Your Cat's First Year

Living with cats can be described as every moment becoming a special experience. No matter how long you spend time with them, you can constantly discover different aspects of them. Like all newborn creatures, kittens have a very sensitive period after birth. It is known that the developmental process, which can affect a cat's entire life, continues until the cat is 1 year old. In this article, we will discuss what our furry friends experience in the first year after opening their eyes to the world. The Importance of the First Year in Cats The first year of a newborn kitten's life is very important. Healthy and balanced nutrition during the developmental period is an important factor that will affect the cat's entire life. In addition, cats get to know their environment in their first year, learn to communicate with other living things, socialize, and learn many new skills. Development in the first year is very important for cats and shapes their future lives. With the experiences gained in this one-year period, cats live a long and happy life. Kittens, which are almost smaller than the palm of a hand when they are born, are almost the size of an adult cat by the end of 12 months.

The Importance of the First Year in Cats

How newborn kittens live in their first year is very important. Healthy and balanced nutrition during this developmental period is a crucial factor that will affect a cat's entire life. In addition, during their first year, cats get to know their environment, learn to communicate with other living things, socialize, and learn many new skills. Development in the first year is extremely important for cats and shapes their future lives. With the experiences gained during this one-year period, cats live long and happy lives. Kittens, which are almost smaller than the palm of a hand when they are born, are almost the size of an adult cat by the end of 12 months.

1 - 3 Hafta

When kittens are born, their eyes are closed and their hearing is not yet developed. Therefore, they spend the first week without hearing or seeing. Kittens are born weighing an average of 100 grams. By the end of the first week, their body weight has doubled. The first week is usually spent feeding and sleeping. In the second week, the kittens' eyes open, but their vision is quite limited. Therefore, they should not be exposed to very bright light. When kittens first open, their eyes are blue, but a color change occurs in the eyes from the third week onwards. The third week is also important as it is the period when kittens begin to hear. From this week onwards, kittens can begin to explore a world full of sounds. When kittens are born, they make meowing sounds to indicate that they are hungry to their mothers. Purring begins from the third week. After kittens start making sounds, they are ready to walk, play, and explore the world around them.

3 - 5 Hafta

From the third week onwards, kittens begin to take shaky steps. By the fourth week, there is a noticeable improvement in their balance. This strengthening of their balance helps the kittens become more confident in exploring their surroundings.

From the 4th to the 5th week, kittens can now use the litter box without their mother's help. Therefore, these weeks are ideal for starting litter training and introducing them to the litter box. Kittens typically learn what to do in the litter box by observing their mothers. Therefore, showing the litter box to the kittens is often enough. However, since they are still in the learning phase, accidents are quite likely to occur. From the fourth week onwards, kittens begin to look like smaller, furrier versions of adult cats. This week is also ideal for them to start socializing. They can play and spend time with the people living in the house. However, it is important that their surroundings are not too crowded. Also, this period is considered early for them to meet young children.

6 - 8 Hafta

After the 5th week, cats become more curious and playful. The biggest reason for this change is that they can move around more comfortably on their own. Playing with them, socializing them, introducing them to other animals, and allowing them to interact with those around them helps them gain new perspectives. Also, the first veterinary visit is made during this period. Between the 6th and 8th weeks, the combination, rabies, and leukemia vaccines are given. Combination and rabies vaccines are usually given in double doses. It is perfectly normal to experience drowsiness, loss of appetite, or a slight fever on the day these vaccines are given. To review the detailed vaccination schedule for cats, you can check our blog post titled "Vaccination Schedule for Kittens and Adult Cats".

These weeks are the weeks when kittens are introduced to dry food. However, they still continue to breastfeed. In some cases, veterinarians may recommend kitten food or maternity cat food for mother cats during this period. Kitten or maternity cat food being rich in protein and fat helps mother cats to be healthier and to better nourish their kittens. You can browse cat food varieties specially formulated for pregnant and lactating cats by clicking here.

9 - 12 Hafta

From week 9 onwards, kittens complete the transition to dry food. The amount and frequency of feeding are usually indicated on the food packaging. However, it is generally recommended to give wet food in small amounts 4 times a day until they are 3 months old. With dry food, it is recommended to leave it out in the open and let the kittens eat it as they get hungry. It is recommended to monitor them during this process to ensure they do not overeat. You can review kitten food varieties produced to meet the developmental needs of kittens by clicking here. During these weeks, in addition to eating and sleeping, kittens also learn to behave like cats. The mother cat teaches the kittens hunting, communication, playing with other cats, and toilet training during this period. This period is very important for getting kittens used to playing. This is a very suitable time for introducing kittens to various toys they will love and establishing play routines. You can browse cat toys that cats love to play with by clicking here.

3 - 6 Months

Kittens should not be separated from their mothers until they are completely weaned and socialized. Kittens receive training from their mothers until the 10th week. Therefore, for each kitten to be successful in life, they need to spend enough time with their mothers. For this reason, it is recommended that kittens be adopted only after the 10th week. However, many kitten owners wait until the 12th week because it is important for the vaccination schedule.

6 - 8 Months

Unspayed female cats enter their first heat cycle when they are 6-8 months old. Along with this, their behavior also changes. Male and female cats begin to mark their favorite places during this period. 30 permanent teeth emerge during these months. Kittens love to test their new teeth by biting the objects around them. Therefore, now is the perfect time to get them a toy to chew on. Cats also like to test boundaries during this period. Weight gain occurs after neutering. To prevent excessive weight gain, the kittens' weight should be closely monitored during this process. 12 Months With the parasite vaccination given at 12 months, cats need to be vaccinated against parasites every 3 months for the rest of their lives. At 10 months old, the transition from kitten food to adult cat food begins. When kittens reach one year old, they are now adult cats. Although they are adults, they can still exhibit kitten behaviors and continue to grow physically. Also, their communication is still developing. Although cats are considered adults from 1 year old, they are actually in adolescence until they are 18 months old. They continue to test the boundaries around them. From 18 months onwards, maturation begins. It is not necessary to limit the transition of cats to adulthood to 12 months. It should be noted that the transition to adulthood can occur at different times depending on the cat breed.

9 - 12 Months

With the parasite vaccination given at 9 months, cats now need to be vaccinated against parasites every 3 months for the rest of their lives. At 10 months old, the transition from kitten food to adult cat food begins gradually. When kittens reach one year old, they are adult cats. Although they are adults, they may still exhibit kitten behaviors and continue to grow physically. Their communication skills are also still developing. While cats are considered adults from the age of one, they are actually in adolescence until 18 months old. They continue to test the boundaries around them. From 18 months onwards, maturation begins. It's important not to limit the transition to adulthood to just 12 months. It should be remembered that the transition to adulthood can occur at different times depending on the cat breed.