Your Kitten's First Year

It is undeniable that a kitten's first year is vital to his ultimate physical development. Equally important is the human-feline bonding that will take place in the early weeks, which will set the pace, not only for your relationship with your cat, but also for his or her unique personality development. It has been mentioned before that kittens are not simply miniature cats. Their development into adult cats is a fascinating process, and each step of the way a kitten is in a unique place in life. The wise caregiver will recognize this fact and use it to understand what your kitten is experiencing, as well as what his actions are telling you.

In the wild, big cats often remain with the mother for the first full year, to learn the skills necessary for survival. With domesticated cats, this is rarely the case, but under ideal circumstances, a kitten should remain with his mother for at least 12 to 16 weeks. Although the mother will start weaning her kittens sometime between five and seven weeks, the additional time helps the kittens learn socialization skills. Let's explore the changes taking place in your kitten as he takes his journey to full growth.