Questions on Newborns

Hey all, my two kittens are doing well, they are 12 days old today.
One is starting to open it's eyes the other hasn't, is that ok? What age do they normally start to open up?
Also curious bout when thay start to be able to hear?
And when can i start handling them, i've tried picking them up a few times, mum doesn't mind at all. The one with the half open eyes screams at me when i try to pick it,the other is fine. Should i still try to handle them, or should i let them be for longer?
Any help greatly appeciated.

They open their eyes between 9-12 days. Their ears begin to unseal around this time frame too. As young as they are, I wouldn't handle them much. Let their shoulders and body develop and their eyes fully open first.

Hi Jasmine cat!

i have three kittens now. They are 19 days old today, 7.16.03.

on the 11th day, all three kittens' eyes were fully opened.

i think it is really imperative to keep everything scrupulously clean at the kittens' sleeping nesting bed. i change their sheets everyday. It is lined over a thick towel, which is lined over a heating pad with low heat, which is lined over a thick quilt.

Please check out my furbabies pix in another thread.

Take care and God bless!

Kisses for your kitties and kitty mom!




Cheers!

Hey Shirley, your babies are sooo sweet!! i love abbies they're so adorable. i know what you mean about wanting to keep them all, i have a feeling i may end up doing the same too!
The kittens are two weeks old tomorrow, and only one still has eyes semi open, the other one doesn't look like it'll happen any time soon
Am having alot of bad kitty luck lately it seems.
I've tried to post pics, but am told they are too big, and i don't know how to resize them
If anyone can help me out i'd really appreciate it

Eyes open 10-14 days.

As for holding them, I do it from day one, I also talk to them constantly. A lot of breeders dont agree with this, but I have found that by the time my babies open their eyes they respond to my face and voice. They also calm down when I hold them (if they are distressed, usually by someone else holding them). By the time they are 4 weeks they will crawl to me when they see or hear me.

I wouldnt let strangers hold them until they are much older, maybe even until after they have had their first shots. You do not know what cats your friends have come in contact with and do not want them spreading anything to your precious babies.

Enjoy them now. They are just too adorable for words, and it only gets better!


Elizabeth

Jasmine Cat I'll post the photos for you if you email them to me. You can get the email from my website!

Thankyou Teresa, that's very kind of you! will send you pics in the next few days
Kittens are 17 days old, and still the kitten hasn't opened it's eyes, i'm getting more worried now. Have tried to bathe them with salt water but that hasn't helped. The other kittens eyes are fully opened now. It's just this little one......