In modern life, cats are the most common animals in our homes. And recently, more and more often, cats are bought not to hunt rats and mice, but to make a new friend or even a family member.
By bringing an animal into the home, a person is responsible for its life and health and undertakes to satisfy its needs. But sometimes there are situations when there is an adult cat in the house that has recently acquired offspring.
Several helpless lumps appear - two, three, five. All care for them falls on the shoulders of the owner. In this article we will look at how kittens are born, when their eyes and ear canals open, their first teeth appear, and we will analyze the changes that occur from birth until the moment the babies become independent.
Educational video about newborn kittens.
Why are kittens born blind?
When a kitten is born, its body is not fully formed. Some organs, including the eyes, continue to develop for some time after birth.
Each fetus in the womb is in a special bladder into which it secretes its waste products. Tightly closed eyelids protect the organs of vision from harmful impurities. And after birth, it takes time for the eyes to adapt to external stimuli.
After how many days do kittens open their eyes?
Kittens are born blind and deaf. It will take several days for the eyelids to open and several weeks for vision to fully develop.
You should not try to open the kitten's eyes. This can lead to vision loss.
The eyes begin to open gradually. First, a small gap appears in the inner corner of the eye. Then the barely noticeable slit increases. This happens on the 3rd day after birth. The eyes look cloudy with a veil. Only after 5-10 days and even 14 days does the cat completely open its eyelids and begin to see blurry. In the first days, babies avoid light because their pupils have not yet adapted to new conditions and do not know how to contract. At the same time, the first milk teeth erupt, which are comparable in sharpness to needles.
The babies in the litter are different. Some kittens' eyes open after birth on the 6th day, others later or earlier. Also, a kitten may have one eye closed longer than the other. This is the norm, so there is no need to worry.
At what age does this happen?
The most important event for a cat's baby is the opening of its eyes. The process begins at approximately 2 weeks of life and lasts about 7 days. At first, babies slightly open their slits - their eyes, which become wider every day.
For the first 7 days, newborns do not see or hear anything around. At the beginning of life, it is necessary for them to be in a dark room; bright light negatively affects the development of the visual organs. After opening, the eyes are cloudy, with motionless pupils, until they begin to respond to stimuli and transmit signals from the optic nerves to the brain. After 2-3 days, the pupil becomes mobile, and the membrane of the eyes becomes transparent. After the eyelids open, kittens begin to move more and pay attention to objects that are interesting to them.
How do kids see?
Even if by 10-14 days the kittens open their eyes completely, their vision is still poor. They begin to see clearly only after 2 months. And all this time they understand what is happening only by relying on the smell, the feeling of warmth from their mother and littermates.
At 3 weeks, vision begins to improve. At 1 month, the kitten sees objects almost clearly in order to avoid bumping into them. But the baby is still clumsy, as eye-paw coordination has not been established. At the age of 1.5 months, he sees well enough to find food or bypass some object in his path.
Cats are good mothers. They take full care of the offspring and ensure their cleanliness. The owner’s task is not to disturb the cat, but also to regularly examine the babies in order to take timely measures.
Care and prevention
It is necessary that the cat’s pregnancy and childbirth proceed favorably. The diet of a pregnant female should include more fermented milk products, meat and low-fat fish. You should avoid sausages and sausages. It is not advisable to let a cat outside, where it can become infected from stray animals. You should limit yourself to a walk on the balcony. The expectant mother must be protected from drafts.
According to a theory among cat breeders, insight can be accelerated. To do this, the owner must pick up the kittens and pet them for several minutes. The cubs are then returned to their mother. The cat carefully licks the kittens to clean their fur of human odor, which it considers harmful. In the process of licking, the female repeatedly touches the organs of vision, which contributes to their development.
Diary of Kittens. Day 10. Open your eyes!
However, the process should not be accelerated artificially. Human actions can cause stress not only in newborn kittens, but also in their mother, who fears for the safety of her offspring.
In the first 1-2 weeks after birth, it is not advisable for the cat owner to interfere in the educational process. The female, even if she gave birth for the first time, is able to independently take care of her children and their hygiene. However, if the newborn shows signs of suppuration, the eyelids can be wiped daily with a weak solution of furatsilin or another antiseptic that does not contain alcohol.
The cat should be given the right to choose a place to keep its offspring. She can settle behind a sofa, under a closet, etc. The female intuitively looks for a dark and at the same time warm place. For several days after epiphany, bright light is harmful to the cubs.
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What determines the timing of eye opening?
The timing of the opening of the eyes depends on several factors – the breed, how long the cat’s pregnancy lasted, and living conditions.
Breed affiliation
It is believed that Orientals (Siamese, Abyssinians, Orientals) develop faster. Also, development occurs at a faster pace in short-haired cats compared to long-haired cats.
Sphynxes are often born with their eyes slightly open. And already after 2-3 days they open them completely. On days 3-5, the eyelids of Rex cats (Devon Rex, Cornish Rex) open. Regular kittens remain mole rats for an average of 7 days.
Large breeds take longer to “grow up” - British Shorthair, Norwegian Forest, Maine Coon, Siberian. Big cat kittens open their eyes at 6-10 days. And for ragdolls it is quite normal to see sight on the 14th day or later.
Gestation period
On average, a cat's pregnancy lasts 63 days. But it is a common occurrence that deadlines move 1-2 days earlier or 2-4 days later. If a cat is overbearing and the kittens are born at 68-70 (this is already a caesarean section), then their eyes may be slightly open, since babies develop very quickly in the womb.
Vision of cats
It's good that you know what kind of vision your kitten will have when he grows up and becomes an adult. As we already mentioned, it is only after 12 weeks that they begin to have perfect vision and use all the vision that a feline has.
It is important to know that cats have a wider field of vision than we do, reaching 200 degrees. Felines have a part of their eye tissue with cells that capture a lot of light, this part is known as the tapetum lucidum and makes them see something blurrier than we do during the day, but at night cats see perfectly, and thanks to this, the already vertical shape of their pupils. which allows more light penetration, they are excellent night hunters. Also, they don't see as many colors as we do, they only see colors like blue, green or yellow.
Author of the article: Irene Juste . Several years ago, I studied cats and specialized in various areas related to veterinary medicine. Most recently I have trained in International Trade and Marketing and ITM. I love sharing knowledge and ideas, and above all else, I am passionate about animals. For this reason, I like to write about what I know well: animals, beauty, health and sports.
What to do if your eyes do not open on time
If one or more kittens from the litter seem to have their eyes stuck together, you can try to help and “soak” them. To do this, use tea leaves. You need to soak a cotton pad in tea and apply it to your eyelids. When the baked crust gets wet, very carefully try to push your eyelids apart with your fingers. Also, in order to remove the crust on the dried eyelids, purulent discharge, use the ophthalmic drug Ofto-Lavas and other similar products.
Not as common, but may require consultation with a veterinarian. If kittens' eyelids do not open after 2 weeks of life, there is a risk that the baby is sick.
Any bacterial infection, herpes virus, transmitted from mother to fetus or after birth, can cause conjunctivitis - inflammation of the mucous membrane. If the eyelids are still closed, then the pathogenic microflora finds a favorable space under them and multiplies intensively. The eyelids turn red and swell. If the eyes begin to open slightly, then purulent discharge is possible. Conjunctivitis requires serious treatment, as it can lead to blindness.
The reason why a kitten's eyes do not open is keratitis or inflammation of the cornea, which developed under a closed eyelid. As well as congenital fusion of the eyelids (partial or complete). In this case, only surgical treatment is provided.
Possible problems and methods for eliminating them
The timing of eye opening can be affected by inflammatory processes in the visual organs, as well as congenital or acquired pathologies.
Fusion of eyelids
Fusion refers to the individual characteristics of the body of some individuals and is rare. If eyelid opening is not observed within a month after birth, the owner needs to sit the kitten in front of him and lightly simultaneously pull the upper and lower eyelids of first one eye, then the other, to diagnose the problem.
You can get rid of the fusion with massage. However, in most cases, surgery is used. The eyelids are cut under anesthesia. For rapid healing, special medications are used.
Conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is an infectious disease that is caused by various microbes. Bacteria can enter the body of a newborn kitten before the animal can see. The main symptoms of conjunctivitis include watery eyes and swelling of the eyelids.
The owner can help his pet on his own if the disease is not advanced. Strongly brewed black or green tea is used to wash the eyes. It is necessary to moisten a cotton swab in tea and wipe the kitten’s eyes. The medicine can be instilled using a pipette. In more severe cases, you need to contact your veterinarian to prescribe drug therapy.
Why does the kitten have slanted eyes?
When kittens begin to see, the owner sometimes notices a strange picture - their eyes look in different directions. Strabismus is a common phenomenon and should not be alarmed. The fact is that newborn kittens are not yet able to control their muscles. They need time to learn to focus their gaze and direct both eyes in one direction. Babies acquire a meaningful look by 5-6 weeks, and some purebred cats only by 10 months. If the strabismus does not go away, you need to see a veterinarian.
Development of vision in a child from birth to 1 year.
Pregnancy.
A child's vision begins to develop even before birth. How a woman takes care of herself and her health during pregnancy is extremely important for the formation of all brain structures of the unborn child, incl. his eyes and visual centers. You should adhere to all the recommendations of the obstetrician-gynecologist regarding proper nutrition, rest, and the use of special vitamin complexes. Our gynecologists have developed special pregnancy management programs for each trimester. You can view the programs here. It is necessary to refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol, as this can lead to the development of numerous problems with the child’s health and even developmental defects, including the organ of vision. Smoking is especially dangerous during pregnancy, as cigarette smoke contains about 3,000 different chemicals that can potentially harm a person - including carbon monoxide (or carbon monoxide), which is known to be fetotoxic. Even taking such harmless drugs as aspirin can, in some cases, harm the unborn child, as it increases the likelihood of developing low birth weight and problems during childbirth. And children born with low birth weights increase the likelihood of developing vision problems. Therefore, it is advisable to discuss in advance with your obstetrician-gynecologist all medications that you will need to take during pregnancy, incl. Dietary supplements and medicines based on herbal ingredients.
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Newborn.
Immediately after birth, the child is able to distinguish only shades of black and white. The nerve cells of the retina and visual centers of the brain are not yet fully formed. Also, at this time, the ability to focus the eyes on a nearby object (convergence and accommodation) has not yet developed. Therefore, it may seem that the baby is looking “through” objects.
However, within a few days after birth, children are able to distinguish their mother's face from the face of a stranger. Perhaps this is due to the fact that they are guided by the contrasting border of hair growth (some researchers hid this area of the face under a cap and the babies “lost” their mother). To make it easier for your baby, try not to change your hairstyle much in the first month after giving birth. Other studies suggest that children this age may find it easier to distinguish between a moving object and a static object. Therefore, already 2-3 days after birth, they are able to respond to the mother’s facial expression if it is located at a distance of about 30 cm from the baby’s eyes.
The big eyes of newborns cannot help but attract attention. The fact is that the formation of eyes during pregnancy occurs very early, already at 3 weeks, so at birth their size is about 65% of the size of an adult eye. At the same time, the depth of the orbit of a newborn, compared to an adult, is small, the tone of the eyelids is increased, and the sensitivity of the cornea, on the contrary, is reduced. Therefore, in the first days of life, you may notice that a child blinks less often than an adult. The main position of the baby during this period is horizontal, on the back; eyelashes in this position are less able to protect the eyes from foreign bodies. At this time, you need to be careful and ensure that no debris gets into the baby’s eyes, which can cause damage or inflammation to the surface of the eye.
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Eye color.
The colored part of the eye is called the iris, and its color determines the color of the eyes. It is impossible to know in advance what color a child’s eyes will be, since it is determined not only by the eye color of the parents, but also of all their relatives. This depends on the type and quantity of pigments that are embedded in the iris and are inherited in a rather complex way. At one time, brown eye color was considered dominant, and blue was considered to be inherited through a recessive path. Today it is known that there are 6 different genes, the interaction of which determines a wide variety of eye shades. At an early age, eye color may change. Many babies are born with blue eyes, which gradually turn brown over the first 1-3 years of life. This occurs due to the accumulation of the pigment melanin, which is low at birth but becomes more abundant when exposed to sunlight. Children may have completely different eye colors from their parents, but if both parents have brown eyes, the child's eyes will most likely be brown too. A darker eye color is often more dominant, so brown will beat green, and green will beat blue. However, if one parent has brown eyes and the other has blue eyes, it does not mean that the child will have brown eyes.
Some children are born with different colored eyes. This condition is called heterochromia, and it can be inherited or caused by mutations in genes that control the distribution of melanin. Sometimes it can be a sign of inflammation, pigmented iris nevus or Horner's syndrome. If you notice different eye colors in your child, do not put off visiting an ophthalmologist.
1 month of life
A child's eyes in the first month of life are not very sensitive to light. In fact, the amount of light it takes for a baby to notice that there is light at all (light sensitivity threshold) is 50 times more than what an adult needs. Therefore, you can safely leave the light in the nursery; this will not interfere with your baby’s rest, but it will become easier for you to watch him while he sleeps. The ability to distinguish colors appears quite quickly in babies. Within a week after birth, they can distinguish between red, orange, yellow and green. It takes a little longer to begin to distinguish between blue and purple. Blue has a shorter wavelength and has fewer receptors in the human eye for its perception. Also at this time, you can notice a periodic deviation of the child’s eyes from the axis. They can deviate both inward and outward, together or separately. This is normal, but if you notice a persistent abnormality in any eye, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Immediately after birth, the baby may cry frequently, but no tears are produced. This does not mean that they are not produced. The fact is that to constantly moisturize the eyes, the work of additional small lacrimal glands located in the conjunctiva of the eyeball and eyelids is sufficient. The main lacrimal gland, which produces tears when the surface of the cornea is irritated or when a person experiences strong emotions, begins to function only 2 months after birth. Therefore, if you notice tearing in one or both eyes of a baby in the first month of life, this may be a sign of partial or complete obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct. In this case, the tear does not pass through the canal into the nose, but accumulates in the lacrimal sac and gradually returns to the eye cavity. One of the most common reasons is the preservation of a special membrane in the lower part of the nasolacrimal canal. At the moment of birth, during a cry, the membrane breaks through, but in 6-20% of cases this does not happen. Very often, in case of stagnation of tears, a bacterial infection occurs, which can lead to the development of inflammation, the so-called. dacryocystitis of newborns. Therefore, constant watering from the baby’s eyes is a reason to consult a doctor for an examination.
Around 1 month after birth, it is required to undergo an initial examination by an ophthalmologist, during which the doctor will be able, among other things, to rule out serious congenital pathologies, for example, congenital cataracts and eye defects. Although these conditions are very rare, they should be diagnosed as early as possible to minimize their impact on the infant's visual acuity development.
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2-3 months of life
In the second and third months of life, the child’s vision continues to actively develop. Visual acuity improves, the eyes stop periodically squinting and the ability to focus on close objects appears. At this time, the baby already follows a moving object well and begins to reach for the objects he sees. Their field of vision also expands, the child can look from one object to another without turning his head. Their eyes become more sensitive to light, at the age of 3 months, the threshold for light perception is only 10 times higher than that of an adult. Therefore, while your baby is sleeping and resting, it is better to dim the lights in his room. During this time, you should often change the location of your baby's crib in the room, or the toys that surround him, so that he can get an idea of the different shapes of objects. While he is awake, place him on his tummy more often, encourage him to crawl, and put toys in his hand. This stimulates the development of binocular vision, gives the child the opportunity to more accurately determine the mutual distance of objects and develops accommodation (adjusting the image for sharpness).
4-6 months of life
By the 6th month of life, the child’s visual centers of the brain are already sufficiently developed, which allows him to see more clearly, watch longer and maintain attention better. Visual acuity improves from approximately 0.05 to 0.4, with the norm for an adult being 1.0. The perception of color at this age is already the same as in adults, which allows the child to see all the colors of the rainbow. Children also develop better motor skills and binocular vision, allowing them to quickly pick up and put into their mouths everything they see. 6 months of a child’s life is the decreed age for examination by an ophthalmologist. At this time, the doctor can examine the refraction of the eyes, detect the presence of myopia, farsightedness or astigmatism, assess eye mobility and the presence of strabismus. The normal eye of most children between birth and 6 years of age has hypermetropic (or farsighted) refraction. This means that after refraction in the media of the eye, the image is projected not on the retina, but behind it, and in order to see clearly, the child must make an effort - use accommodation. This feature arises as a result of several reasons. The child's eye at this time has a shorter anterior-posterior axis than that of an adult, a smaller cornea diameter and a smaller anterior chamber. Farsightedness of degree 1.0-4.0D is considered normal (physiological). Over time, the eyeball increases in size and the image shifts to the retina. However, in some cases, even a slight displacement of the image from the retina can cause excessive accommodation stress and, as a result, strabismus or amblyopia (“lazy eye”). This happens especially often if the structure of the eyes differs from each other. In this case, the brain refuses to “work” with a less clear image and the visual acuity of such an eye stops improving.
7-12 months of life
This is the age when your child is already quite mobile. He actively crawls and crawls distances per day that you can’t even imagine. He is better able to assess the distance of objects, and is better at grabbing and throwing things. This is a very important stage in the development of a child. At this time it is very difficult to protect him from possible harm. Bumps, bruises, eye damage and other possible injuries appear as a result of the child’s exploration of the surrounding space. Therefore, it is very important to put away all cleaning products and sharp objects. To develop the child’s vision during this period, offer him toys that can be disassembled into parts and put back together, sort toys by shape and color, and roll a small ball to each other. At the age of 1 year, the child will have another examination by an ophthalmologist. At this time, the doctor will be able to more accurately determine possible features of the baby’s refraction, compare the results obtained with data from previous examinations and draw up a plan for further visits. After all, it is in the first year of life that a child grows faster than in all subsequent years, and with him the structure of his eyes grows and changes. In addition, the older the child becomes, the easier it is to keep his attention during the examination, and the more accurate the examination results. Most vision diagnostic methods require a certain position of the eyes and gaze of the small patient. Therefore, try to schedule a visit to the doctor at a time that does not disrupt the child’s usual routine. The baby should be ready to play, and not sleepy or hungry. If possible, do not combine an examination with an ophthalmologist with examinations by other doctors, tests or vaccinations, or start with an eye exam.
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