What to expect when you get a new kitten

When you buy or adopt a kitten each bundle of joy will have their own personalities and create their own kind of mischief, but there are a few things to expect when welcoming a new pet into your family. Even before you bring them home, they are still reaching milestones as they grow.

Here’s what your cat will be getting up to before and after they come and live with you.

Newborn

Kittens are born without sight or hearing but they also have no sense of smell. From the day they’re born they will suckle, and did you know a kitten will feed on the same teat throughout the time they are fed by their mum?

2-4 weeks

The kitten’s milk teeth are now making their way through their gums, their eyes and ears are opening, and they can now start smelling the world around them. They’ll slowly start finding their feet while socialising with their littermates.

4-8 weeks

The cats will now be introduced to canned food, but they can still nurse for a few weeks after this. This is also an important socialisation period, with new people, pets and environments helping them prepare for the changes ahead of them as they get ready for their new homes.

8-12 weeks

Your kitten is now ready to come home to you and you’ll need to make sure they’re up to date with their jabs, flea and worming treatments. They’ll be more active than ever, practising their hunting skills on toys and humans, and will now adopt the sleeping patterns of an adult cat.

Then, the real fun begins. You’ll have to train your kitten so that they can learn how to behave, do tricks, and go to the toilet in the right places. Watching your new cat grow is such a wondrous adventure, and it will have its ups and downs but persevere as the journey is truly magical and you’ll have a best friend for life in your new pet.