Kitten timeline · 0–4 weeks

Newborn kittens (0–4 weeks): care and feeding

For the first four weeks, kittens live on milk, sleep most of the day and can’t keep themselves warm. Whether mom cat is doing the work or you’re bottle-feeding, here’s what normal looks like and how to help.

Not sure if your newborn is a boy or girl? Here is how to tell if a kitten is a boy or girl. For what comes after milk, see what kittens eat at each age.

Reviewed October 2026 · Sources

Food

Mom's milk or kitten milk replacer

How often

Every 2–4 hours

Weigh

Daily, same time

Warmth

Heat source, always

What's happening

Week-by-week milestones

Birth: eyes and ears closed, umbilical cord attached, roughly 100 g (3.5 oz). Sleeping almost all the time is normal.
Week 1: the cord drops off. Kittens can’t walk yet and depend completely on warmth from mom or a heat source.
Week 2: eyes start to open, usually between days 10 and 14, and they’re always blue at first. Ears open and crawling begins.
Week 3: first wobbly steps and the first baby teeth. Many kittens start to pee on their own.
Week 4: playing, better balance and toileting without help. This is when weaning starts.

A healthy kitten gains weight every single day. A rough rule of thumb is around 100 g (3.5 oz) a week, so a 4-week-old often weighs about 500 g. Steady daily gain matters more than hitting an exact number.

Feeding

Bottle-feeding basics

If mom cat is present and nursing well, let her feed the litter. Your job is a warm, quiet nest and daily weigh-ins. If you’re caring for orphaned kittens, here’s the routine shelters use:

Age	How often	Typical amount per feed
0–1 week	Every 2–3 hours, day and night	3–4 ml
2 weeks	Every 3 hours	5–6 ml
3–4 weeks	Every 4 hours	13–17 ml

Use kitten milk replacer, never cow’s milk. Follow the mixing and amounts on the product label; they vary by brand.
Warm the kitten before you feed it. A cold kitten can’t digest milk and can become very sick. If they feel cool, warm them slowly first.
Feed belly-down, in a natural nursing position. Never feed a kitten on its back, as milk can go into the lungs.
Help them toilet. After each feed, gently rub the belly and genitals with a warm, damp cotton pad until they pee and poop. Kittens need this until about 3–4 weeks.

Your checklist

What you need this month

A covered box or carrier lined with soft, washable bedding
A heat disc or covered hot-water bottle on one side of the nest, so kittens can move away if they get too warm
Kitten milk replacer, kitten bottles and spare nipples
A kitchen scale that weighs in grams, plus a notebook or spreadsheet for daily weights
Cotton pads or soft tissues for toileting
Your vet’s number, and the nearest emergency clinic’s

See the full kitten essentials checklist for what you’ll need as they grow.

Call your vet if…

A kitten stops gaining or loses weight over 24–48 hours
No poop for 48 hours, or very dark urine (a sign of dehydration)
A kitten feels cold, is limp, cries constantly or won’t feed
Milk bubbles from the nose during or after feeding
Eye or nose discharge, diarrhea, or any sign of illness

Newborn kittens can go downhill within hours, so it’s always better to call early.

Coming up: weaning

At 4 weeks your kitten starts on solid food. Get a feeding plan for their age and weight.