Christopher Nicholas - Kittens

They were worshipped as gods in ancient Egypt. Mighty lions and ferocious tigers are their cousins. And they like to play with balls of yarn.

What are they?

(Hint: Turn the page to find out)

Answer: KITTENS!

A kitten is a very young cat, just as a child is a very young person. Kittens are mammals like you and me. When they are babies, they feed on their mothers milk.

What is a kitten?

As members of the cat family, kittens are related to lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and other big cats that live in the wild. But most kittens are domesticated . That means, unlike their wild cousins, they live with and depend on people to take care of them.

Cheetah

Tiger

Ocelot

Lion

African Wild Cat

Domestic Cat

A tail helps a kitten keep its balance when climbing and jumping kind of the way an umbrella helps a tightrope walker stay balanced on the high wire.

All kittens are covered with thick hair, called fur , which protects them by keeping them warm and dry. Their ears allow them to hear high - pitched sounds that humans cant hear, like a mouse squeaking. And they have four legs and four fuzzy feet, called paws .

But watch out! Kittens also have sharp claws to help them climb, hunt, and fight.

Kittens are specially equipped for the dark. Big, shiny eyes help them see better, and long whiskers act as "feelers" to help them find their way.

Body Parts

Four legs and paws

Claws

Whiskers

Four canines (long, pointy teeth)

There are more than different kinds, or breeds , of kittens in the world. Each breed has a very distinctive size, shape, fur length, and color. But all the breeds fall under two types.

Long - Haired Kittens

Black Turkish Angora

Red Persian Longhair

How many types of kittens are there?

Siamese

British Blue Shorthair

Short - Haired Kittens

Sphynx

Some kittens barely have hair at all!

When a mother cat is ready to have her kittens, she finds a safe, quiet place, such as under a bed or inside a closet. The mother cat can give birth to as many as seven or eight kittens two to six is more typical. Together, the kittens are called a litter .

How a is Born

One at a time

Average litter: -

How are kittens born?

Licking also helps a kittens skin glands produce more body oil to waterproof its coat. Thats why theyre always so shiny!

Mother cats lick their kittens to bathe them and teach them how to clean their own fur when they get older.

To bathe themselves, cats and older kittens lick their paws and use them to wash areas like their heads and faces where their tongues cant reach.

When they are first born, kittens mostly drink milk from their mothers. By the time theyre eight weeks old, they are big enough to eat solid food either kitten food from their pet owners or small animals caught by their mother.

Food

Mothers milk

Packaged kitten food

Meat from small animals

What do kittens eat?

Little by little just like you do!

Newborn kittens weigh three or four ounces (85 or 113.4 grams), and they are so tiny that you can hold one in the palm of your hand. Born with their eyes and ears closed, they have a good sense of smell.

How do kittens grow?

In a week, the kittens grow twice their original size! Then, nine to days later, their eyes and ears begin to open. Because the kittens cannot stand or walk, the mother cat carries them around in her mouth.

When do kittens become cats?

Development

Weeks:

Stand

Start walking

- Weeks:

Run

Play

Months:

Nearly full - grown

Independent

After four weeks, the kittens stand and slowly begin to walk. Still wobbly, they wander off and explore. But mom always keeps a close cat eye on them!

By eight to weeks, the kittens bodies are longer and stronger. They can run, play, and get into all kinds of kitty mischief.

Finally, after six months, the kittens are nearly full - grown. They can do everything that adult cats can do! And they are ready to take care of themselves and lead their own cat lives.

Behavior

Naturally curious

Playful (practice for hunting and fighting)

Because it comes naturally to them.

Cats and kittens that live in the wild hunt mice and other small animals for food. So domestic kittens that chase balls, poke in and out of boxes, and climb on curtains are actually practicing mouse hunting!