Today is all about Kismet. Surprise! We think Kismet is potentially around FOUR weeks old now! Yes, I know. We skipped a week. But! The Kitten Lady says:

• At three weeks of age, a kitten's first teeth will begin to emerge. The tiny teeth at the front of the mouth, called the incisors, will start to come through the gums.
• Three week old kittens will have ears that point upwards, like a miniature cat.
• At this age, kittens will be walking, exploring their surroundings, and even beginning to explore the litter box.
• Three week old kittens still require a heat source, but will be more active and may stray from it when not sleeping. The kitten's environment should be around 75 degrees at this time.
• Average three week old kitten weight: 350-450 grams

• At four weeks of age, a kitten's teeth will continue to develop. The long tooth next to the incisors, called the canine teeth, will start to come through the gums.
• Four week old kittens will be confidently exploring and developing more coordination that allows them to walk, run, and even begin to play.
• Around four weeks old, the kitten develops the ability to retract the claws into the paw.

• Continue providing a heat source for four week old kittens, although they will likely use it only when resting. The kitten's environment should stay comfortably warm and never colder than 70-75 degrees.
• Average four week old kitten weight: 350-450 grams

Kismet is definitely starting to master the whole walking and exploring thing, as seen in the video below. I call it "Kismet is starting to act like a real cat" - but of course, as the end of the video shows, ze is still just a kitten in need of some washing from mom. Hir ears have also reached that mostly upright stage.

450 grams is just under a pound, a milestone which Kismet reached this morning. (1 lb 1 oz, to be exact.) Hir claws also retract now and those canines are popping up. This goes to show that a) kittens don't all develop of the same timeline and b) we don't actually know how old Kismet is. We're just guessing. However, it's definitely time to make some changes to the foster room, starting with a kitten-friendly litter box!

Speaking of changes, the newest addition to the foster room is a replacement for the box. No one really liked the box. It was just what we had around the house when our surprise guests arrived and Shadow never took to it, no matter how we positioned it. Last week we replaced it with a cat cave which Kismet seems to really be loving. Shadow won't do more than stick her butt or head in it, but Kismet goes in and out and can generally be found in it. See below for some adorableness.

Off to fill a kitten-friendly litter box!