Poop
A kitten or kitty is a juvenile domesticated cat.[1] A feline litter usually consists of two to five kittens. To survive, kittens need the care of their mother for the first several weeks of their life. Kittens are highly social animals and spend most of their waking hours playing and interacting with available companions.
Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
2 Birth and development
3 Health
4 Orphaned kittens
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
Etymology
The word "kitten" derives from Middle English kitoun (ketoun, kyton etc.), which itself came from Old French chitoun, cheton: "kitten".[1]
A newborn kitten.
The young of big cats are called cubs rather than kittens. Either term may be used for the young of smaller wild felids such as ocelots, caracals, and lynx, but "kitten" is usually more common for these species.
Birth and development
A feline litter usually consists of two to five kittens. The kits are born after a gestation that lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average length of 66 days.[2] Kittens emerge in a sac called the amnion which is bitten off and eaten by the mother cat.[3]
For the first several weeks, kittens are unable to urinate or defecate without being stimulated by their mother.[4] They are also unable to regulate their body temperature for the first three weeks, so kittens born in temperatures less than 27 °C (81 °F) can die from hypothermia if they are not kept warm by their mother.
A litter of kittens being suckled by their mother
The mother's milk is very important for the kittens' nutrition and proper growth. This milk transfers antibodies to the kittens, which helps protect them against infectious disease.[5] Newborn kittens are also unable to produce concentrated urine, and so have a very high requirement for fluids.[6]
Kittens open their eyes about seven to ten days after birth. At first, the retina is poorly developed and vision is poor. Kittens are not able to see as well as adult cats until about ten
Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
2 Birth and development
3 Health
4 Orphaned kittens
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
Etymology
The word "kitten" derives from Middle English kitoun (ketoun, kyton etc.), which itself came from Old French chitoun, cheton: "kitten".[1]
A newborn kitten.
The young of big cats are called cubs rather than kittens. Either term may be used for the young of smaller wild felids such as ocelots, caracals, and lynx, but "kitten" is usually more common for these species.
Birth and development
A feline litter usually consists of two to five kittens. The kits are born after a gestation that lasts between 64 and 67 days, with an average length of 66 days.[2] Kittens emerge in a sac called the amnion which is bitten off and eaten by the mother cat.[3]
For the first several weeks, kittens are unable to urinate or defecate without being stimulated by their mother.[4] They are also unable to regulate their body temperature for the first three weeks, so kittens born in temperatures less than 27 °C (81 °F) can die from hypothermia if they are not kept warm by their mother.
A litter of kittens being suckled by their mother
The mother's milk is very important for the kittens' nutrition and proper growth. This milk transfers antibodies to the kittens, which helps protect them against infectious disease.[5] Newborn kittens are also unable to produce concentrated urine, and so have a very high requirement for fluids.[6]
Kittens open their eyes about seven to ten days after birth. At first, the retina is poorly developed and vision is poor. Kittens are not able to see as well as adult cats until about ten