The truth about newborn kittens.

When we talk about kittens, many people picture tiny, fluffy balls of fur that are adorable, endearing, and irresistible, with their cute meows and pink mouths and noses. These qualities often win over many humans. However, kittens also share several unique characteristics that their owners may not have noticed before. Let's take a look at some of them: ~

Born with closed eyes and ears: Kittens are born with their eyes and ears closed. As they grow, they gradually open their eyes at around 7-14 days old, and their hearing begins to develop after that.

Kittens are social or prefer to stay together in clumps. Aside from competing for sleeping spots and milk, kittens usually sleep close together in groups because they cannot regulate their own body temperature. They rely on the warmth of their mother cat or other kittens to maintain a temperature that adapts to the weather. Some kittens develop this habit of sleeping close together as they grow older, evident in their behavior of sleeping in confined spaces, snuggling under blankets, and even snuggling up to their humans at night.

Kittens eat frequently. Newborn kittens have a feeding habit that is quite frequent, every 2-3 hours, 24 hours a day. This is due to their small stomachs, the easily digestible milk, and the need for nutrients to generate energy for body warmth. Kittens also have a high metabolism and rapid growth, with weight gain occurring rapidly daily. Therefore, kittens require a large amount of energy and nutrients for the development of their bones, muscles, organs, and immune system. Thus, owners must closely monitor their kittens' feeding habits during the first 1-2 weeks to ensure their optimal growth.

Kittens cannot defecate on their own and need stimulation to do so. Instinctively, a mother cat will lick her belly and rear end to stimulate defecation in newborn kittens. If the mother cat doesn't do this, the owner can use a warm, damp cloth to gently rub the kitten's belly and rear end to stimulate defecation.

Newborn kittens have blue eyes because they don't yet have enough pigment in their eyes. As they grow, their eye color will gradually change to a permanent color determined by their genetics.

Kittens, like human children, require special care and attention, including proper housing, medical care, and nutrition. For optimal growth and development, owners can supplement their kittens' nutrition with Kaniva Mother Cat & Kitten, a food for mother cats and kittens of all breeds. Available in both kibble and wet, creamy forms that are easy to eat and can be syringed through a syringe, it's rich in colostrum to boost immunity and brain development. High in protein, it contains Salmon Oil and Evening Primrose Oil for healthy, shiny skin and coat. It's free of wheat, gluten, and corn, which can cause allergies and illness in some cats.