Newborn Siamese kittens look very different to adults when they’re first born. And, it can take a few weeks for those features to change to that of an adult Siamese cat. They have white fur, closed eyes and folded-over ears. Their tails look shorter in proportion to their bodies, and they can’t control their movements very well. They are wobbly, crawling carefully over each other to reach their mom or for warmth.
Contents
- What newborn Siamese kittens look like?
- Tiny eyes, ears and teeth
- Special needs and mother’s milk
- Caring for tiny kittens
As adults, Siamese are small to medium sized cats. They come in a huge range of colors, though all official shades are pointed. And, it can take Siamese kittens as long as 18 months to fully develop and grow into their adult appearance.
What Do Newborn Siamese Kittens Look Like?
When they’re first born, Siamese kittens are very small, covered in a thin layer of white fur. Every member of the litter will have their eyes closed and their ears folded over. So they can’t see or hear during their first few days, but instead use an incredible sense of smell to navigate to their meals. Not that they will move around much, other than crawling over each other to get to their mom.
Over the course of the next few weeks, Siamese kittens change considerably. Their fur will develop color, and their eyes and ears will open. As they age, they will grow into the typical slender, sleek Siamese structure.
How Big Are Newborn Siamese Kittens?
There are differences in birth weight even within the same cat breed. Larger litters tend to have smaller kittens, but they can range in size even among siblings. You’ll find the average is around 3.5oz though on day one. They will fit snugly in the palm of your hand.
Each week they’ll grow rapidly, putting on about a pound a month for the first six months at least. When they are fully grown, Siamese cats will be small to medium. They will range between 5 and 12 lbs, with females most often falling to the lower end of this spectrum than males.
What Color Are Newborn Siamese Kittens?
Adult Siamese cats have pointed fur. This is caused by a form of temperature-sensitive albinism. The coolest parts of your cat’s body will develop the most intense pigment, creating darker fur. This is why Siamese cats all tend to have darker fur at their points (face, ears, feet, tail) – these are the coolest parts of their body.
However, Siamese kittens won’t have this pointed coloring when they’re first born. Instead, they will be completely white. Their fur will develop and change over the next few weeks to reveal their pointed coloring. This can start to show up faintly by the end of their first week. But until then, they will all look remarkably similar to one another.
Opening Eyes and Ears
Siamese kittens will have blue eyes, like Siamese cats. But, when they’re first born, you won’t see their eye color.
Their tiny fresh eyes will develop over the following weeks. Usually your Siamese kitten will start to open their eyes and ears in their second week of life. But, they will still be very reliant on their mom, sticking close by her side rather than exploring the world around them.
Do Newborn Cats Have Teeth?
Kitten will have no teeth when they are newborns, and they won’t emerge for a few weeks yet. Their gums will usually be bright pink, but in their first week of life, you won’t see any shiny points poking through.
What do Newborn Siamese Kittens Eat?
Over the first few weeks of their life, Siamese kittens are entirely reliant on their mom for food. During their first week, they won’t have the ability to move around much. Which is just as well, given that they can’t see or hear!
Instead, kittens will stay close to their mom and will only feed on her milk. They won’t be weaned onto solid food for a few weeks, until they have considerably more teeth!
Special Care
As newborns, Siamese kittens are very vulnerable. Not only can they not move around much, see, or hear, but they cannot regulate their own temperature. So, as well as providing them with food, their mom will provide them with plenty of warmth to keep them healthy. Mother cats will also clean up after kittens, licking them to stimulate bowel movements and clean away waste.
Newborn kittens will sleep for most of their day, waking up to eat and go to the toilet. So, their mother will provide most of their care. But there are a few things that breeders can do to help out. This includes providing a gentle heat source for moments when the mother needs a break, or a little more space.
In rare cases where kittens don’t have a mom, breeders will need to feed them regularly with a veterinarian-approved kitten formula. They will also need to stimulate their bowel movements and clean up after kittens, as well as keeping them warm. But, this is a rare situation, and should be done with the regular advice and help of a vet.
Can I Buy a Newborn Siamese Kitten?
If you see a breeder trying to sell newborn kittens, the best thing to do is walk away. Kittens are not ready to leave their moms until around 8 weeks of age. As newborns, they’re fully reliant on their mom for food, warmth, stimulation – for everything they currently need. Yes it’s possible for people to provide those things in rare cases where the mom is not around, but these situations are never ideal. Kittens will always be best kept with their mom and siblings until 8 weeks.
Not only does their mom provide important care in the very first weeks of life, but kittens will learn important social skills from their mom and siblings as they age.
Leave a Reply