By bringing a cat into the house, a person takes responsibility for a living being, which has its own character, preferences and needs. Just like any family member, your pets need care and attention.
If a cat lives in your home, she will probably need help carrying and delivering kittens. A caring owner should not only provide the cat with a quiet secluded place where she can calmly give birth to offspring, but also at first make sure that the cat has food and water near the "delivery room". An animal exhausted after childbirth will not go far.
Newborn kittens
If the cat gets inexperienced owners, their attitude to the birth of fluffy squeaking babies can be unpredictable. Some are delighted and consistently live with the cat all stages of the birth of kittens, starting with the appearance of the first contractions. Others get scared and do not approach the animals at all until the kittens begin to gradually get out of the box.
If the owners think that the kittens do not open their eyes for too long or that the tummy is too inflated, they can arrange a real panic, figuring out what to do now.
Both of them have a lot of questions regarding the development of kittens. Why aren't they looking? Why are they squeaking so loudly? How many times a day should the cat feed them? At the same time, sometimes there is quite tangible benefit from curious owners, but there are also those who only tire the cat with increased attention.
When should kittens' eyes open?
In the first week of life, kittens will only squeak and suck milk. The eyes of newborn kittens are closed, the auditory canals are blocked. Crawling is not directional - it is just instinctive paws to get to the mother's nipple.
In the second week, kittens grow rather quickly and acquire new skills all the time. The cat, although it still takes its maternal responsibilities quite seriously, begins to spend more time separately from the offspring.
Most kittens will open their eyes in 10-14 days. At birth, they are closed because they need to be protected from the intrauterine environment, which can be quite harmful. Therefore, the eyelids are not only closed, but even glued together. Gradually the "glue" dries up and the eyelids open.
If you notice slight "acidification" of the eye, you can rinse them with a solution of strong tea. Using a cotton swab dipped in tea, the eyes are slightly blotted, trying not to damage.
At first, the kittens' eyes are dull blue, they are not able to see. In some breeds, for example, Sphynxes, Devon Rexes, eyes open much earlier - 3-5 days. For ragdolls - after 10-14 days, their sucking period also ends late. Female kittens usually have eyes that open earlier. The first sign is that the eyelids begin to move apart, cloudy eyeballs are visible through the crack. At least a day after the eyes are fully opened, the pupils will not respond to light.
Once the kitten fully regains its sight, it becomes more cheerful, begins to play and makes attempts to get out of the shelter.
