How to Determine a Kitten’s Age
When you find little fuzzy kittens outside, the first step to caring for them is to determine the kittens’ age. Kittens grow day by day and give tell-tale signs as to how old they are, and we have tons of resources to help you figure this out, including our “How Old is that Kitten” kitten progression guide.
We want to note that healthy kittens that are 4 months or older can stay in their outdoor home, and we don’t recommend trying to socialize kittens older than this. Instead, they should be neutered, vaccinated, and returned to their outdoor home with their cat friends. For a quick reference, look for these signs to determine kittens’ age.
Under 1 week (3 to 8 ounces): Kittens’ eyes are shut, their ears are folded down, and they can’t yet walk. They can, however, purr and make tiny (adorable) noises. The umbilical cord might still be visible.
1-2 weeks (8 to 11 ounces): Their little blue eyes start to open and focus. Their ears begin to unfold and they start to crawl, snuggle, and knead.
3 weeks (7.5 to 14.5 ounces): Kittens’ eyes and ears are fully open, and they are standing up. They’ll respond to noises and movement. They start to take their first wobbly steps and baby teeth start coming in!
4-5 weeks (8 to 16.75 ounces): Now they start to act like kittensrunning, playing, digging, and pouncing! They will start to wean from mom or the bottle and are able to lap up formula, eat soft food, and even use the litter box. They’ve grown out of their baby blue eyes and now have the adult color.
8 weeks (2 pounds): Kittens look like miniature cats!
Founded in 1990, Alley Cat Allies is the leading advocacy organization for cats with a mission to transform and develop communities to protect and improve the lives of all cats and kittens. Together with our over 1.4 million supporters, we work toward a world where cats are valued and every community has humane and effective programs and policies to defend them.
Through our fearless advocacy, humane care, education and outreach, and law and policy activism, we equip and mobilize citizens, advocates, grassroots groups, shelters, veterinary professionals, and elected officials across the United States and around the world to improve their communities for cats through nonlethal, evidence-based approaches.
Our website is www.alleycat.org, and we are active on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. Charlene Pedrolie is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Alley Cat Allies.