Research overview: auditory development in kittens

Newborn kittens cannot hear well because their ear canals are closed at birth, and hearing develops over the following weeks. This overview surveys feline auditory development, beginning with the opening of the ear canals in the early postnatal period and continuing as the auditory system matures toward the broad, sensitive hearing of the adult cat. Early on, kittens rely on smell and touch while their hearing comes online. The survey relates this timeline to the parallel development of vision and to the overall maturation of the kitten's senses. It discusses how responsiveness to sound and the ability to localize improve with age. Understanding auditory development frames the cat's remarkable adult hearing as the endpoint of a postnatal process. It connects to the broader theme of sensory maturation in kittens, showing that the wide frequency range and acute localization of the grown cat are achievements built gradually after birth rather than present from the first day.