Kitten development
From birth to leaving for its family
The big milestones of growth, week after week.
The first days
eyes closed
Around 1 month
play begins
Around 6 weeks
socialisation
12–14 weeks
ready to leave
Birth
- Eyes shut, ear canals closed
- Umbilical cord until ~5 days
- Suckles and sleeps, guided by smell
100 to 130 g · feeds every 2 h
1 week
- Eyes still shut, opening around days 8–12
- Cord fallen
- Moves by crawling
180 to 260 g · every 2–3 h
2 weeks
- Eyes open, irises a milky blue
- Ears still small and rounded
- No teeth
280 to 380 g · every 3 h
3 weeks
Brontëat 24 days- Incisors breaking through
- Ears upright
- First hesitant steps, discovering the litter tray
390 to 500 g · every 4 h
4 weeks
- Canines breaking through
- Clear sight, confident walk
- First games with littermates
500 to 620 g · every 5 h
5 weeks
Brontëat 33 days- Premolars breaking through
- Weaning begins: kitten wet food
- Runs, climbs, explores
620 to 750 g · wet food + feeds
6 weeks
- Full set of milk teeth
- The definitive eye colour settles in
- Litter tray mastered, active socialisation
700 to 900 g · 4 meals a day
7 weeks
Brontëat 48 days- As playful and coordinated as an adult
- Food weaning complete
- Mask markings well drawn
800 g to 1 kg · 3 to 4 meals
8 weeks
Bijouat 54 days- First vaccination (panleukopenia, cat flu)
- Microchip identification
- Character well asserted
900 g to 1.2 kg · 3 to 4 meals
12 to 14 weeks
- Vaccination booster done
- Perfectly socialised and litter-trained
- Ready to join its family
1.4 to 2 kg · leaves the cattery
In France, the law forbids handing over a kitten before 8 weeks. In the Ragdoll — a breed that grows slowly and socialises at length — we prefer to wait 12 to 14 weeks: the kitten then leaves vaccinated, microchipped, long weaned and sure of itself. The weights given are orders of magnitude: Ragdolls often sit at the top of the range, and every kitten moves at its own pace.