Week-by-Week Development — What to Expect

Knowing what's normal at each age helps you spot trouble early and celebrate the wins.

Week 1 (Days 0–7)

• Weight: 90–150 g at birth, gaining 10–15 g per day
• Eyes and ears closed
• Sleeps and eats — that's the whole job
• Umbilical cord falls off by day 3–4

Week 2 (Days 8–14)

• Weight: ~200–250 g
• Eyes start to open (blue, slightly cloudy)
• First wobbly attempts to push up on front legs
• Begins to respond to touch and warmth more actively

Week 3 (Days 15–21)

• Weight: ~300–400 g
• Ears unfold and begin to hear
• First teeth (tiny incisors) push through
• Standing, taking first steps
• Can start using a shallow litter box

Week 4 (Days 22–28)

• Weight: ~400–500 g
• Walking confidently, beginning to play
• Eyes change toward adult color
• Ready to start weaning on gruel
• Litter box use becomes reliable

Week 5

• Weight: ~500–600 g
• Running, pouncing, wrestling siblings
• Eating mostly soft food with some KMR
• Grooming themselves (clumsily)

Week 6

• Weight: ~600–700 g
• Fully mobile, climbing everything
• Eating wet kitten food, lapping water
• Ready for first vet visit and deworming

Week 7–8

• Weight: ~700–900 g
• Fully weaned
• Eligible for first FVRCP vaccine
• Socialization window still wide open — see the socialization article

When milestones lag

A few days behind is usually fine. A full week behind on multiple milestones is worth a vet conversation — could be undernutrition, parasites, or a congenital issue.

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Track weights daily with the weight tracker — it's the single best window into how development is going.