Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 2
Kitten Development
Kittens develop very quickly and are grown-up cats before you know it.
The maturation that occurs during a kitten's first six months of life cor-
relates to the first 15 years of a human's life. From birth to six months, a
kitten changes from a newborn to a sexually mature animal. In the past,
when I got a new kitten, all I wanted to do was stay home with him all
the time. My husband thought I was crazy, but I told him the kitten
would be all grown up within a few months and I didn't want to miss
his kittenhood. I guess that's what people say about their own children
growing up, so it is a natural feeling for all kinds of parents!
Kittens seem to work at two speeds: full power and full stop. They
seem to have unending energy, and then they crash and sleep very
soundly. Starting off with a new kitten is a lot of fun, but if you are a
first-time cat owner, you may have questions about what normal
behavior is. Knowing what to expect with regard to kitten development
is helpful so you can work on training your kitten properly and be able
to intervene if behaviors get out of hand.You have the best chance of
molding your kitten into the perfect pet when he is young.
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