The 18th century English poet once wrote “A kitten is in the animal world what a rosebud is in the garden.” Over the years our collective fascination with kittens has continued to blossom, and every year we celebrate kitties with their own pet holiday: National Kitten Day!
(Be sure to download your kitten coloring page below!)
When to Celebrate
Held each year on July 10, National Kitten Day was created in 2012 by celebrity pet and family lifestyle expert Colleen Paige, who also launched such pet-themed holidays as National Dog Day, National Puppy Day, and of course, National Cat Day.
The annual observance is both a celebration of our own fur babies and a day to raise awareness of homeless kittens and pet adoption.
Fun Facts For National Kitten Day
The average kitten only weighs 3.5 ounces at birth!
Did you know that kittens are born with their eyes closed? It takes between 2 – 16 days for a little purring machine’s peepers to open.
A kitten’s “baby blues” are just that…blue! A kitten’s true eye color will not be revealed until they reach at least six weeks of age.
Not only are kittens blind at birth, they are also deaf! Kitties (with the exception of Scottish Fold kittens) are born with folded ears and closed ear canals. The little ones start to hear sounds when they are approximately five days old.
During their first week of life, kittens sleep approximately 90 percent of the day away.
Mother cats go above and beyond when taking care of their babies. As newborn kittens are unable to urinate or defecate on their own, the mother must clean the newborn’s nether regions with her tongue so the kitten can go potty.
Kittens are born toothless, with their baby teeth coming in when they are approximately three weeks old. Their 26 baby teeth will be replaced by 30 adult teeth when they reach the age of six or seven months.
Kittens take their first wobbly steps when they are approximately three weeks old.
“Kitten season,” the time of year when most unspayed female cats who have mated with a male cat give birth, lasts from April through October in most regions of the United States.
Most kittens are weaned some time between their fourth and sixth week of life.
A litter of kittens usually consists of two to five fur babies.
Kittens show contentment by purring, even as newborns!
Ways To Celebrate
- Make a donation of funds or much-needed daily items to your local shelter or rescue organization
- Sign up to volunteer at an area shelter.
- Become a foster to a shelter kitten who is waiting for a forever home.
- Raise awareness of the need to help homeless kittens via social media by posting photos and information about shelter kittens.
If you have been pondering the prospect of adopting a kitten, National Kitten Day would be a poignant day to do so!
Adopting A Kitten
If you want to welcome a young cat into your heart and home, adoption is the best option! Pay a visit to your local shelter or rescue group, or look online at:
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