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Kitten Facts
1. They Need Help Going Potty
We apologize in advance, but we’re about to get TMI here. Believe it or not, kittens can’t pee or poop on their own until they are 3-4 weeks old. Until then, it’s up to mom to make potty time happen. To do this, the mother will lick the kitten’s stomach and rear to stimulate their digestive system and move things along. This motion allows the kitten to do their business.
2. They Can’t Thermoregulate
For their first few weeks of life, kittens can’t “thermoregulate,” which means they can’t regulate their own body temperature. This means that during their early development, kittens are extremely vulnerable to the cold. So to keep warm, they need to snuggle close to their mom and siblings. Kittens require this source of heat for their first 2-4 weeks of life. But after they reach about 5 weeks old, kittens should finally be able to regulate their own body temperatures. So kittens actually NEED to have warm snuggles, which I’m sure no one is opposed to.
3. Their Mom Boosts Their Immunity
Kittens don’t produce their own antibodies in the first several weeks of life. But their mother comes to the rescue yet again. That’s right, the mother’s milk not only has vital nutrients, but also antibodies. This is why they receive Immune-Boosting colostrum (feline newborn milk) from mom in the first 24 to 48 hours after birth. The colostrum contains potentially life-saving antibodies to disease. Without colostrum, the kittens would not develop a healthy immune system which would leave them susceptible to infection.
4. They Are Born Blind and Deaf
A lot of cat lovers know that kittens are born with closed eyes, but they don’t always realize that the kitten’s ear canals are also closed. After birth, their eyes usually open between 7 and 14 days. On the other hand, their ear canals open between 10 and 14 days. But even after a kitten’s eyes and ears open for the first time, their vision and hearing take time to fully develop. In the following weeks, their vision and hearing slowly improve and are fully developed by the time they are about 6 weeks old.
5. They Are ALL Born With Blue Eyes
Did you know that ALL kittens are actually born with blue eyes? That’s right, even cats with dark eyes started off with blue eyes as kittens. This is because melanin, which is a pigment that gives eyes their dark color, doesn’t move into the eyes until they reach 7-12 weeks old. As a kitten grows, its eye color continues to develop. You might even see a range of colors during the kitten’s first year before the eyes reach their permanent color. Some breeds, such as the Siamese, keep their blue eye color. But more commonly, cats develop different eye colors such as green, hazel, or even yellow.
6. They Knead to Stimulate Milk
If you own a cat, chances are you have seen them knead. You know, that cute little thing they do with their paws that looks like they’re making dough? It turns out that kittens knead their mother to stimulate milk flow. This kitten instinct is carried into adulthood because they associate kneading with the comfort they once felt from nursing. So, if a cat is kneading you, it could be their way of showing you love and affection. It could also be that they have chosen you as a mother figure and are seeking comfort. But here’s my theory: they’re just pretending to make pizza.
7. They Need to Eat Every 2 to 3 Hours
From birth to about 2 weeks of age, kittens need to eat about every 2-3 hours. Guys… I have a confession… I might be a kitten. But in all seriousness, kittens, especially under the age of 3 months, have not fully developed their ability to regulate their blood sugar levels. So if a kitten doesn’t get enough food, it can lead to hypoglycemia, which is a condition in which the blood sugar level is lower than normal. This condition can be life-threatening to a kitten. (doctor clip, maybe) But this risk wanes as the kitten ages because older kittens can go 4-6 hours between feedings. Once they reach 6 months old, most cats can be fed just 2 meals a day.
8. Kittens Can Have Kittens
The average female cat will go into her first heat cycle, between 6-9 months of age. As we stated earlier, kittens aren’t considered adult cats until they reach a year old. This means that technically, kittens can sometimes have kittens. But, this fact gets even more interesting (and alarming). According to WebMD, a female can be as young as 4 months old when she starts her first heat cycle. That means it’s possible for her to get pregnant as young as 4 months. Although there is no way to know for sure when a female cat will hit puberty, certain factors, such as breed, and being exposed to unneutered males, can increase the chances of a female kitten maturing early.
9. A Litter of Kittens Can Be From Multiple Fathers
Believe it or not, a litter of kittens can sometimes come from multiple fathers. This phenomenon is known as “superfecundation.” So, how can it happen? Well, if a female cat mates with more than one male during her fertile period, her eggs can potentially be fertilized by more than one partner. This phenomenon also happens in dogs and other animals. And although extremely rare, it has also happened to humans.
If a litter of kittens came from multiple fathers, they might be a range of different colors and sizes. They might also have different characteristics from each other. But, in a case where the mom and fathers are purebreds of the same breed, all of the kittens could look pretty similar. In that scenario, the only way to know if superfecundation occurred is a DNA test.
10. They Are Susceptible to Flea Anemia
Okay, so this one is NOT a “fun” fact, but it’s an important fact to know. Although very uncomfortable for a pet, it’s hard to imagine that a flea could actually be life-threatening. But the reality is that fleas drink blood, and since kittens are so small, they don’t have a lot of blood to spare. Sadly, fleas can cause life-threatening anemia in young kittens. Anemia is a condition in which the blood doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells. What makes things even more alarming is that most flea medications are not safe for cats less than 8 weeks old. So if a young kitten does get fleas, usually a gentle dishwashing soap has to be used instead.
11. 19 Kittens Made a World Record
On August 7, 1970, a 4-year-old Burmese/Siamese named Tarawood Antigone(sorry if I butchered that name) gave birth to 19 kittens. You heard that right! (What the heck clip) Tarawood, who lived in Oxfordshire, U.K., made The Guinness Book of World Records for the “Largest Litter of Domestic Cats.” The cat gave birth to 19 kittens. For comparison, the average number of kittens for a cat of this type is only 4-6. Sadly, 4 of the kittens were stillborn. But the remaining 15 included 14 males. There was only one female kitten in the entire litter.
DISCLAIMER: The Purring Journal is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn commissions, at no cost to you, by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I only affiliate with products that I truly enjoy or find helpful, and commissions help support this blog. In addition, this article is made for entertainment purposes only. The Purring Journal is NOT in the medical field. All information presented is simply what we found online while researching the topic. With that said, use the information presented in this article at your own risk. ALWAYS seek medical advice from licensed veterinarians.
Resources
https://www.foundanimals.org/facts-about-kittens/
https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-litter-domestic-cat
http://www.vetstreet.com/cats/your-kitten-what-to-expect-at-0-to-7-weeks
https://www.petmd.com/cat/care/kitten-development-understanding-kittens-major-growth-milestones
https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/behavior-appearance/why-do-cats-knead
https://basepaws.com/blogs/news/our-15-favorite-facts-about-kittens
https://www.parkroadvet.com/raising-orphaned-kittens-part-1-warming-feeding/
https://www.marvistavet.com/flea-anemia.pml
Disclaimer: The Purring Journal is not in the medical field. This post is made for entertainment purposes only. Use the information presented in this article at your own risk. Always seek medical advice from licensed veterinarians.
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