Kittens are also pretty good at entertaining themselves so if your kitten is in a very spikey mood, let him work off his energy on a catnip toy mouse*. No time to read them all? Thank you so much, I picked her up to praise and cuddle her and she tried to either scratch or bite me. They should be eating at least 4 times a day and consuming … Im a portuguese university student and every week i must travel around 170 km and im scared that is to much for the kitten, im not willing to let the cat stay at my moms house since my brothers are young, the cat wont sleep enough with them around Like this one below*. In some areas the number of predators makes life outdoors very risky for a cat. Thank you. Look for a wet food that is specifically designed to provide a complete diet for a young kitten. Remember to make sure that your kitten can get access to his litter box at all times. I have to decide what’s best for her. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. He runs around with so much joy. He has even picked up his weight very well. Again, this is a broad guideline, for example a Maine Coon kitten like this beauty, is going to weigh a bit more than that. I also bought some dried food for Billy. I will continue to visit! I would really appreciate some more tips (her behavior) and I will switch to wet food. All of these products were carefully and independently selected by The Happy Cat Site team. Make sure that there is a scratching post like this one* in easy reach of your kitten at all times. And new for this update, we’ve added a troubleshooting section at the end, that aims to help with your common questions and problems. You’ll feel more confident when you have read our complete guide to feeding your kitten – but try not to worry, it isn’t hard to get this right. He’s certainly finding his feet – and using his claws and teeth- whilst purring loudly. He loves to play, his appetite is pretty good, but he definitely isn’t sleeping 18 hours per day – not even close. Whether or not this is a good idea depends on where you live. But they still need plenty of care and guidance from you. Of course this can all add up, so we recommend you insure your kitten with a comprehensive plan as soon as they join your family. Exactly how big your kitten is at 8 weeks will depend on what type of cat he is going to be. Billy’s total consumption at twelve weeks was 7 and a quarter ounces a day. The first thing to recognize is that biting and scratching are a normal part of play for kittens. To get to that point, your kitten will put on around a pound in weight each month from the age of 8 weeks when he probably weighed in at around 2lbs. If you have just bought your 12 week old kitten home, you will need to make a decision about his diet. When I do this will it cause any tummy upset? But what do kittens really like to play with? If you’ve just bought your kitten home, make sure he is near his new litter box at all times for the first few days. To avoid this happening in the future, always try to choose a kitten from a home that had lots of people coming and going, and lots of kitten cuddles taking place! If a cat smaller than 9-10 lbs is considered "a teacup size" - then all of our Minuets would be considered teacup cats. What do you think? However, at 12 weeks your kitten is not well-equipped to take care of himself, so we recommend you keep him indoors for a few more months. No time to read them all? Once spayed, she will not go into heat again. In the UK he’ll be getting his second and final shots at around 13 weeks, so you’ll need to book that into your diary. Minuets are much smaller than an average Persian cat. He is now eight weeks old (he was 5-1/2 when he arrived). A sincere Thank you. I’m so excited! They grow out of it in time. I’m stressed more than them any advice will help pleaseeeeee. You can now drop down from four meals a day to three when your kitten is twelve weeks old. Thank you so much for all the helpful advice. This has been incredibly helpful, I’m getting my new 10 week old kitty in a week. Hi this post is very helpful. Walk slowly when your kitten is in the room, and be extra vigilant on the stairs. By three months of age your kitten is likely to weigh about 3lbs and he will gain a pound or so each month up to around ten months old. With positive reinforcement, Ragdoll cats learn quickly and can pick up tricks as well as good behaviors such as using a scratching post. Consult your veterinarian for additional advice. I love this site as it is a long time since I had kittens and was looking for anything new I could introduce, especially in his diet. Keeping a litter box in your home is really the only downside to having a cat indoors, and most of us find keeping one well attended a big of a drag. Thank you for putting my mind at rest. You’ll find out how to look after a new kitten, what 8 week old kittens need, and how to settle your new kitten in to his new life with your family. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He is called Charlie, all black with little paws, don’t think he is going to be very big. You should never attempt to open their eyes during this stage because their eyes will naturally open on their own on the second week. Did you know that thousands of research papers have been published on cat behavior and health? If you are finding the whole litter box experience a chore, check out our review of automatic litter boxes. I got another kitten and he is SO HAPPY and PLAYFUL!! Dry food is very popular because it stores well, is light, is low odor and not messy. MY 1st pet chicken was a Rhode Island Red. We’ll look at potty training, playtime, and when and where your 8 week old kitten should sleep. Kitten milestones at a glance. This is especially important if your kitten is to be allowed outdoors when he is older. Most 8-week-old kittens weigh around 2 pounds, which means they should be taking in, on average, around 162 kilocalories/day (1 kilocalorie, or kcal = 1 Calorie). Once you’ve confirmed that you have the water level correct, bake remaining cookies. Don’t panic if your kitten doesn’t instantly make friends with your dogs. 7 to 10 days old: kitten … Used kerrygold butter (I don’t know much about butter, but the texture seemed noticeably different), roughly chopped into 1/2 T pieces, cold (not RT) eggs, and mixed everything by hand in a large metal serving bowl– butter incorporated evenly, 5-10 minutes! 2 hours at RT followed by 10 in fridge, baked … (Billy’s puzzle box* is available from Amazon), Kittens grow a lot between 8 and 12 weeks. Eyes will be fully open between 9 and 14 days. You can gradually build up the time they spend together. Use of the KMR and 2nd Step will allow the kitten … Its been about 23 years since I have had a cat. We’ve recently discovered self cleaning litter boxes. This is at no extra cost to you. Pick a time when cat and dog are relaxed and introduce them with the dog on a lead. We are so excited to share our new book with you! Anyway, just wanted to ask a question. If your kitten hides in his carry box when you get home with him and doesn’t seem interested in the bowl of food you have prepared especially for him, try tempting him out with a little bit of juicy kitten food on the end of your finger. The mother cat should be fed a quality canned kitten food to help replenish the nutrients she loses through nursing. (See note below for full explanation.) Let’s give you a rough guide to the weight you can expect of an average cat at 8 weeks old and as he grows. I agree!! The first you may know of this is when you see blood in the litter box. This vet checks for booster shots are great opportunities to chat with your vet about any concerns you may have on feeding, behavior and other problems you may be having with your kitten. Our adult Minuets weigh between 4-7 lbs, while regular Persian cat could be 12-18 lbs. Sadly if your kitten is still unfriendly after a couple of weeks, and the vet has ruled out illness and injury, he may not have been properly socialized before leaving his birth home. The Ragdoll cat is an all-around best buddy to just about everyone. And because she now has the space, she decided to get some … This was very informative. These are essential equipment for small children if you want them to interact with a kitten without getting hurt. Really important if you intend to let your cat go outdoors when he is older. How much to feed a kitten at 8 weeks old, and the best food for them. Our cat care articles, tips and fun facts, delivered to your inbox, Hey! The Happy Cat Site is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk, The Happy Cat Site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Did you know that thousands of research papers have been published on cat behavior and health? There will be times when your kitten gets excited and bites or scratches, but provide plenty of ‘hands free’ entertainment and you’ll survive the worst of the crazy times. Be guided by the manufacturers recommendations, and remember to give a little more if your kitten is a large breed. Have fun with your 12 week old kitten, and enjoy this magical time – it goes by so fast. You will still need to take some precautions as you adjust to having this tiny creature dancing around your feet. During the 6th week mix reconstituted KMR with KMR 2nd Step Kitten Weaning Food. If you give your kitten too much to eat he will get fat, and if you give him all his daily food allowance in one or two meals, he’ll get diarrhea. Required fields are marked *. You’ll also see more waste in the litter box! All of these products were carefully and independently selected by The Happy Cat Site team. By the age of 8 weeks old, they should be fully weaned, eating kitten food only, whether wet, dry, or a mixture of the two. Feed formula: every two to three hours. Kittens also need to be potty trained and entertained. We have to play with them in shifts … which means they all get less time than I would like. She was a real doll & when she got old & stopped laying , she was the best mommy … Your site is so informative and helpful as this is the first time I have had a kitty as a pet. The kitten needs his mums milk so the only thing I suggest is getting milk replacement now. This gives your kitten somewhere to go when he needs a break from his new companion. A young kitten is hard work and yes, you have to watch underfoot continually. Your kitten is continuing its growth at an astonishing rate, by at least 10 grams per day. . so adorable!! Totally agree with all 12 week kitten behavior. Remember giving them a safe space to hide in can help them feel safe while they settle in. If you have dogs, you’ll probably find that they try to eat cat poop. If you have any concerns about your kitten’s weight at this age, do have a chat with your veterinarian. It can be hard to … More... What does a notched ear on a cat … More... Knowing how to stop a cat from climbing a … More... How well do you know your cat? For the best food for kittens at 8 weeks we recommend wet food*. And doesn’t mean your dog is depraved in any way. Billy has a better recall than most dogs. You’ll find out how to solve common kitten problems such as biting. Also he has never used the scratching post I bought for him so I’m concerned how. If you have enjoyed your visit to The Happy Cat Site we think you'll love The Happy Cat Handbook. However, we selected them for inclusion independently, and all of the views expressed in this article are our own. Some 16-week-old kittens of this breed weigh as much as 2.27 kg (5 lbs). Any advice would be appreciated…Great article and blog by the way; very informative.Thsnks, Wait what if u have 3 kittens and since they were babies is it fine that they play fight with each other and also Would it be fine for them to share the same dish of food. Don’t worry - we’ve done it for you! He is so vocal now…it’s amazing. When kittens are old enough to lap, begin offering reconstituted KMR in a saucer. Kittens at 12 weeks old will usually have developed some personality and a lot of confidence. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It sounds like she is a bit smaller than Billy was, but since she has more than doubled her weight in one month, I think she must be a healthy size for a little girl. We gave him Kitten milk (available from pet stores for the first three weeks, now getting him off that. Hi I just got a ginger kitten he is so cute only 6weeks old I’m treating him like a Prince and he is loving every bit of it he is lapping it up but I’m having trouble not knowing what to feed him cause I cat food I have is for a 2 months up to 12 months cat any ideas please thanks. Affiliate link disclosure: Links in this article marked with an * are affiliate links, and we may receive a small commission if you purchase these products. Honestly…, I just got my kitty, Charlotte, today. Last night after her 3rd timeout. our in-depth review of automatic litter boxes, a collection of our own kittens’ favorites, a detailed review of the best toys for kittens, The quality of being sociable: The influence of human attentional state, population, and human familiarity on domestic cat sociability, Helping Kittens to Become Confident Cats—why they and their owners need the support of the veterinary team. In addition, we also used it for training treats. This means that the saving is not as great as it might seem. I got my 7.5 week old kitten yesterday about 6 PM and she hasn’t eaten anything except a little yogurt off my finger. Gestation is a busy time for your sweet feline and the stages progress quickly. Put it in an airtight box to make sure it keeps nice and fresh. If your kitten is going to be a cat that is allowed access to outdoors, then neutering is essential as all unsupervised, un-neutered cats will start breeding at some point during the second half of their first year of life. If she is injured. However, we selected them for inclusion independently, and all of the views expressed in this article are our own. A Calgary woman's love of animals has lead to her creating a miniature farm in her home — leading to two of the animals becoming inseparable. Blue grain-free kitten food* is especially good. We mainly used them for teaching Billy to come when he is called. When you bring your new kitten home you should book an initial check up with your vet. Wet food comes in cans or pouches and many 8 week old kittens will need only about four ounces a day. There are lots of different types of kitten food on the market. Vol 10. She gets more and more snuggly all the time, and I am so happy. Weigh the kittens daily to assure adequate feeding. Sometimes unfriendly behaviour is caused by being ill or in pain. If this is your first kitten, or first kitten for a long time, even at 12 weeks, your kitten will still seem very small to begin with. 12 week old kitten care. We’ll be looking at kittens’ weight. As we go, I’ll be sharing some cute kitten photos of my own 8 week old kitten, Billy, just after we bought him home. I rescued a stray Tortie a month ago after my friend found her stranded by a road before a big typhoon. I was given an 8 week old kitten at the weekend by my granddaughter. Don’t worry if your kitten doesn’t eat much that first day, provided that he seems active and otherwise in good health. During the 6th week mix reconstituted KMR with KMR 2nd Step Kitten … Discover the secret world of cats. billy and my kitten Simba look identicle. Any advice helps! Breakfast, lunch, tea and supper. He’s healthy and we do feed him the Blue Wilderness food (we live in Virginia) which he loves. Watch their body language. Every cat is different. History. He is the gentlest kitten ever, he is 10 months old now, so I have had him for 2 months now. And if you have any other concerns about her health or behaviour. Many pedigree kittens don’t go to their new homes until they are 12 weeks old. At the same time each day he is like a Tasmanian Devil, flying around anything biting anyone silly enough to try to stop him. (mother) She is extremely hyper and at times hard to control. You can read our guide to indoor vs outdoor cats for more information about the risks and benefits of allowing your cats outdoors. It is of course heavily biased by my own kitten’s opinions! It will give you an idea of how a 12 week old kitten spends his time and the kind of things he gets up to. Offer these foods 4-6 times per day. Really good read. Tiny kittens can’t afford to lose much weight or go more than 24 hours without a meal, and the cause of the problem needs to be swiftly identified. You might find it helpful to read my blog entries from when Billy was around this age. Poor thing had cat flu when he was adopted, so only now seeing the cute craziness . Tailored kitten nutrition ROYAL CANIN® Kitten formulas are tailor-made with the optimal vitamins and minerals to support a kitten's healthy development. I kept a record of the first few months with my new kitten where you can follow his progress from day to day. It can be a little daunting taking on such a tiny and vulnerable animal at first, but fortunately, kittens are fairly easy to look after and they grow in confidence and stature every day. That way, he won’t get into the habit of biting your fingers. My kitten is soon to be 13 weeks old. Kittens are born with their ears folded over and their eyes closed; some of them have their eyes tightly closed while others have it only partially closed. Had his first vet visit yesterday and he passed with flying colours. It comes in cans, like the popular Purina brands shown above. She is sooooo sweet. My husband went to bed at 11pm and I returned from nights at 6am to be greeted by a meow and played for 10 minutes before another sleet snuggle .. hers done 2 today so all is good! Once you reached week ten, your cat should begin labor and barring any complications, you should soon have a litter of tiny, mewling kittens … However, I had been feeding the same choice of dry kitten feed, so thanks for that tip on crystalization. At this age, your kitten should have grown quite a bit. Once the cat is freely sharing the your home with your dog, it is still a good idea to leave them a safe space that the dog cannot get into. You can buy dried food, which stores well and is relatively light to carry. My orange male Tabby kitten Furby will be 1e weeks old tomorrow. If your kitten's eyes are open and its ears have popped up, it is probably 2-3 weeks old. The Happy Cat Site is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk, The Happy Cat Site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This means that kittens have to be fed little and often. Caring properly for your kitten means giving him the right food to ensure he grows up healthy and strong, and providing regular veterinary treatment to keep him well and free from parasites. Stressed more than them any advice will help pleaseeeeee an instinctive behavior found in all (... Up to praise and cuddle her and she tried to either scratch or bite.... Settle in had an accident in our home, you need to keep interactive sessions. 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Instead of using my furniture not recognize it yet probably about 12-13 weeks old now so!, trays or pouches expect can be a Jekyll and Hyde it of... It comes in cans, trays or pouches we got our 8 week old kitten, ’! Shown above start with feeding an 8 week old oliver rate, by turns both adorable and! Were carefully and independently selected by the Happy cat Site we think 'll. Being ill or in pain feed a kitten and raise a Happy, healthy cat to their new homes they... There will also need to be fed little and often kitten Weaning food old rescue and ’!: milk, feeding, etc nutrients she loses through nursing are 100 % meat kittens. Hand in front of him or type too sure if I should throw in the UK example. “ how much should a 10 week old kitten weigh outs ” and are asking why you are experiencing behaviour problems? haven t. Thing had cat flu when he is called Charlie, all black little. That will weigh between 4-7 lbs, while regular Persian cat could be 12-18 lbs only about four ounces day... Bring your new friend than I would like lot of money on kitten toys ’ re not sure whether visit! Adopted a 8 week old kittens do all day while you read if his sleeping pattern will adjust too! Is likely that this cat will always be quite aloof puzzle box ( above ) and I probably..., litter box at all feral, but do not recognize it yet to be big, and is Siamese... Thankful to have him, he settled in from day to day get there and. Our new book with you you can spend a lot of money on toys! Your simple cat feeding … more... what does a cat ready for a quick. A kitten 's healthy development on or trip over and trying to introduce our dogs but it ’ s finding! 3 week old kitten needs one as scratching is a calico with big soft brown eyes is!