle wiggling.

Care: Kittens this age still need round-the-clock care and should never be left alone without their mother or a responsible caregiver. They’ll still need to nurse or bottle feed every two to four hours and have their bowels stimulated.

Kittens 3-4 Weeks Old

Weight range: 350-550 grams

Physical appearance: Baby teeth (“milk teeth”) emerge around three weeks, revealing an adorable toothy grin. Ears perk up, and adult eye color starts to appear, though it won’t reach its final shade for several weeks.

Behavior: Kittens start to walk around three weeks, though their movement will be wobbly and limited to short bursts. By week four, however, their balance will improve, and they’ll be more confident to jump, play, and pounce with littermates. They’ll also able to start litter box training.

Care: The weaning process starts at around four weeks by introducing wet food and mixing it with kitten formula to create a tasty “slurry.” Kittens may also be able to start using a litter box.

Kittens 5-6 Weeks Old

Weight range: 550-750 grams

Physical appearance: According to Dr. Preston Turano from Felix Cat Insurance, a six-week-old kitten will have fully developed vision and hearing, although they’ll still sport their baby blue eyes. Male kittens will show visible testicles. This is also when pre-molars emerge—look for a ridge behind your kittens’ canines.

Behavior: Kittens at this stage are gaining coordination. You’ll see grooming behaviors, climbing, and pouncing, according to Dr. Girsko. But they’ll still log a lot of hours of sleep.

Care: At around five weeks, kittens can be left alone for short periods. You can also begin offering kibble alongside wet food. Socialization is vital at this age.

Kittens 7-8 Weeks Old

Weight range: 750-1,000 grams

Physical appearance: By seven to eight weeks, kittens resemble miniature versions of their adult selves. All of their baby teeth are usually present, and their adult eye color is fully developed.

Behavior: By eight weeks, Dr. Turano says these tiny balls of energy have the coordination to run, play, and climb.

Care: At this point, kittens can eat independently and use the litter box, so less attention is needed.

Kittens 9-12 Weeks Old

Weight range: 1,000-1,300 grams

Physical appearance: Kittens will continue to grow until they reach their full size at around 12 months. You may notice baby teeth beginning to fall out.

Behavior: By this stage, kittens are displaying behavior and body language similar to adult cats. You’ll catch them stalking toys and using their claws.

Care: By week nine or ten, kittens will be completely weaned and can be left alone for a couple of hours in a safe, kitten-proofed area.

How to Tell a Kitten’s Age

“Estimating a kitten’s age requires looking at a combination of physical and behavioral signs,” says Dr. Nathaniel Rakestraw, a veterinarian with TelaVets. “Start by observing the eyes (open or closed), ear position, mobility, coordination, and size.”

If you need help determining a kitten’s age, especially if you found them as a stray, the best place to start is with a veterinarian. Animal shelters and rescue organizations, especially those with a lot of experience with kittens, can also be an excellent resource.

Look at their teeth

Teeth are one of the most reliable indicators of how old a kitten is, says Dr. Rakestraw. “Kittens are born without teeth, and baby teeth start coming in around two to four weeks old. By about eight weeks, they have a full set of baby teeth. Adult teeth begin replacing those around three to four months and are usually complete by six months,” she notes.

Check their weight

Weight is another helpful marker. Kittens are usually born weighing between 50 and 250 grams and continue quickly gaining weight. “Weight is important as kittens gain about a pound per month early on,” says Dr. Rakestraw.

Check their eyes

A kitten’s eyes stay closed until they’re about one to two weeks old. All kittens are born with blue eyes that will change to their permanent adult color by around seven to eight weeks.

Observe their movement

A kitten’s energy levels and coordination skills can provide insight into their age. “Younger kittens are more fragile and dependent, while older ones are active, playful, and eating solid food,” says Dr. Rakestraw.