Perhaps cats are now the most popular pets. This is understandable - they are more self-sufficient than dogs, require less attention, and caring for them is as simple as possible. And what else is needed for a person spending all day at work? But for all their unpretentiousness, nevertheless, every responsible owner should know the basics of cat physiology and the subtleties of kitten growth. What can we say about the features of caring for your pet - this knowledge is simply necessary. And sometimes even beginning breeders are baffled by even such an elementary question: "When will kittens open their eyes?"
Like many other mammals, representatives of
the Feline family are born with tightly closed eyelids. At first, their cubs are blind and focus solely on the vibration of their mother's purrs, the heat coming from their mother, and her smell. Gradually, the kids gain strength, grow up, on the 5th day of life they have an auditory canal, and the next stage, in fact, opens the eyes of the kittens.
It turns out that not all breeds have this process at the same time. It is usually believed that the days when kittens open their eyes are from the 7th to the 12th from the moment of birth. But, according to felinologists, this also depends on the duration of the mother’s pregnancy, as well as on which breed the offspring belongs to. Typically, the duration of gestation in representatives of Félis silvéstris cátus - and this is how they are called in biology - is from 55 to 70 days. Moreover, if the cat gave birth after the 68th day, the time
when the kittens eyes open will come earlier than if the birth had occurred on the 55-67th day.
Another feature of this phenomenon is associated with the genetic characteristics of different breeds. So, for example, in shorthair animals eyes open earlier than in owners of a long fluffy fur coat. Separately, it is worth noting that “bald” breeds, such as sphinxes and individuals with very short hair
(Cornish Rex, Devon Rex), are distinguished by an even higher development rate. Wait for the kittens eyes to open, in their case it will take only 3-5 days.
But then a joyful day came, and the litter opened his eyelids. This process does not occur immediately. It can take several days - from the appearance of the first click to the complete opening of both eyes. Usually the first time their color is light blue for everyone without exception, and their look is completely meaningless. This, in general, is characteristic of newborns of many species of mammals. How to care for the eyes of a kitten at such a tender age? To begin with, you should provide him with a stay in a darkened place. Bright light is harmful for kittens who only open their eyes. If the baby's eyelids by the 14th day of life have not opened completely, they should be carefully treated with a swab dipped in a weak tea leaves or infusion of chamomile. If this does not help, you should contact your veterinarian for help. Otherwise, special eye care is not required, with the exception of breeds in which the lacrimal canals are located close to the nose (Persians, exotic shorthair cats, British and Scottish). For them, you should immediately purchase special lotions for eye care, which tend to leak.