How to Tell a Kitten’s Age at a Glance (And Why It Matters)

When you find a kitten — or take one into your care — one of the first questions that comes up is: how old is this baby?

A kitten’s age determines everything about the care they need: what they can eat, whether or not they need help staying warm, how often they should be fed, and even whether they need to be with a foster, at a shelter, or with their mom.

Thankfully, kittens wear their age on their fuzzy little sleeves (or paws, as it were). With a few quick clues, you can often estimate how old a kitten is — sometimes down to the week.

Why a Kitten’s Age Matters

Knowing a kitten’s age isn’t just a matter of curiosity — it’s lifesaving.

A one-week old kitten who can’t yet regulate their body temperature needs warmth and around-the-clock bottle feeding, while a six-week old who’s eating solid food and using a litter box could be safely left with in a rescue facility until adoption if necessary.

Mistaking a young kitten for an older kitten — or vice versa — can lead to deadly mistakes, like offering solid food too early or failing to provide enough warmth.

When in doubt, always assess before you act. A quick visual check can help you make the right call for the kitten’s safety.

Age by Appearance: Week-by-Week Guide

Newborn (0–1 week old)

• Eyes: Closed

• Ears: Folded flat

• Body: Umbilical cord may still be attached

• Mobility: Can’t walk — just wiggle and crawl

• Sound: Small squeaks when hungry or cold

  
  

Needs:

Warmth: Newborn kittens can’t regulate their body temperature. Even a cool room can quickly become life-threatening. Keep them in a small, draft-free space such as an incubator or a box lined with soft blankets. Provide a steady heat source—like a heating pad set on low and covered with a towel, or a SnuggleSafe warming disc—and ensure there’s a cooler spot they can crawl to if they get too warm. A warm kitten feels toasty to the touch; a cold kitten feels cool and limp, and must be gently warmed before feeding.

Feeding: Kittens this young should be fed every 2-4 hours around the clock. Use a kitten-specific formula (never cow’s milk) and a kitten bottle or syringe. They should nurse on their stomachs, never on their backs, to prevent aspiration. Expect only a few milliliters per feeding—their stomachs are tiny!

Stimulation to potty: After each feeding, use a warm, damp cotton ball or tissue to gently rub their genital area to stimulate them. This mimics what a mother cat would do by licking, and it’s essential to keeping them clean.

At this stage, kittens need near-constant supervision, consistent temperatures, and dedicated feeding schedules.

1–2 Weeks Old

• Eyes: Starting to open (usually between days 7–10)

• Ears: Beginning to unfold

• Body: Still tiny, but gaining weight daily

• Mobility: Crawling around a bit more steadily

Needs:

Kittens are still fragile at this stage and require nearly the same level of care as newborns.

Warmth: Keep kittens warm 24/7 with a consistent heat source. As they grow, they may move toward or away from the heat to regulate comfort, but you must continue monitoring temperature closely.

Feeding: Feed formula every 3–5 hours, day and night. Their feeding amounts will increase slightly, and their suckling reflex becomes stronger. Weigh kittens daily to make sure they’re gaining about 10–15 grams per day.

Stimulation: Continue stimulating them after every feeding.

2–3 Weeks

• Eyes: Fully open, but blue and unfocused

• Ears: Standing up

• Teeth: Tiny incisors may appear

• Mobility: Starting to wobble and walk clumsily

  
  

Needs:

Kittens are becoming a bit more interactive but still need hands-on care.

Warmth: They can tolerate slightly cooler environments but still need supplemental heat. Keep bedding clean and dry.

Feeding: Feed kitten formula every 4-5 hours. By now, kittens will latch more easily and may start to recognize their feeder. Continue to weigh daily; steady weight gain is key to survival.

Stimulation: Continue stimulating after feedings, though some kittens may begin to explore a litter box. Be patient — this transition varies by individual kitten.

Socialization: Handle them gently and often so they begin to associate humans with warmth and comfort.

3–4 Weeks

• Eyes: Clearer, still blue

• Teeth: Canines emerging

• Mobility: More coordinated walking, starting to explore

• Behavior: May begin playing and grooming

  
  

Needs:

This is a major transition stage — kittens are learning to be more independent!

Warmth: Still important, but the heat source can be reduced. Keep them in a draft-free area with soft bedding.

Feeding: Feed every 5-6 hours with kitten formula. Some kittens will begin mouthing solid foods, so you can introduce a small dish of formula for exploration. Never force a kitten to eat from a dish before they’re ready.

Litter Training: Introduce a shallow litter pan with non-clumping litter. At first, they’ll mostly walk through it — but soon the instinct to dig and eliminate there will kick in.

Socialization: Continue handling daily and offer short, supervised play sessions to encourage balance and coordination.

4–5 Weeks

• Eyes: Still blue but more focused

• Teeth: Premolars coming in

• Mobility: Confident walkers, starting to run and pounce

• Behavior: Begin using litter box and grooming

Needs:

Kittens are entering the “toddler” stage—full of curiosity and energy!

Feeding: Transition from bottle to a mixture of formula and wet kitten food (“gruel”). Offer in a shallow dish several times per day, while continuing bottle feedings as needed. Feed every 5–6 hours.

Litter & Grooming: They’ll begin using the litter box more reliably and grooming each other. Keep bedding and litter clean to prevent illness.

Socialization: Expose them to gentle household sounds, toys, and handling by multiple people. These experiences shape confident, adoptable cats.

5–6 Weeks

• Eyes: Blue, but may start changing color soon

• Teeth: Nearly complete set of baby teeth

• Mobility: Running, playing, climbing

• Behavior: Eating solid food and using the litter box consistently. Very active and playful.

Needs:

This is a key stage for weaning and social learning.

Feeding: Offer wet kitten food 3–4 times daily and fresh water at all times. Most kittens are fully weaned by the end of this stage, though a few may still take a bottle occasionally.

Environment: They no longer need constant supplemental heat but should be kept indoors in a safe, kitten-proof space. Provide climbing and scratching opportunities.

Socialization: Encourage positive interaction with humans, toys, and littermates to help develop healthy play behavior.

6–8 Weeks

• Eyes: May shift from blue to green, amber, or gold

• Teeth: Fully in

• Mobility: Confident, energetic, playful

• Behavior: Grooming, using litter box, learning kitten manners➡️

Needs:

By now, kittens are little cats in training!

Feeding: Fully weaned, eating wet and dry food several times per day. Continue to provide fresh water.

Socialization: Expose kittens to gentle grooming, carrier training, and short car rides to prepare them for adoption.

8+ Weeks

• Eyes: Permanent color

• Weight: Around 2 pounds at 8 weeks

• Behavior: Fully weaned and ready for adoption or spay/neuter➡️

Needs:

Kittens this age are ready for the next chapter — spay/neuter, microchip, and adoption!

Feeding: 2-3 meals of high-quality wet food daily, plus access to dry food and fresh water.

Health & Behavior: Reinforce positive human interaction and play boundaries.

Next Steps: By 8–10 weeks, kittens are ready to join their forever families. Ensuring they’ve had adequate nutrition, vet care, and socialization sets them up for a lifetime of health and happiness.

When in Doubt, Ask for Help

If you’re unsure of a kitten’s age — or if they seem too small, cold, or weak — reach out to a rescue or veterinarian immediately.