When Do Kittens Open Their Eyes? A Week-by-Week Guide

Kittens open their eyes at about 7 to 14 days old, and most have both eyes fully open by day 10. They're born completely blind and deaf, so those first two weeks are spent doing almost nothing but nursing, sleeping, and staying warm against mum and their littermates. Don't rush the process or try to help the eyes open — they'll do it on their own when the kitten is ready.

If you're caring for a litter or you've found newborns, one of the most useful things you can do is track their weight and their milestones. Our free kitten weight calculator helps you check whether a kitten is growing on schedule, which is one of the clearest signs a young kitten is healthy.

The Short Answer: 7 to 14 Days

Newborn kittens keep their eyes shut for the first week or so of life. The eyelids are fused together at birth to protect the developing eyes, and they separate on their own timeline — usually starting somewhere between day 7 and day 10, with both eyes fully open by around day 14.

There's normal variation here. Some kittens open their eyes a little early, some a little late, and even littermates won't always match. A kitten whose eyes are still shut at day 14 isn't necessarily in trouble, but it's worth keeping an eye on and mentioning to a vet if the whole litter is running behind.

The one thing you should never do is try to pry a kitten's eyes open. The eyes and the tissue around them are still developing, and forcing them can cause real damage. Let nature set the pace.

Kittens Are Born Blind and Deaf

It surprises a lot of first-time carers, but newborn kittens can't see or hear at all. Both the eyes and the ear canals are sealed at birth. For roughly the first two weeks, a kitten experiences the world almost entirely through touch, warmth, and smell.

This is why a newborn litter stays piled together against mum. They can't regulate their own body temperature yet, so they rely on her heat and on huddling with siblings. They find her by scent and by feel, latch on, nurse, and sleep — and that cycle is basically all a healthy newborn does.

It also explains why the mother cat is so protective and why moving a newborn litter or handling them too much in the first week can be stressful for everyone. If you're helping a queen with her babies, less is usually more in those early days.

Week-by-Week Development Timeline

Here's how a kitten's first eight weeks typically unfold. Individual kittens vary, so treat this as a map, not a stopwatch.

For a closer look at the numbers side of this, our kitten growth chart breaks down expected weight at each week, and how much to feed a kitten covers the shift from nursing to solid food.

Why Newborn Kittens Have Blue Eyes

When a kitten's eyes first open, they're almost always a cloudy blue. That's not the kitten's final eye color — it's just the color every kitten starts with before the pigment develops.

Around 6 to 7 weeks of age, the true eye color begins to come in, and it can shift to green, gold, copper, amber, or stay blue depending on the cat's genetics. Some breeds, like Siamese and Ragdolls, keep blue eyes for life. Most cats settle into their adult eye color by a few months old.

So if you're looking at a litter of wide-eyed blue-eyed kittens, you're seeing a temporary stage. The blue tells you they're young — it doesn't tell you what color they'll be as adults.

Ears, Teeth, and First Steps

Vision isn't the only thing coming online in those early weeks. A kitten's development runs on a fairly predictable schedule:

• Hearing (weeks 1–2): the ear canals open around one to two weeks, and by week three most kittens are clearly responding to sound.
• Teeth (around week 3): the tiny needle-sharp baby teeth start pushing through, which is part of what makes weaning possible a week or so later.
• Walking (weeks 3–4): kittens graduate from a belly-crawl to a wobbly walk, then to running and climbing as their coordination catches up.
• Litter instinct (around week 4): kittens naturally start to seek out a litter substrate around the time they begin eating solid food.

By the time all of this has happened, you've got a mobile, curious, playful little cat instead of a helpless newborn — usually within about a month.

How to Estimate a Kitten's Age

If you've found a stray litter and have no idea how old they are, these milestones work in reverse as a rough age guide. Eyes still shut means under two weeks. Eyes open but ears just starting to work points to around two to three weeks. Walking, playing, and baby teeth suggests three to four weeks and up.

Weight is another clue, though it's less exact because it depends on the breed and on how well the kittens have been fed. Our guide to how to tell a cat's age walks through the physical signs in more detail, and once your kitten is older, the cat life stages explained guide covers what comes after kittenhood.

If you're not sure and the kittens seem very young, a quick vet visit is the safest move. Newborns can go downhill fast, and a professional can age them accurately and check they're healthy.

Don't Separate a Kitten From Mum Too Early

Because kittens hit their milestones so quickly, it's easy to assume they're ready to leave mum sooner than they are. They're not. Kittens should stay with their mother and littermates until at least 8 weeks, and ideally closer to 12 weeks.

Those extra weeks matter for more than nutrition. During the socialisation window of roughly weeks 5 to 7, kittens learn crucial lessons from mum and siblings — bite inhibition, how to play without hurting each other, how to use a litter box, and how to be comfortable around others. Kittens taken away too early often grow into more anxious or nippy adults.

If you end up with orphaned newborns and no mother cat, that's a different and more demanding situation. Very young orphan kittens need a vet's guidance right away. They require kitten milk replacer (never cow's milk, which can make them ill), help staying warm, and help toileting, because at that age they can't eliminate on their own. Don't try to raise newborn orphans on instinct alone — get professional help early.

FAQ

At what age do kittens open their eyes?

Kittens open their eyes at around 7 to 14 days old, most commonly by day 10. They're born with the eyelids fused shut, and the eyes separate on their own as the kitten develops. Never try to force them open.

Why hasn't my kitten opened its eyes yet?

Some kittens are simply slower than others, and anything up to about two weeks is usually normal. If a kitten's eyes are still closed well past 14 days, or if you see swelling, crusting, or discharge around the eyelids, contact a vet, as that can signal an infection.

Can newborn kittens see and hear?

No. Kittens are born blind and deaf, with both the eyes and ear canals sealed. Vision arrives around week two and hearing around weeks one to three. Until then they rely entirely on touch, warmth, and smell.

What color are kittens' eyes when they first open?

Almost all kittens open their eyes to a cloudy blue. That's a temporary newborn stage. The true adult eye color starts to come in around 6 to 7 weeks and can turn green, gold, copper, or stay blue depending on genetics.

When can kittens leave their mother?

Kittens should stay with mum until at least 8 weeks old, and 12 weeks is even better. Those extra weeks cover weaning and the critical socialisation window that shapes a friendly, well-adjusted adult cat.

What do I do if I find newborn kittens without a mother?

Contact a vet or a local rescue right away. Orphaned newborns need kitten milk replacer (not cow's milk), help staying warm, and help toileting after feeds. They're fragile at that age, so professional guidance early makes a real difference.

The Bottom Line

Kittens open their eyes at 7 to 14 days old, usually by day 10, after being born completely blind and deaf. From there, development moves fast: ears and teeth around week three, walking and weaning around week four, and the all-important socialisation window through weeks five to seven. By eight weeks they're weaned, mobile, and nearly ready for a new home — though staying with mum until 12 weeks is best.

The single most useful habit while a kitten is growing is tracking its weight against the milestones. Start with our free kitten weight calculator to check your kitten is on schedule, then use the new kitten checklist to get ready for everything that comes next.