When Do Kittens Ears Open? Can Newborn Kittens Hear? (Popping up and Hearing)

While kittens are adorable, when do they actually open their ears? That’s one of the questions I get asked most frequently by curious pet parents.

This is the cutest thing that ever happened on the Internet. The kitten is so adorable and its expression is so adorable. It looks like it’s waiting for its mother to feed it.

Kittens have their eyes closed until they are 3-4 days old and the eyelids open around 6 days old.

When Do Kittens Ears Open?

In the third week of life, a kitten’s ears will begin to develop. Suddenly, you’ll see that their ears aren’t flush with their head anymore. They now look much more like cats.

If your kitten’s ears start to perk up a few days before or after the three-week mark, don’t panic. Kittens, like humans, are unique and will mature at somewhat varying rates.

As the timeline below shows, however, it only takes kittens a few of weeks to develop from helpless newborns to full-fledged, hyperactive kittens.

Can Newborn Kittens Hear?

Ear canals are not visible or accessible in a newborn kitten. Around 14 days of age, their ear canals open, and subsequent hearing development can begin.

Despite this, a kitten’s hearing is not fully developed until roughly 25 days of age.

Kitten Development Timeline from Birth to 8 Weeks Old

The rapidity with which a kitten matures and acquires full sensory function never ceases to astound me. Some of the most fascinating stages of growth will pass you by if you blink.

From birth to about 8 weeks of age, kittens undergo the following stages of development. It’s not set in stone, but it should give you a general notion of what to expect in terms of progress each week.

< to 1 Week Old

Kittens are born unable to see, hear, or chew food. Lacking teeth, they can only consume milk with the aid of their mothers’ breasts while their eyes are closed and their little ears are folded practically flat to their skulls.

It takes 4-5 days for a kitten’s umbilical cord to fall off after birth. Once it dries and comes off, the kitten will be totally reliant on its mother for survival in terms of nutrition, cleanliness, and temperature regulation.

For the first week of life, they will stick quite close to their moms. These early stages are essential to the development of their relationship and their wellbeing. It’s best to let the mother and kittens alone for the first week.

2 Weeks Old

Even in the first two weeks, there will be remarkable development. Their eyes will be open, and you can see the beginnings of teeth if you look closely, but their ears will still be folded.

The infants will continue to get regular breast milk from their mothers. Also, around two weeks of age, they should get their first worming therapy.

3 Weeks Old

In addition to the three-week milestone, I also said that you may expect to see their ears emerge. As you’ve probably observed, most kittens will soon be strolling around and becoming acquainted with their new surroundings.

At the three-week mark, a lot of intriguing things have happened thus far. Kittens at this age have an impressively developed sense of awareness. You’ll see they’re starting to play and socialize with others in the litter.

4 Weeks Old

By the time they’re 4 weeks old, a kitten’s senses are largely complete. Their eyesight is becoming better, their hearing is fine, they will have a keen sense of smell, and they should have all of their teeth by now.

Most kittens will begin to self-groom and will drink from a bowl of water. Seeing them mature before your very eyes is a thrilling experience, no doubt about it.

5-6 Weeks Old

Kittens are at their most active and playful between the ages of 5 and 6 weeks, when all of their senses are fully developed. Assuming they haven’t begun climbing, leaping, and exploring already. It’s only a matter of time before they do.

Investing time into them at this point is crucial. They will become much more receptive and pleasant to people if they are socialized with today.

7-8 Weeks Old

The initial visit to the veterinarian should occur between the ages of 7 and 8 weeks. They should have the standard vaccinations, a new round of worm medicine, and a general checkup.

This is the time when all of their kitten teeth should be in. Since some teething kittens get diarrhea, I went into further depth there on how to handle the situation.

They should be chowing down on the kitten food you’ve been providing, guzzling water like watermelons, and generally tearing around the house like a ball of fluff.

The Ninth Week

You’re starting to look really mature, sweetie. Kittens this age are beginning to exhibit adult-like behavior and body language. Darling’s eyes have turned from blue to yellow, and he’s eating nothing but solids.

Kittens develop strong attachments to their caretakers by the time they are nine weeks old, as seen by their habit of climbing onto laps for pets and constant need for human attention.

The Tenth Week

Darling is now ready for a forever home thanks to having been weaned, neutered, and acquainted with humans. They mature so rapidly it’s hard to keep up.

Adorable kittens Darling, Denby, Corduroy, Tweed, and Wembley have all been adopted into wonderful homes and have been properly weaned, socialized, spayed or neutered.

Conclusion

When do kittens ears open? Kittens ears open at around 12 weeks of age. The most common reason for delayed ear opening is insufficient nutrition during development.

If a kitten does not get enough nutrients, the ears do not close completely. This results in hearing loss.

source https://catshint.com/when-do-kittens-ears-open/