Four weeks. It is the magic number in the feline world. If you are staring at a tiny, stumbling ball of fur and wondering what do 4 week old kittens look like, you are basically witnessing the "toddler" phase of the cat world. This is the moment they stop looking like helpless hamsters and start looking like actual miniature cats.
They are weirdly proportioned. Honestly, they’re adorable, but also a little bit of a mess.
At this stage, their eyes are fully open, their ears are starting to stand up, and they are finally figuring out that their legs actually work for things other than crawling. It’s a chaotic time. If you’ve ever seen a drunk sailor trying to navigate a moving ship, you have a pretty good idea of how a 4-week-old kitten moves. They are incredibly wobbly.
The Physical Transformation: More Than Just Fur
When people ask what do 4 week old kittens look like, they usually notice the face first. By day 28, those tiny "button" ears that were pinned to the side of the head at birth have begun to unfurl. They aren’t quite the sleek, radar-dish ears of an adult cat yet. Instead, they look a bit too small for the head, slightly rounded, and positioned high up.
📖 Related: Mark Manson Books Explained: Why Millions Love (and Some Hate) the Counterintuitive Advice
Then there are the eyes.
Every single kitten is born with blue eyes. Around the four-week mark, you might start to see the "true" eye color bleeding in—if they aren't destined to stay blue-eyed. This transition is subtle. It’s like a muddy amber or green tint starting to ghost over the iris. Veterinary experts at institutions like the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine note that this is also when their vision is finally sharpening. They can actually track your movement now. If you wave a finger, they’ll follow it, though they might fall over while doing so.
The teeth are the big giveaway.
Open their mouth (carefully!) and you will see the premolars starting to poke through the gums. They already have their incisors and those needle-sharp canines. This physical change is the biological signal that they are ready for "slurry"—that messy mix of wet food and formula.
Weight and Scale
A healthy 4-week-old kitten usually weighs somewhere between 12 and 16 ounces. That’s roughly the weight of a loaf of bread or a can of soup. If they feel significantly lighter than a pound, they might be behind on their growth curve.
Movement and "The Wiggle"
You’ll notice they don’t just walk; they sort of hop-scoot. Their tails are a huge diagnostic tool here. At four weeks, the tail is short, pointy, and usually held straight up like a little antenna. It’s often called a "shavetail" or "spike tail" look. They use it for balance, though it doesn't do a very good job yet.
Socially, they are starting to wrestle.
Watching two 4-week-old kittens play is basically watching a slow-motion car crash. They try to pounce, miss by six inches, and then get distracted by their own paws. This is vital development. They are learning "bite inhibition" from their littermates. If one bites too hard, the other squeals, and the lesson is learned: "Hey, don't do that, it hurts."
The "Purr" and the "Mew"
The vocalizations change too. The tiny, high-pitched "peeps" of a newborn are being replaced by more intentional meows. Most importantly, this is often the week they start purring. It’s a vibrating, low-rumble that feels almost too big for their tiny ribcages. It is one of the most rewarding parts of fostering or raising a litter.
They are also becoming more aware of their bathroom habits.
Up until now, the mother cat has had to stimulate them to go to the bathroom. Around week four, they start to get the "urge" on their own. This is exactly when you should introduce a very shallow litter box. Don't use clumping litter yet—kittens are curious and might try to eat it, which can cause fatal intestinal blockages. Use non-clumping clay or paper-based pellets.
Common Misconceptions About 4-Week-Olds
A lot of people think that because a kitten looks like a cat at four weeks, they can be separated from their mom. This is a huge mistake.
While they are starting to eat solid food, they are nowhere near weaned. They still need the antibodies and nutrition from mother's milk, or at least the supplemental bottle feedings if they are orphans. They also need their mom to teach them how to be a cat. Kittens separated this early often grow up to have behavioral issues, like "single kitten syndrome," where they become aggressive or overly anxious because they never learned boundaries.
Another myth? That they can regulate their own body temperature.
📖 Related: Why the Black Spaghetti Strap Gown Still Dominates Every Red Carpet
They are better at it now than they were at ten days old, but they still get chilled easily. A 4-week-old kitten should still be kept in a warm, draft-free environment. If they feel cold to the touch, it’s an emergency.
Health Red Flags to Watch For
Even though they are getting sturdier, 4-week-old kittens are fragile. Keep an eye out for:
- Crusty eyes: This is usually a sign of an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI).
- Potbellies: While kittens are round, an extremely bloated, hard belly often points to a heavy parasite load (worms).
- Lethargy: A 4-week-old should be active for short bursts. If they won't wake up for food, something is wrong.
- Diarrhea: This is the leading killer of kittens this age because they dehydrate in a matter of hours.
Practical Steps for Caregivers
If you are looking after kittens at this stage, your job just got a lot busier. The "nesting" phase is over and the "explorer" phase has begun.
Step 1: The Food Transition
Start offering a "slurry." Mix a high-quality kitten wet food with kitten milk replacer (KMR) until it's the consistency of thin oatmeal. Put it on a flat saucer, not a deep bowl. They will likely walk through it before they eat it. It's fine. It's messy. Just have the unscented baby wipes ready.
Step 2: Kitten-Proofing
They can climb now. Sort of. They can definitely get stuck behind a fridge or under a dresser. If there is a hole in your house the size of a lemon, a 4-week-old kitten can get their head through it. Block off small gaps and keep them confined to a "playpen" or a small, safe room.
✨ Don't miss: Small Beach House Plans: Why Most People Overthink the Design
Step 3: Socialization
Gently handle them. Touch their paws, look in their ears, and stroke their backs. This is the "prime socialization window" identified by feline behaviorists. What they experience now determines how they feel about humans for the rest of their lives.
Step 4: Veterinary Schedule
Schedule their first vet visit for the 6-to-8-week mark for their first round of FVRCP vaccinations, but call the vet now to get on the books. If you haven't dewormed them yet, ask your vet for a kitten-safe protocol, as most kittens are born with roundworms passed from the mother.
The four-week mark is a turning point. It's the bridge between a helpless neonate and a spunky, independent feline. Enjoy the wobbles while they last—by next week, they'll be running.
Quick Checklist for the 4-Week Milestone:
- Introduce a shallow litter box with non-clumping litter.
- Begin the transition to "slurry" (mushy wet food).
- Ensure the environment is warm but allow for exploration.
- Monitor for steady weight gain of about 10-15 grams per day.
- Keep the kittens with their mother and littermates for social development.