A kitten's first year seems to fly by. There are so many physical changes in his development, his skill level and even in her personality, that it sometimes seems like you have a different cat from month to month. Actually, you do. With each passing month, your kitten is learning and growing toward maturity as a young adult cat. Here are some milestones to watch for during this growing year.

Ideally, a kitten should remain with his mother for at least 12 to 16 weeks.
Although the mother will start weaning her kittens sometime between five and seven weeks, the additional time helps the kittens learn socialization skills. Many kittens are adopted out or abandoned before the full 16 week period. This doesn't mean that your kitten will never be a "good" cat, but you may have to help complete her socialization process with extra patience and love.

The First Six Weeks
The first six weeks are truly the kitten's infancy. They spend most of this time under the watch of their careful mothers as they move from completely helpless creatures to cute little fuzzballs of energy.Whether you personally have your kitten during this period or not, this article will help you understand exactly what takes place during the first six weeks.

Seven to Twelve Weeks
Kittens start developing their social skills during this time by observing their mother, by playing with other kittens and cats. In a one cat family , they learn by playing and interacting with their humans. This period of time will be immensely enjoyable both for you and for your kitten as he practices running jumping stalking and pouncing.

Kittens at this age love to play games of "hide and seek" with their humans and open paper bags (handles removed) or cardboard boxes. Your kitten will continue to grow rapidly during this period and his motor skills will continue to develop as he practices chasing and catching "prey." He will also start adopting "adult" sleeping habits instead of just flopping wherever he happens to be.

Health Reminder: Your kitten will need his first set of shots by eight weeks and the second set three or four weeks later. If an initial veterinary exam was not done at the time of his adoption (highly recommended) he should also be tested for worms. Topical flea treatment can be started safely at eight weeks.

Three to Six Months
Somewhere around four months of age, your kitten may start losing his baby teeth as the adult teeth develop. Don't be concerned if you never find a baby kitten tooth. They are tiny and can be easily picked up by any vacuum cleaner. His gums may be painful during teething and this would be an excellent time to start a program of dental care by gently massaging his gums with gauze.

Kittens will start establishing their place in the "social ranking order" of your house during this time. It is not unusual to see a kitten "challenge" the alpha cat, which usually will earn the impudent kitten a cuff on the ears. Other cats, depending on their own social position and personalities, may defer to the kitten. You may even identify some sessions of " kitten school" as the older cats show the new kid the ropes.

Your kitten is still growing during this time. It's not unusual to see a previously plump fluffy ball of a kitten suddenly grow into a long and lanky - then taller – cat adolescent and finally flesh out again.

Kittens should continue to eat kitten food during this phase of growth - they need the additional nutrients for strong bones health teeth and supple muscles.

Health Reminder: Your kitten can and should be spayed or neutered between three and six months. Cats' sexual maturity can vary and both female and male kittens as young as four or five months have been known to become sexually active. Although some veterinarians still suggest waiting until six months, advocates of early spay and neuter are proving the benefits of that practice. As always, your own veterinary will advise you about what is best for your specific kitten.

Six to Twelve Months

Your kitten has moved into his teen age years. Aging in cats is different than in humans, and at cat age 12 months, your kitten is roughly a 15 year old teenager. You'll notice changes in physical and social characteristics. You may notice that your once lovey, cuddly kitten is now a "hands off", more arrogant adolescent. Don't be upset if you cat doesn't interact with you in the same ways he did as a kitten.

Like any teenager, he's testing the waters of adulthood to see what it feels like. He is also playing a "dominance" game with you, just as he might with another cat or kitten. Be patient with him and give him all the affection and love he will take, but do it on his terms. Your kitten is now a full fledged cat.