Bringing home a new kitten is an exciting and joyous experience. The first year of a kitten’s life is crucial for their development and well-being and provides the foundation for their future health. In this guide, our Southern Crossing Animal Hospital team takes you through what to expect during your kitten’s first year and provides essential tips to ensure your tiny whiskered pal becomes a happy, healthy adult cat.

What to expect: Your 2- to 4-month old kitten

Your new kitten will be ready to leave their mother when they are between 8 and 10 weeks of age, the later the better to allow for proper socialization. Kittens taken from their mother when they are too young are likely to exhibit anxiety, aggression, or abnormal social behaviors with other cats and people.

Once you welcome your new feline friend to your family, be prepared for an explosion in your kitten’s growth and development. Your tiny fluff ball will gain an average of one pound per month and spend the majority of their time sleeping or performing zany antics. To create a strong foundation for your whiskered pal’s health and well-being, focus on these kitten care tips:

  • Initial veterinary visits — Your kitten should begin receiving veterinary care between 6 and 8 weeks of age, with follow-up visits every three to four weeks until they are about 16 weeks old. During these initial visits, our team tackles myriad preventive care tasks. We perform comprehensive physical exams at each visit to check for congenital issues and assess growth. We also administer vaccinations and parasite prevention to keep your kitten safe from infectious diseases and internal and external parasites. These visits also allow us to share behavior, training, nutrition, enrichment, grooming, and other important tips for keeping your kitten healthy.
  • High-quality nutrition — Your kitten should be fully weaned by the time you bring them home, so choosing a high-quality diet is essential for their proper growth and development. Give your kitten a food with no artificial flavors, colors, or ingredients, then establish a feeding schedule to monitor their portion sizes.
  • Positive socialization — A kitten’s socialization period ends when they are around 7 weeks of age, but positive socialization should be an ongoing part of your pet’s life. To prevent your kitten from becoming a scaredy-cat, you should introduce them to pets, people, and things they will regularly encounter during these early months. Encourage your kitten to be curious and explore new situations, but never force them to greet an unfamiliar pet or person. Reward your kitten with praise and treats for sniffing unusual items, such as their carrier or nail clippers, and for allowing handling and grooming techniques. 

What to expect: Your 5- to 6-month old kitten

As your kitten reaches their teenage months, expect feisty behavior and boundless energy. When your kitten reaches this age, focus on teaching them acceptable behavior and interaction through positive reinforcement. To encourage your kitten to grow into a well-mannered family companion, follow these tips:

  • Continued socialization — Continued positive exposure to handling, grooming, pets, people, sounds, places, and other things your kitten may experience is essential for developing their confidence.
  • Play and enrichment — Because your kitten has energy to burn, direct it toward appropriate outlets such as scratching posts, climbing towers, and interactive toys. Several daily play sessions help strengthen the bond you share with your kitten while promoting their physical fitness.
  • Spaying or neutering — Kittens can begin reproducing at an extremely young age, some as young as 4 or 5 months, so discuss spaying or neutering your new pet with our team by the time your pet is 6 months of age at the oldest. Spaying and neutering kittens can help prevent unwanted behaviors, reproductive disorders, and certain cancers.

What to expect: Your 7- to 9-month old kitten

By this age, your kitten’s growth has slowed, although they have not yet reached their adult size and weight. Continue to focus on techniques that will keep your feline happy and healthy throughout their lifetime by:

  • Establishing a grooming routine — Introduce grooming practices when your cat is young, including brushing and nail trimming.
  • Reinforcing boundaries — As your kitten’s confidence grows, they are apt to test boundaries. As your pet pushes your buttons—and your limits—reinforce boundaries and household rules by rewarding acceptable behavior.
  • Practicing at-home dental care — Sharp kitten teeth have been replaced by slightly less sharp adult teeth by this age, so continue practicing at-home dental care. Try to brush your kitten’s teeth every day, and give them plaque-fighting treats and products.

What to expect: Your 10- to 12-month old kitten

As your whiskered pal’s kittenhood reaches an end, you must continue to focus on their wellness needs. Keep your kitten happy and healthy throughout their adult years by following these tips:

  • Ongoing enrichment — Continue providing physical and mental stimulation through play and interactive toys, and create vertical spaces for climbing and exploration.
  • High-quality nutrition — Over the course of a week, gradually transition your kitten to the adult version of their current diet to promote a healthy weight and provide proper nutrition for your adult cat.
  • Regular wellness care — Adult cats generally require annual wellness care to prevent infectious diseases and detect conditions in their earliest stages. Schedule regular preventive care to keep your feline friend healthy.

As your kitten grows into a cat, your love and care play a vital role in shaping their health, happiness, and overall well-being. Regular veterinary care is also essential, so schedule your kitten’s visits with our Southern Crossing Animal Hospital team.