How To Tell How Old A Kitten Is

If you find an abandoned litter of kittens, you might want to know how old they are so you can give them the best care for their age.

We reached out to Anmarie Moucha, a licensed veterinary nurse at DodoVet who’s had extensive shelter experience working with bottle-fed kittens, to find out how to tell how old a kitten is.

Below is the progression of aging kittens and what kittens look like at each stage:

Weight: 3 to 7 ounces
Teeth: Toothless

Eyes closed, ears folded. “Newborns are very fragile and depend on Mom for everything!” Moucha told The Dodo.

Weight: 5 to 10 ounces
Teeth: Toothless

At about 7 days old, a kitten's ears will unfold and her eyes will begin to open. “The kitten is becoming more aware of their surroundings but still very fragile and kind of scoots and crawls around,” Moucha said.

Weight: 8 to 14 ounces
Teeth: Toothless

“The kitten still needs Mom, but you'll notice the eyes are completely open and the kitten is starting to learn to walk around,” Moucha said.

Weight: 10 ounces to 1 pound
Teeth: Incisors begin showing

You'll notice the kitten playing and wrestling with her siblings. “Your kitten is starting to develop [her] baby teeth,” Moucha said. “This is when you can start introducing a litter box to the kittens.”

Weight: 12 ounces to 1.25 pounds
Teeth: Canine teeth begin showing

“Moving around well, starting to play with toys and starting to eat wet food,” Moucha said. “Actively using the litter box.”

Weight: 1 to 1.5 pounds
Teeth: Premolars are erupting

“This is when you will start seeing your kitten's personality,” Moucha said. “They will be very active and into everything.”

Weight: 1.25 to 1.75 pounds
Teeth: Last of the baby teeth will begin showing

This is when your kitten should be eating solid food. “They may still try to nurse from Mom, but Mom's milk should be almost completely dried up,” Moucha said.

She’ll also be very active, and this is the best time to start socializing. “Introducing them to carriers, leashes, nail trims, meeting new people and other pets. Your kitten can also get their first vaccine at this age,” Moucha said.

Weight: 1.5 to 2 pounds
Teeth: All baby teeth erupted

Continue socializing! “Kittens should be almost completely weaned by 7 weeks old,” Moucha said. “This is when you will notice most kittens' eye color begin to change from the kitten blue to the adult yellow or green.”

Weight: At least 2 pounds
Teeth: All baby teeth erupted

This is when it’s safe for the kittens to leave Mom and go to their forever homes! “Your kitten's eyes should be completely changed from blue to yellow or green,” Moucha said. “Your kitten is also old enough to be spayed or neutered now!”

Weight: 2 to 3 pounds
Teeth: All baby teeth

Kittens should be on solid food completely. “They will be behaving as adult cats do,” Moucha said. “Don't stop socializing and exposing your kitten to things like the carrier and vet's office.”

Of course, if you find a litter of abandoned kittens, reach out to your veterinarian for help and advice on how to properly care for them.

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