Research overview: neonatal development in the domestic cat

Kittens are born altricial, with eyes and ears closed and limited mobility, and undergo rapid sensory and motor development over the first weeks of life. This overview surveys the milestones of neonatal kitten development, including the opening of the eyes and ear canals, the emergence of thermoregulation, the development of locomotion, and the transition from suckling toward weaning. It reviews how maternal care, warmth, and nutrition shape early survival and growth. Because the domestic cat is the model felid, its well-documented developmental timeline provides a reference for understanding cub development in wild species. The topic connects early ontogeny to later behavioral and reproductive competence and to the management of orphaned or hand-reared young.