When a kitten's eye color changes - features of the formation of iris colors in cats

So, you just brought home a cute kitten with adorable blue eyes! However, you should note that those mesmerizing baby blue eyes are unlikely to stay blue. Most kittens are expected to change eye color as they age, and only a small percentage of them will reach adulthood with blue eyes.

Changing eye colors is a gradual process, the most common being yellow, green, golden brown and hazel. Now the big question is, when do a kitten's eyes change? Keep reading for more information.

Development of kittens (+ table)

Development of kittens (+ table)

Kittens are born small (weight 60-115 g, average body length 12 cm) and completely helpless, blind and deaf; all they can do is find their mother’s nipples, sleep and suck.
They cannot even get rid of excrement products on their own; to do this, the cat licks the appropriate places for them and eats their feces. However, they grow and develop quickly, and watching this process is a fascinating activity! Already a few days after birth, kittens begin to “knead” their mother’s belly with their paws, stimulating the secretion of milk (I wonder who taught them this?) They try to crawl, helping themselves with their front paws. At the age of seven days, a kitten can already crawl several tens of centimeters. At approximately 10-14 days of age, kittens' eyes begin to open.

. At this age, the eye color of all kittens is blue; it will change to the final adult color (“rebloom”) later, at the age of 3 months. At the same time, the ear canal opens and the kittens begin to hear.

In the third week
of life, kittens begin to erupt milk teeth (later they will be replaced by permanent ones). Their vision and hearing improve and they begin to explore the world around them. By the end of the first month of life, they can sit, move quite confidently and learn to play with each other. At one month of age, kittens become interested in trying foods other than their mother's milk.

Kittens older than 4 weeks become even more active and strive for independence. If before this they mainly explored their “nest,” now they are trying to get out of it. The cat spends a lot of energy maintaining order in the family and putting the children in their place. But the activity of kittens is growing by leaps and bounds, although at this age they still do not stray far from their mother. At this time, you need to place a tray next to the nest so that, following the example of their mother, the kittens become accustomed to cleanliness and neatness. Kittens that have been taught to do their business in the litter box by their mother cat will not have any problems with the toilet in the future.

From a month to one and a half months, kittens are very active, learn to lick themselves, play with each other and with their mother, and begin to eat solid food. There is an idea that at this age they can already be taken away from their mother and transferred to new owners. However, this idea is fundamentally incorrect. It is at the age of 1-3 months that kittens watch their mother and learn everything from her. Up to two months, the cat continues to feed the kittens with her milk, which provides them with good immunity to diseases. Therefore, it is not recommended to give away kittens before 2.5-3 months.

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Complementary feeding of kittens is carried out as follows

. At the age of three weeks, kittens can be offered to drink milk from a saucer (about one teaspoon). Then you can offer some kitten food (see feeding kittens here). After a couple of days, a little baby food should be added to dairy foods, and after another week, it is recommended to replace one daily feeding with a small amount of canned meat. One month old kittens are fed approximately 4 times a day, in addition to their mother's milk. Feed portions are gradually increased. At one and a half months of age, a kitten should eat approximately 3-4 teaspoons of food per feeding.

2–3 weeks: hear, see, begin to walk

In the second week, kittens are actively developing, their hearing continues to develop, but they are not yet able to navigate by sounds. By the end of the second week, babies' eyes open, but vision does not immediately become clear. At the same time, the kitten makes its first attempts to rise on its paws; it cannot yet walk confidently.

Babies see their brothers, sisters and mother for the first time, they learn to communicate, and begin to fight for mother's milk. When they go to bed, they sit closer to each other and their mother. During this period, animals become accustomed to humans. In order for a cat to grow up tame and affectionate, you need to take them in your arms every day. At first, communication with a person lasts only a couple of minutes, but gradually the duration of contact increases.

At this stage of development, the cat controls the behavior of her cubs and teaches them the basics of hunting through play. Kittens get to know the world around them under the supervision of a cat and learn behavioral skills from her.

At three weeks, babies try to stand and move confidently, like adult cats. They estimate the distance correctly. However, weak muscles do not allow them to run quickly; kittens often fall and stumble. By the end of the period, kittens weigh about 300–400 g, they become very active, spend a lot of time playing with their brothers, love to play with toys, and can scratch behind the ear with their hind paw. They are cutting their first teeth.

You can do toilet training. To do this, you need to place the tray in a secluded but accessible place for children. If the kitten sits down to make a puddle, it must be quickly moved to the litter box.

Why do kittens' eyes change color?

Eye color in cats depends on the amount of coloring pigment. Therefore, the reason for the change in eye color is the accumulation of melanin in the eyeball during the development of the visual organs. However, blue color is a recessive trait, which is why eyes of this shade are very rare.

At the moment of embryo formation, there are approximately 3 dozen pigment centers in the body of the future kitten. Migrating throughout the animal’s body during its development, the bulk of them settle in the fur. At the same time, the eyes account for only a small proportion of pigments, which continue to accumulate after the kitten is born. In the process of their accumulation, a change in the color of the kitten’s eyes occurs.

Dental changes

Just as a human child's new teeth grow gradually, a kitten's teeth do not appear at the same time.

Kittens are born without teeth, and from the second week their first milk teeth begin to erupt. At 2–4 weeks, the incisors emerge, at 3–4 weeks, the canines appear, and at 6–8 weeks, the premolars appear. Kittens do not yet have molars, that is, molars. In total, animals have 26 milk teeth, which differ in structure and color from permanent ones.

Starting from 3.5 months, the replacement of baby teeth with permanent ones occurs. The process starts with the first and second incisors. From the fourth month - premolars; from the fifth - molars. From 5.5 months, the canines on the upper and lower jaws are replaced. From the fifth month, the replacement of rudimentary fangs on both jaws begins. The process lasts up to 7 months. Like human teeth changing, the process is individual and can last up to 9 months. In males it begins earlier than in females.

So, an adult has 30 permanent teeth:

Knowing and clearly distinguishing the sequence of appearance and names of teeth will help you recognize the age of a kitten by the appearance or eruption of teeth. An illustration will help you avoid getting confused about the names and locations of teeth.

When determining the age of a kitten, you should
pay attention to its behavior
. If your pet has ruined the upholstery of the furniture by chewing it, hunts for laces and chews them at night, this may be a sign of teething. When teething, there is a need to chew toys, bedding, and other objects that interest the animal.

It is indeed possible to determine the age of a baby by the appearance of teeth, but if the animal is an adult, this approach may fail. For a mature individual, the condition of the teeth will indicate age only approximately. An old cat may have both diseased and dilapidated teeth.

Changes in the dental formula after the change of primary teeth can be taken into account in a complex analysis with other indicators in determining the age of the cat.

By the age of one and a half years, the main lobes of the first incisors of the lower jaw are fully formed. According to average indications, there are data characterizing tooth abrasion, however, due to the specific characteristics and subjective indicators of the life of an adult cat, they may not coincide with the real situation. If the lobes of the first and second incisors on the lower jaw are erased, then the cat is already at least 2–2 years and 5 months old. The lobes of the first incisors on the upper and lower jaws are worn away by the age of 3 years and 5 months. If a cat has worn out the lobes of the first and second incisors of both jaws, then he is at least 4 years and 5 months old. If the lobes are present only on the canines of the upper jaw, then the age of the animal is close to 5 years and 5 months. If the surface of the incisors is oval, the cat is about 10 years old. Loss of the first and second incisors on the upper and lower jaws is typical for 12 years. Loss of all incisors is typical for people aged at least 16 years.

Physiological features affecting the color of the iris

The color of the animal depends on the accumulation of melanin pigment. There is more of it in the fur, and less in the eye area. The absence of a coloring component is indicated by the blueness of the organs of vision. The phenomenon is typical for albinos. However, the transformation of the visual organs is also associated with age-related changes.

Up to two weeks, the color of the cub's eyes is masked by a grayish film. In a growing kitten, pigment accumulates, so the color of the iris changes. The following eye colors are typical for cats:

• bluish;
• green;
• yellow;
• orange (copper).

The main tone of the kitten's eye color is formed by 17 weeks. It is at this age that a breeder should purchase a breeding animal.

Breed differences

The color of the iris is a sign of a purebred cat. For some breeds, eye color does not matter. Others - with atypical coloring - are excluded from breeding. Blue eyes are characteristic of albinos of different breeds. A distinctive feature of the British is the orange iris. For black solids, any color except green is acceptable. The standard for Siamese and Thai cats is blue.

White mark

What kind of eyes do British cats with white markings, the so-called bicolors, harlequins and vans have? In this case, everything depends on the main color - the color of the cat’s eyes should correspond to it. Most often, British cats with white spots are yellow-eyed or green-eyed, but sometimes there are rare heterochromic specimens among them.

However, all these nuances are important only for those who actively participate in exhibitions or are involved in breeding cats. For most ordinary cat owners who have British cats, the color of their pets' eyes does not matter. Yellow, green, blue or even different ones - they are still the most favorite!

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If you find or receive a kitten as a gift, you should find out its age. Kittens develop faster than humans, and a two-month-old kitten will look very different from a six-week-old kitten. Although it is impossible to know the exact age, an approximate figure will allow you to choose the right food and care for your kitten.

When does eye color change occur?

Each cat breed changes eye color at certain times. Most often it occurs between 2 weeks and 12 months after the eyes begin to open. A kitten's eye color changes gradually. Two weeks after birth, the eyes are covered with a cloudy film. Because of this, they appear to have a gray tint. And only then the shade becomes more pronounced. From this moment you can approximately determine what eye color will be. However, you cannot be sure of this, since the range of shades is very large - from a gray-blue tint to brown. Therefore, those who get a purebred kitten and want it to have a particular eye color most often adopt it at the age of 4 months.

It is worth noting that if the kitten initially had yellow eyes, then this color becomes brighter - amber, copper or golden. That is, brown eyes can never acquire a blue tint.

Emeralds - for gold and silver

What are the eyes of British cats that have “noble metals” in their colors? If we are talking about gold, that is, the colors “golden tabby”, “golden shaded” or “golden chinchilla”, then only a British cat with green eyes corresponds to it. There are no other options - gold in this case should only be combined with greenery in bright shades.

As for silver cats - the same tabbies, chinchillas or “silver tabbies” - their eyes can be either green, preferably a shade of turquoise, or yellow-orange.

Rare colors

Amber is a new and not yet approved species. Externally similar to golden, but more subdued. The peculiarity is the presence of single black hairs located nearby.

Doubts about color are caused by the fact that dark stripes or dots are visible against a warm background, and cats, not at the genetic level, can be either black or red. For now, Amber is recognized in one of the felinological organizations for the Kuril Bobtail breed.

Kittens with the rare fawn color are a gift for many breeders. It is a variation of lilac, but a very light shade. The color of the nose is beige and pink, as are the pads on the paws. Eyes amber or copper.

This is a monochromatic color, the pigment in the hairs is evenly distributed. The quality of British wool should not suffer from bleaching, despite its apparent softness.

Cinnamon or cinnamon is a derivative of the chocolate color. The color is solid and uniform, without blemishes or marks. The shade is delicate, slightly muted. The color of the nose of the cinnamon is brownish-pink.

There are two types of shade: yellow and red. It is layered on top of the base brown. The paw pads are colored similarly to the nose.

How not to buy a fake British

A purebred cat cannot be cheap. If someone offers a “real” British cat for ridiculous money, then the kitten is not British after all. Only conscientious breeders and reputable nurseries give a guarantee of the “quality” of the breed.

They value their reputation very much, kittens are sold only after reaching the age of 3 months, and at the same time they are very interested in what hands their pets fall into.

Those wishing to purchase a purebred British cat select options in advance, consider alternative scenarios, and even first meet the parents of the future kitten.

It has been noticed that the English breed is most favored by wealthy and independent people who spend a lot of time outside the home and are accustomed to having all the best around them. In such a situation, a British kitten would be an ideal option.

He is beautiful, independent, and will never get bored or offended by his owner for long hours of loneliness. A complete coincidence of characters and desires is the best guarantee of peaceful and happy leisure time together.

Popular misconceptions about changing eye color in cats

On many forums where inexperienced breeders begin to advise cat lovers on how to care for them, incorrect information comes across. Popular misconceptions about eye changes in cats include the following facts :

• All kittens, without exception, initially have a blue-gray tint to their eyes.
• There is a relationship between fur color and iris color.
• The color of the iris depends on the kitten's diet.

Each of these theories has no scientific proof. But despite this, breeders are taking measures to breed cats with exactly the eye color that is becoming the standard.

Green-eyed breeds

Long-haired and short-haired Persians with a chinchilla-colored coat are known for their green eyes with a black “rim.” The Tonkinese breed has striking sea green eyes.

Russian Blue cats have emerald green eyes that contrast beautifully with their gray-blue coat. And the Egyptian Mau's irises resemble juicy gooseberries.

Common Misconceptions

On the Internet you can find many myths and misconceptions related to the process of “repainting” cat eyes. Here are just a few of them:

• All newborn kittens must have bright blue eyes. Some believe that deviations from this “norm” threaten serious pathologies. In practice, it happens that kittens’ eyes can be colored in different gradations of gray and blue colors... And all this is the norm. If the iris of a recently born kitten is not blue, this is not a pathology!

• There is a common misconception about the correlation between coat color and eye color. This opinion is partly true. But only for representatives of certain breeds whose coat color was “tied” to the color of the iris during a long and difficult selection process. It’s just that in their case, the eye color can actually be anything, and this is also not considered a deviation.

• Some breeders are truly convinced that eye color depends on... diet. But this “theory” is absolutely not confirmed either by science or by practical observations of breeders. It is known, however, that frequent feeding of fish can cause a cat’s fur to noticeably darken, but even in this case, its eyes will not change color.

We invite you to read: What types of discharge can occur in cats after giving birth and when treatment is required

Blondes rule!

White color is not the most common among representatives of this breed: it is very difficult to breed such kittens, and white cats of any breed often suffer from deafness, so selection work with white British cats has not been carried out for some time. But if such a kitten appeared in the litter by the will of nature, the color of its eyes can be a real surprise for the owner.

British blondes can have yellow eyes, more precisely, gold, copper or amber - this is the most common option. It is extremely rare, but there are white British cats with blue eyes - they do not participate in breeding, but this does not detract from their unique beauty.

And finally, perhaps the most incredible white British cats are those with different eyes, a phenomenon called heterochromia. Usually one eye is blue and the other yellow. In English, such cats are called "Odd-Eyed", that is, strange-eyed.

What do they say about cats with blue eyes?

Cat eyes have four primary colors – blue, green, yellow and copper. What eye color your pet will have depends on genetic characteristics. If he is predisposed to the presence of a large number of melanocytes, then his eyes will be dark, if there is little of this pigment, they will be light.

There are no blue eyes as such. If a cat has eyes of this shade, then its body does not produce enough pigments. We simply mistake the reflection in their transparent part for the blueness of the eyes. However, scientists have not established a connection between a cat’s health and its life expectancy.

Pathological causes

There are hereditary disorders and diseases in which the organs of vision change color:

• genetic abnormalities;
• ophthalmological diseases.

Heterochromia is considered a congenital defect that does not affect health. Most often, unequal coloring of the right and left eyes is observed. Sometimes segments of one of the irises are colored differently. The anomaly is a consequence of uneven distribution of pigment. A high percentage of heterochromia is observed in Angora cats. The phenomenon is considered a deviation from the norm, and such individuals are excluded from breeding.

What is heterochromia

Heterochromia is the presence of different colored eyes in one cat. There are two types of heterochromia:

• complete - both eyes are completely different in color;
• sectoral - part of the eye (from a quarter to three quarters) of a different color.

Heterochromia can be either congenital or acquired. Congenital is formed under the influence of genes, acquired can appear due to injury or after illness. Congenital heterochromia is also associated with the movement of pigment - if one eye falls into an area where less pigment moves, it may be a different color from the genetically determined one.

Heterochromia can appear in any variations: brown and blue, brown and green, green and blue, copper and brown, copper and yellow, etc. But most often it is blue and yellow.

Heterochromia is also called heterochromia

Any cat can have heterochromia, even a purebred one, but for some breeds the standard considers heterochromia to be normal, while for others it is not. Which breeds can be heterochromic according to the standard:

1. Kao-mani.
2. Turkish Angora.
3. Turkish van.
4. Minskin.
5. Munchkin.
6. Ojos azules.
7. Canadian Sphynx.
8. Don Sphynx.
9. Some colors of British and Scottish cats (for example, solid white).

As a rule, you can understand what eye color a kitten will have as early as 4 months. It is at this age that you should take kittens if you want a certain eye color.

Red eyes only occur with albinism

Little kittens are adorable in large part due to their beautiful blue eyes. For some, this color remains for life, for others it changes at a certain age. But the main thing is that the color of a cat’s eyes does not determine its character at all. A cat with any eye color is beautiful, and any cat can become a devoted and affectionate pet for you.

WHEN DO BRITISH KITTENS OPEN THEIR EYES AFTER BIRTH?

After birth, kittens' eyes open at about 7-10 days, less often at 14-15 days.

Interesting! If kittens lie in a dark box, they open their eyes earlier.

At this age, the eyes are watery and very sensitive, so at this age it is better not to expose them to bright lighting, the sun and not to take photographs.

WHEN DO BRITISH KITTENS CHANGE EYE COLOR?

Kittens are always born with blue eyes. This eye color lasts up to 1.5-2 months, then they begin to change color to their main eye color, which matches the color.

VARIETIES OF BRITISH EYE COLOR

The British have four types of eyes:

• Blue eyes - blue, designated by BRI code 61
• Yellow eyes (orange, golden, copper, etc.) - yellow, golden, indicated by BRI code 62
• Different eyes - odd eyed ("with odd eyes"), indicated by BRI code 63
• Green eyes - green, designated by BRI 64 code

Let's talk in more detail about each eye color.

BRITISH CATS WITH BLUE EYES

The beautiful blue eyes of British cats are found only in color point and other white colors.

The cat's body is point-colored, with white and dark markings on the face (mask), ears, and tail.

White British cat with blue eyes (indicated by BRI code w 61). Such cats are sometimes deaf, so the kittens are carefully examined by a veterinarian.

Color point British cat with blue eyes (BRI b 33 61)

British cat, point silver chinchilla with blue eyes (BRI ns 33 61)

British cat white with blue eyes (BRI w 61)

British kittens with blue eyes, point tabby color (BRI ns 21 33 61)

BRITISH CATS WITH YELLOW EYES

It should be noted that most British cats have yellow (golden) eyes. This is according to the breed standard. The eyes of British kittens turn yellow after 2 months.

Colors of British cats with yellow eyes:

• plain (black, blue, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, red, cream)
• colors with white (bicolor, van, harlequin)
• tabby – cats with a pattern – spotted, striped, marbled, ticked (except golden color)
• tortoiseshell colors
• white (white colors are found not only with yellow eyes)

British blue (gray) cat with yellow eyes (BRI a 62)

British black cat with yellow eyes (BRI n 62)

British cat with yellow eyes, color cream bicolor (BRI e 03 62)

British lilac kittens with orange eyes (BRI c 62)

White British cat with yellow eyes (BRI w 62)

British cat with yellow eyes, chocolate spotted color (BRI and 24 62)

BRITISH CATS WITH DIFFERENT EYES

Found only in white cats

These cats look very impressive, unusual, and attract attention.

British white cat with different eyes (BRI w 63)

BRITISH CATS WITH GREEN EYES

British cats with green eyes only come in silver and gold colors (chinchilla and tabby).

Moreover, the golden color should always only have green eyes, while the silver ones have both green and yellow eyes.

Golden cats with yellow eyes are rejected. The British golden cat (looks like a red cat) with green eyes looks bright and elegant. Today this is a relatively new color, bred by felinologists.

British golden cat with green eyes (BRI ny 25 64)

Silver chinchilla, British cat with green eyes (BRI ns 11 64)

British cat with green eyes, marbled color (BRI ns 22 64)

EYE CARE FOR A BRITISH KITTEN

Due to the characteristics of the British breed and their short baby-face muzzle, the nasolacrimal duct takes a long time to form, so the kittens develop tear discharge. Eye care includes rubbing your eyes daily.

HOW TO WASH AND WHAT TO WIPE A BRITISH KITTEN'S EYES?

The best way to wipe the British eyes is with a cotton pad moistened with boiled water. You need to use a different cotton pad for each eye. It is not recommended to wash your British kitten's eyes with herbal tea, because... they leave marks on the fur. Sometimes, if there is excessive tearing, you can use “diamond eyes” drops; they wash the eyes well and dry them a little to reduce the discharge.

Closer to the year, the discharge from the British eyes is reduced to a minimum or disappears completely.

In our nursery there are British kittens with eyes: yellow, green, blue, odd-eyed.

Cat breeds and eye colors

As mentioned above, breed is not a 100% factor in whether an animal's eyes are a particular color. However, people are accustomed to certain standards and the norm for them is a specific eye color in individuals of certain breeds :

• British breed - bright orange or amber hue.
• Russian Blues have green eyes.
• White British people have blue eyes.
• Black layer - eyes should not be green.
• Scottish cats are green or copper in color.

By paying attention to the fact that kittens' eyes change, you can determine their age.

Yellow eyes of warm fire

What kind of eyes do British cats have of solid colors or, in other words, solid colors? All monochromatic British cats, except white ones, are left with no choice in the standard - their eyes are yellow, sometimes even closer to orange. The brighter and more saturated the shade, the more beautiful and expensive the cat.

British tortoiseshell cats also have yellow eyes. It is genetically determined that mainly female cats are born with such “pieds”. If a tortoiseshell cat is born, then this is the result of a genetic mutation, and the boy, alas, is infertile.

The classic yellow eye color is also found in spotted-striped animals - this color is also called tabby (tabby) or drawn. If there is no gold or silver in the color of the British minke whale, then, in theory, it should also be yellow-eyed.

Colors of Shorthair Scottish Fold cats (Scottish Fold Colors)

White (WHITE)

: Pure white, shiny. Eyes: deep sapphire blue or gold. A white with different eyes should have one eye sapphire blue and the other golden with equal color saturation. Nose and paw pads: pink. Black (BLACK)

: Black, coal without any rusty mixture.
Painted along the entire length. Nose is black. The pads are black or brown. The eyes are golden. Blue (BLUE)
: blue, preferably light blue, uniform.
Equally darkish is preferable to light with transitions and shades throughout the body. The nose and pads are blue. The eyes are golden. Red (RED)
: deep brilliant red, uniform, without smoke, pattern or ticking (at least see this in person, reds always have smoke, tabi, etc.).
White hairs are not allowed. Nose and pads: brick red. The eyes are golden. Cream (CREAM)
: Light shades are preferable, the color is uniform throughout the body. Nose and paw pads: pink. The eyes are golden.

When does a kitten grow up?

From the first to the second month, the kitten actively learns about the world around it, and its socialization begins. He can still climb where he shouldn’t, so everything that should not be accessible to the kitten at home should be put away or properly locked. Cats get along well with other pets.

The hunting instinct in kittens awakens already at 1-1.5 months, so it is best to establish friendship with birds and rodents when the kittens are still very young.

In some cats, play continues into old age, so the desire to play is not considered a sign by which age can be determined. At six months of age, kittens already look like adults and can even begin to mark their territory, but they are still considered teenagers by human standards, despite the fact that kittens' games become more serious, aimed at learning to hunt. At the same age, you can already start training, if your pet, of course, doesn’t mind. Only by the age of one and a half years can a cat be considered an adult.

How do kittens' eyes change?

The final eye color in cats is established by the age of 2 years. The process of changing the color of the iris is called reblooming. Most often it begins in the 4th week of a kitten’s life. In this case, the usual blue tint of the eyes is diluted with splashes of a different color. Gradually, these inclusions grow and the animal’s eyes acquire a constant shade.

Sometimes in white cats you can observe a difference in eye color. For example, one of them is green and the other is blue. This phenomenon is called heterochromia. Most often it is found among Turkish Vans, in rare cases among representatives of the British, Scottish or Persian species. Cats' eyes can not only change color, but also fade with age. At the same time, once bright shades turn into dull ones.

So, if you have a preference for cats with a certain eye color, adopt a kitten at 4 months of age. At this time, it is already possible to determine what color of the pet’s iris will be. Later it may acquire greater depth and richness, but its basic tonality will remain unchanged. It is worth noting that eye color is not a feature of a particular breed. This is a purely genetic criterion, where blue color is a recessive trait.

Steps

Visual inspection

Look for the umbilical cord.

If you find her, it means that you have a newborn kitten in front of you.

• The mother cat usually chews the umbilical cord until it breaks. A small tail remains on the kitten's belly.
• The umbilical cord usually falls off in the first three days of life. If there is still an umbilical cord on the kitten's belly, then the baby is only a few days old.

• Examine the kitten's eyes.

  Kittens' eyes go through several stages of development, from opening to changing color. If you observe changes in the eyes, you can determine age.

  Examine the animal's ears.

  Like eyes, ears go through several stages of development. You can guess the age of a kitten by the appearance of its ears.

  Examine the kitten's baby teeth.

  The teeth can be used to determine the age of both very young and older kittens. Newborn kittens (up to two weeks old) have no teeth. If there are teeth, you can determine the age by their condition and number.

  Look for molars.

  If you find large teeth on a kitten, he is most likely 4 months old or older. It is more difficult to determine the age of an older kitten by its teeth, but you can immediately understand whether it has already grown “adult” teeth or not.

• The incisors are the first to be replaced - at the age of 4 months.

Between 4 and 6 months, canines, premolars and molars are replaced.

• If the kitten has all molars and all four molars, then the kitten is at least 7 months old.
• Remember that all this applies to healthy kittens. Certain health problems or injuries can cause some teeth to be missing or delayed.

Definition of puberty

1. Look for signs of puberty.

   At about 4 months, kittens' behavior changes under the influence of hormones. During this time, kittens may meow loudly at night and try to get out of the house.

When purchasing a kitten at an early age, it is difficult to determine how bright and rich the color of its eyes will be. When kittens' eyes change depends primarily on the breed, where the range of appearance of the final shade can stretch from a couple of weeks of birth to 8-12 months.

When the eye color of kittens changes, it does not immediately acquire a pronounced, characteristic color for a particular breed. But it seems possible to see the shade at 3-4 months. And yet, for ordinary cat lovers, the brightness of the color of the iris of the future pet’s eyes is not so important as the color of the fur and its behavior.

Sometimes, when choosing, a person cannot even explain why, out of several fluffy lumps, this one came to his heart. On a whim? There is an opinion that it is not a person, but a cat that chooses its owner. And then it doesn’t matter anymore that a year later she discovered a breed defect in the form of eyes that were too pale or not the right shade at all.

However, professional breeders “fight” with all their might, both for the purity of the coat and for the color of the eyes. Those who like cats with blue eyes should keep in mind that when kittens' eyes change from blue to yellow or even brown, this is the norm. In principle, the opposite cannot happen.

If a small kitten's eye color already has a yellow tint, then in the future it can only acquire a brighter, amber, or copper color. There is an opinion that all small kittens, both purebred and not, have gray-blue eyes. But it is not always the case.

More precisely, after a couple of weeks of age, when the kitten’s eyes have just opened, they seem to be covered with a film, which gives the impression that they are gray. In outbred individuals, sometimes at 1-1.5 months you can already see a certain color, which will remain that way. These are often ginger cats.

When a kitten's eye color changes, owners try to predict what the final shade will be. It is believed that there is a relationship between fur pigment and the color of the iris. There is another opinion that the shade of the latter can be corrected with special nutrition. However, neither one nor the other has been scientifically proven.

Among ordinary cats, there is a fairly wide range of intermediate shades from gray-blue to brown. Strict standards, the “correct” colors of a particular breed, were invented by people. In the struggle for the purity of the breed, and therefore financial income, breeders cull when the kittens' eyes change, as they please.

A breed like the Siberian is luckier. Among its individuals there are no strict rules for the ratio of fur to eyes. But when the eye color of kittens of the British breed changes, it must eventually become bright orange, amber.

For fair, white British people, blue eyes are acceptable. If suddenly a British black solid cat dares to have green eyes, this is a gross violation of the standard. However, green or copper are the most correct colors for Scottish cats.

There are breeds for which only one eye color is allowed. For example, Russian Blue cats can only have green eyes. In fact, it is impossible to limit yourself to just one specific color. Realizing this, felinologists sometimes use acceptable comparative characteristics such as “ranging from the color of a young gooseberry to blue-green.”

Cats sometimes have eyes of different colors; for some breeds this anomaly, called heterochromia, is normal. Often these are cats whose color is predominantly white. The most popular representative is the Turkish van. But this effect also happens in British, Persian, and Scottish ones. In fact, in nature there can be any combination of fur and eyes.

In order to participate in exhibitions, of course, it is important not to be disappointed in your purchase. In this case, to avoid mistakes, it is better not to rush and buy a pet at the age of 4-5 months. This is exactly the period when kittens’ eye color finally changes. Perhaps the shade will become deeper later, but the color is already well defined.

For outbred kittens, owners strive to find worthy homes by a month, and kittens of the British breed are very sensitive at this age and still very much need the care of their mother and her milk. By separating a kitten from her ahead of time, you can simply destroy the offspring.

The mechanism of eye color change is characteristic not only of cats, but also of humans. After all, in newborn human babies, the eyes are also covered with a veil and the color is not determined. In the process of growth and development, it changes and by 8-9 months it acquires a distinct shade. However, if in cats the color becomes brighter and more expressive with age, then in humans, eyes that are bright blue in childhood often turn into paler or completely gray.

Although cats are also characterized by such a concept as recoloring or fading. When a kitten's eye color changes from blue, for example, to yellow or green, this is the period of recoloring. With age, just like in people, the rich color of the eyes fades.

When choosing a method of treating a disease in a kitten or an adult cat, when looking for the dosage of medications, vitamins and supplements, it is necessary to determine the age of the animal. If there is no opportunity to contact the specialists of a veterinary office, you will have to make do on your own.

Determining age is not as difficult as it seems. You should act step by step, analyzing and comparing data on some physiological indicators of the animal. Determining the age of a kitten is much easier than finding out how old an adult is.

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How to find out the age of a kitten

Every owner should know how old his pet is. It's easy to see the difference in what a 1 month or 1 week kitten looks like in appearance. It develops at a rapid pace, at each specific stage there are characteristic signs that indicate an approximate date (only a veterinarian can say for sure). There are certain ways that will help you find out how old your pet “predator” is. The time of birth can be determined using the following criteria:

Animal size and weight

If the animal does not have serious diseases, it is permissible to use size and weight measurements to determine age.

Recommendations for the relationship between the age and size of a cat should be taken into account that a particular individual could be born slightly larger or smaller than the average. If this fact occurs, then a deviation of 2–3 centimeters from the average readings is acceptable:

• If the length of the kitten, excluding the tail, is no more than 12 cm, then we can say that it has just been born.
• The length of the body without a tail is 15 cm, so the kitten is about 4 weeks old.
• About 20 cm body length is an indicator of 3 months.
• From the age of two months, boys may be larger in build than girls. With the size of a teenage cat being 23–24 cm, we can assume that the age is about 4 months. A five-month-old girl will measure about 25 cm.
• At the age of six months, the main growth of the animal stops; the length of the body, excluding the tail, is about 26–27 cm. Boys are longer by 2 to 6 cm.

In the system for calculating the weight of a cat, the weight of a newborn is taken as the starting indicator - this is 90–100 g. The deviation for subjective factors is assumed to be 20–30 g. The cat gains weight before reaching the age of two.

At the end of the first week, the approximate weight of the kitten is about 113–115 g. By the end of the second week, it increases to 200 g, by the end of the third - to 280 g. In subsequent weight changes, it increases noticeably faster. By the end of the fourth week, his weight is 370 g, at the end of the fifth - 450 g.

The indications given in the recommendations are conditional and approximate. A healthy kitten, with proper nutrition and care, increases by approximately 100 g every week. Having reached six months, the cat develops more slowly. Noticeable changes in weight will appear once a month. Even with abundant feeding, the animal gains little weight over the course of a week. The parameters of weight, height, eye color and other characteristics are set very conditionally, therefore, to obtain more accurate information, it is necessary to compare data from different age determination methods.

Determining the weight of an active, curious pet is quite possible at home. The kitten's maximum activity occurs at six months. This period lasts up to one and a half years. As time passes, the animal becomes calmer.

How kittens grow

The surest way to determine the age of a kitten is by observing it. There are certain periods of development of an organism that indicate the date of its birth. The older the pet, the more difficult it is to know exactly how old he is. The easiest way to do this is before 1 month, when the main stages of the formation of all animal body systems occur:

• the umbilical cord disappears;
• the baby begins to stand on his feet;
• body weight increases;
• eyes open, their color changes;
• teeth appear and grow.

Appearance

Small kittens can be easily identified by age and many parameters, primarily by the condition of the umbilical cord. If there are traces of it, we can conclude that the kitten is no more than a week old.

Small kittens have
a specific build.
Before reaching the age of one month, the body is disproportionate: with a fairly large head, miniature ears, short and weak legs. When the kitten reaches one month of age, the body and legs stretch out. The ears are just as small, the head fits into the general proportions.

By one and a half months, the color of the eyes begins to match the overall color of the coat.

In the two-month period, the body becomes elongated; in the three-month period, the ears increase in size.

Tips on how to distinguish a cat from a cat

Primary signs of sex in cats can be distinguished from birth. You can examine the kitten yourself, tactilely or visually. In the first case, you need to wash your hands thoroughly, make sure they are not cold, and place the kitten in your palm. If the baby is wary or worried about something, it is better to leave the check. The second way is to simply look at the genitals and anus. In a male they closely resemble a colon, while in a female they resemble an exclamation point. In addition, cats can boast of quite thick hair between these “points”, unlike female cats. Experienced cat lovers can determine gender by the shape of the face and body:

• the cat has a wider muzzle and nose;
• his physique is more massive, his paws are thicker;
• the cat is more graceful;
• Cats have an elongated muzzle.

Boy and girl

Calico cats are almost always (with very rare exceptions in the form of a genetic disease) cats, since the calico gene is associated with the X chromosome, which only girls have. When kittens are four to five months old, they begin puberty and their hormonal levels change dramatically. They may ask to go outside and meow loudly. Males tend to mark territory and may try to mate with females. Females can experience all the delights of the first heat, during which, under the influence of awakened hormones, they begin to scream loudly, rub their muzzle against the owner’s legs, and squirm. However, it should be remembered that early pregnancy is undesirable for a cat.

Breed differences

All Thai cats must have blue eyes. The aquamarine hue of their pupils should be bright and deep. Dullness is considered a disqualifying factor, excluding the animal from breeding work. Similar requirements apply to representatives of the Siamese breed.

Burmese beauties should have eyes ranging from a rich golden to lemon shade. Any deviation from the standard is unacceptable. Oriental cats are distinguished by grass-green eyes of varying intensity. For British and Scottish cats, copper, amber or terracotta colored eyes are preferred. And a green iris will ruin the exhibition career of even the most beautiful British woman.

Maine Coons can have corneas of any shade. The main thing is that the color is as pure as possible and does not contain other inclusions. The same requirement is prescribed for representatives of the Bengal breed. The only exceptions are individuals with the lynx point (snow) color, which must be blue-eyed.

Siberian cats are the pride of Russian felinology. Green and yellow shades of the pupils are considered the most acceptable for them. However, the color-point Siberian subspecies Nevskaya Maskaradnaya should have a piercing sky-blue gaze.

Content Rules

Proper care of an adult pet or kitten will preserve and prolong the health of the animal. British cats need regular coat care: combing, bathing, grooming. The fur of cats of this breed is thick and short, and the animals themselves are very clean and groom themselves thoroughly. But they need to be combed to get rid of lost hair and to add shine and shine to the coat. The cat licks the fallen hair and swallows it.

Hairs collect in the stomach in clumps and cause discomfort, this can lead to serious illnesses. Therefore, pets should be combed regularly and given special medications to prevent the accumulation of hair in the body.

It is also necessary to clean the ears and nose and trim the nails once every few weeks. You can help wash your cat's eyes daily. The teeth of the British also need to be monitored and periodically given special dry food for tartar. In addition, purebred individuals are susceptible to many genetic diseases.

Good beliefs

Not at all times and not in all countries people thought badly of the black cat. For example, in Ancient Egypt it was perhaps the most revered animal. Residents of Foggy Albion have also always loved black cats, but the white cat in their legends is a symbol of sadness and misfortune.

In England there is a superstition according to which one has only to notice a black cat sneezing next to the bride - and the girl’s family life will become happy. The Scots believe that if a very dark cat is seen on the porch of a pub or store, then a successful trade awaits the owner of the establishment. Also, an old British belief says that if an animal comes to the house of a lonely girl and refuses to leave, then she will soon get married.

There is also a charming modern sign: if a black cat gives birth to two kittens - a red one and a black one, then the red one should be given to good friends, and the black one should be taken for yourself. This will bring happiness.

Upbringing

Purchasing a kitten usually begins with a reservation. Then, only from 2 months of age the animal can be given to new owners. Why do you have to wait so long? Kittens, like children, are connected with their mother for the first time after birth, and not only with food. Mom teaches them the first steps and many other things that are invisible to us humans. After 2-3 months, the kitten is ready to leave its mother and move to a new family to live independently. In addition, during these 3 months, breeders teach kittens the litter tray, diet and scratching post.

After the kitten has moved to a new home, it needs to continue to be raised. You need to feed your pet in one specific place and at the same time. After moving, the toilet must first be installed in a visible place for the kitten so that he understands that his litter box is with him. The tray should be gradually moved towards the toilet, and after some time the kitten will only go to its tray in the place where it is convenient for you.