About the eyes of newborn kittens

Kittens have their eyes tightly shut from birth. Their eyes are not yet developed enough to process light and other visual stimuli, so this is a normal part of their development. Their eyes typically take seven to fourteen days to progressively open.

A kitten’s vision is still quite blurry during this period, so they must rely on their sense of touch and smell to help them navigate their environment. Over the coming weeks, their eyes will continue to develop and adapt to their surroundings.

It’s crucial to let nature do its thing. It is possible to hurt or infect a kitten if you try to force its eyes open. A calm atmosphere and gentle care will guarantee that their eyes open normally and healthily.

Age	Eye Development
0-7 days	Kittens are born with eyes closed.
7-14 days	Eyes begin to open, but vision is still blurry.
2-4 weeks	Eyes fully open, kittens start to see more clearly.
4-6 weeks	Vision continues to improve, depth perception develops.
6-8 weeks	Eyesight becomes sharper, kittens can follow moving objects.

Why kittens are born blind

A mother cat can have between two and eight kittens at once. An eight to ten week pregnancy is typical for cats. Because an animal cannot sustain such a large litter for very long, kittens are born blind and learn to navigate their environment by scent, specifically identifying their mother’s nipples.

In addition to being blind, newborn kittens are also partially deaf and entirely reliant on their mother cat.

Kittens are born partially deaf, unable to control their body temperature, and unable to independently empty their intestines and bladder. As a result, newborn cats are entirely reliant on their mother cat during their early days.

Can a kitten be born with open eyes

If the mother carried the kittens, then the early opening of the eyes can be called a natural process. But if the kittens were born with open eyes, then it is better to show the babies to a veterinarian, who will determine whether their physiological formation has finished. If it is not finished, he will prescribe special saline solutions for wetting the eyes until the kittens begin to produce tears on their own (usually this happens by the age of two weeks). In addition, if necessary, you can use antibiotics in the form of ointments (for example, tetracycline eye ointment 1%). It is also important to ensure that the kitten is in a dark place, because bright light will be harmful to the eyes.

You could attempt to use a bandage to close the kitten’s eyelids, mimicking what occurs in its natural state. After that, tears will typically moisten the eyes.

The kittens need to be taken care of immediately because they risk going blind if their owner does not act.

It is possible for a kitten to be born with open eyes in both cases—when there is no developmental abnormality and when there is.

Sometimes a congenital genetic abnormality causes a newborn kitten to be born with its eyes open. Sadly, it is determined that the animals are not viable in this situation.

Cats have closed eyes when they are born, and they usually open them between 7 and 14 days later. Their eyes gradually adapt to their surroundings over time because of their initial blurry vision and sensitivity to light. It’s crucial to avoid forcing their eyes open or subjecting them to intense light too soon as this could impair their still-developing, fragile vision.

When do kittens open their eyes

Cats’ eyes usually open between the sixth and fourteenth day. But there are certain things that depend on this process.

Individual characteristics

Kittens’ eye-opening process may vary depending on the unique traits of the mother and her offspring. Thus, diseases of the mother cat or insufficient milk production in her body can cause kittens to see the light later. The eyes will open later if it is tiny.

Gestation time

The kittens’ eyes will open on or around the fourteenth day if they are born before eight weeks of pregnancy. As previously mentioned, if the cat carried the kittens, they might open their eyes at birth or between the fifth and seventh day.

Breed

Cats of the following breeds should anticipate their eyes opening later than usual:

• Persian;
• British;
• Scottish.

Within 10 to 14 days of their birth, these kittens will finally see the light. However, the following breeds’ babies’ eyes will open quickly:

• Devon Rex;
• Cornish Rex;
• Siamese;
• Ragdoll;
• Thai;
• sphinx (3 days after birth).

These kittens are either born sighted or open their eyes between the fifth and seventh day.

Short-haired cats start to see earlier than long-haired cats, according to statistics.

Photo gallery: cat breeds whose kittens open their eyes quickly

Devon When Rex kittens open their eyes, their owners will be pleased quickly. Kittens of Cornish Rex awaken between the fifth and seventh day following birth. Siamese kittens will soon come to understand after birth. Sometimes, ragdoll kittens are born with vision. Thai kittens typically open their eyes around the sixth day of life. On the third day following birth, Sphynx kittens open their eyes earlier than other breeds.

Gender

Generally speaking, female cats open their eyes before male cats do. However, the differences in the development of animals of both sexes become insignificant as male and female cats quickly catch up and occasionally open their eyes earlier. Statistics demonstrate how hard it is to explain this feature.

Lighting

It is advised to put the kittens’ box in a dark area since this is where the babies’ eyes will open first. In a well-lit space, however, this will take place later.

The eyes of every newborn kitten are a foggy blue color. This characteristic typically goes away by one and a half months, at which point the true color of the baby’s eyes becomes visible.

Stages of the process of opening the eyes of kittens

Babies’ eyes gradually open up:

1. First, a small slit appears, usually on the inside of the eye.
2. Soon the iris becomes completely visible.
3. For another week after opening, the eyes remain cloudy, so it is undesirable for the kitten to go out into bright light. Usually, the mother cat herself takes the baby out of the shelter when the time comes, or asks the owners to do so.

The girls and I raised blind kittens in the yard when I was around ten years old, after the mother cat passed away. We gave them bottle feedings. I clearly recall being concerned that the kittens were festering and that the process was not proceeding smoothly when their eyes started to open unevenly. It turned out, as our neighbor Baba Anya informed us, that everything was normal. And the following day, we observed that the infants’ eyes were fully open. It took the kittens approximately an additional week and a half to become more self-assured, but it still appeared that they were blind.

About the problems and the need to call a veterinarian

If the kittens’ eyes haven’t opened after two weeks, don’t freak out. Give it another week before you start acting.

Three weeks after the kittens’ birth, you should get in touch with a veterinarian if their eyes have not opened.

Eyelid fusion

If a kitten’s eyes don’t open for a while, eyelid fusion may be the cause. A quick massage is what the doctor will advise if this issue arises. Should it prove ineffective, a straightforward procedure will be necessary, carried out under local anesthesia. The expert inserts an anesthetic into the animal’s eye corners before using a sharp scalpel to cut the eyelid. The veterinarian advises applying a special solution (typically a 2% boric acid solution) to the eyes after the procedure.

Suppuration

When a kitten develops suppuration, their eyes are cleaned with tea leaves or prescription medications such as saline or boric acid solution. How to use them can be explained in detail by a veterinarian. Sometimes he collects the animal’s discharge for analysis, the results of which allow the selection of therapeutic medications that work well for the animal.

Birth of a blind kitten

Very seldom do kittens truly become blind from birth. If the baby is born blind, it will eventually develop strong hearing and smell, enabling it to navigate its environment and live independently of its mother. Even their whiskers are notably longer than those of their sighted brothers, it has been observed. Treatment and surgery won’t help if the kitten was born blind.

What to do after the kittens" eyes open

Taking care of the infants’ awakened eyes is essential. The health of the kitten is indicated by its clean, discharge-free eyes. Inflammation can happen when dirt gets in the eye or when one of the other cats scratches it. You must check the eyes every day and wipe them with a fresh cotton pad dampened with boiling water or tea leaves to rule out such a result. Alternatively, it’s advisable to speak with an expert who can prescribe feline-specific eye drops. Iris or Diamond Eyes are typically prescribed.

The following is how the process is executed:

1. Wipe the kitten"s eyes with a cotton pad from the inside to the outside.
2. Fix the kitten, drop the amount of medicine recommended by the veterinarian into the inner part of the eye.

A specific medication is injected into the kittens to prevent inflammation in the initial moments after they open their eyes.

Kittens who receive daily care grow accustomed to and patiently endure this process. The physician will recommend a specific time for you to continue this treatment.

Tea leaf and drop treatments are particularly important until the kitten can see well enough to navigate on its own. After that, all you have to do is check its eyes every day and, in the event that something is wrong, start treating it right away with the assistance of a veterinarian.

Video: recommendations from a specialist on eye care for newborn kittens

It takes time for newborn kittens to fully open and develop from their closed eyes at birth. Their vision is limited for the first few weeks, but they gradually begin to explore their surroundings.

During this phase, it’s critical to handle kittens carefully because their eyes are susceptible to infections and bright light. Frequent observation guarantees a healthy and trouble-free development.

By providing a clean and comfortable environment, along with gentle handling, you can help ensure that your kittens grow up with strong, healthy eyes, ready to explore their surroundings.

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