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The following
chart provides general guidelines for the
stages of development.
0 - 2 weeks = Neonatal
- Learning to orient toward
sound.
- Eyes are opening, usually
open by two weeks.
- Competition for rank and
territory begins. Separation from their
mother and littermates at this point can lead
to poor learning skills and aggression toward
people and other pets, including other
cats.
- 2 - 7 weeks =
Socialization
- By the third week smell is
well-developed and they can see well enough
to find their mother.
- By the fourth week smell is
fully mature and hearing is well-developed.
They start to interact with their
littermates, they can walk fairly well, and
they’re teeth are erupting.
- By the fifth week sight is
fully mature, they can right themselves, run,
place their feet precisely, avoid obstacles,
stalk and pounce, and catch "prey" with their
eyes.
- Start to groom themselves and
others.
- By the sixth and seventh
weeks they begin to develop adult sleeping
patterns, motor abilities and social
interaction.
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7- 14 weeks = Most active play
period
- Social and object play
increases their physical coordination and
social skills. Most learning is by
observation, preferably from their
mother.
- Social play includes
belly-ups, hugging, ambushing and
licking.
- Object play includes
scooping, tossing, pawing, mouthing and
holding.
- Social/object play includes
tail chasing, pouncing, leaping and
dancing.
3 - 6 months = Ranking
period
- Most influenced by their
"litter" (playmates now include companions of
other species).
- Beginning to see and use
ranking (dominant and submissive) within the
household, including humans.
6 - 18 months = Adolescence
- Heightened exploration of
dominance, including challenging humans.
- If not spayed or neutered,
beginnings of sexual behavior.
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