68 Chapter 5dominate its sensory world for the first 2 weeks of life. Newborn kittens have full
pain perception and can sense temperature and will actively move away from cold
and towards warmth (Raihani et al., 2009; Bateson, 2014). This is an essential ability
for the newborn because they are not able to regulate their own body temperature for
another 3–4 weeks (Olmstead et al., 1979; Bradshaw, 1992; Lawler, 2008).
Sense of smell
Olfaction (sense of smell) is present and reasonably well developed at birth but it is
not fully mature until around 3 weeks of age. It is, however, sufficiently well devel-
oped to allow a kitten to locate a nipple of a lactating female by touch and scent
alone. The ‘gape’ or ‘flehmen response’, indicating usage of the vomeronasal or
‘Jacobson’s organ’ (see Chapter 2), is not seen until 5 weeks of age and not fully
developed until the kitten is at least 7 weeks old.
Hearing
Although audition (hearing) is reasonably well developed at birth the newborn kitten
has very limited hearing because the ear canals are blocked by ridges of skin. As the
kitten grows and the ear canals widen, these ridges decrease and hearing gradually
improves. The first responses to sound are usually seen at around 5 days after birth and
by about 16 days the canals have widened sufficiently, enabling most kittens to locate
the source of a sound. Hearing continues to develop and by 3–4 weeks of age most
kittens can discriminate between different feline vocalizations, being more likely to
approach familiar and friendly calls made by the mother and littermates, while showing
fear and attempting to move away from growls and other threatening feline calls, espe-
cially those made by unknown cats (Olmstead and Villablanca, 1980; Bradshaw, 1992).
Sight
Vision is the sense that takes the longest time to develop. The average age at which the
eyes open is 7–10 days after birth but this can vary from 2 to 16 days (Villablanca and
Fig. 5.3. Cats are an altricial
species, meaning that their
senses and motor skills are
undeveloped at birth and they are
fully reliant on the mother cat for
food, warmth and protection.