18 Adorable Pictures of Newborn Kittens

By: Stephanie Kay-Kok

Cats are born already looking like hunters. Despite being weak and vulnerable, newborn kittens have eyes that seem to say, ‘I would pounce and kill, if I could.’ That doesn’t stop them from being downright adorable, though.

Pink by Jennifer Pountney

12 Days old: Vincent by Christian Holmér

In 1914, the American author Oliver Herford wrote a book of poetry called The Kitten’s Garden of Verses, dedicated to kittens and their complicated thoughts and desires. We’ve included some of our favorite poems by Herford along with these photos; perhaps his writings can give some insight into what exactly the kittens here are thinking.

Be Adventurous by K. Clark Photography

In Darkest Africa
At evening when the lamp is lit,
The tired Human People sit
And doze, or turn with solemn looks
The speckled pages of their books.

Then I, the Dangerous Kitten, prowl
And in the Shadows softly growl,
And roam about the farthest floor
Where Kitten never trod before.

And, crouching in the jungle damp,
I watch the Human Hunter’s camp,
Ready to spring with fearful roar
As soon as I shall hear them snore.

And then with stealthy tread I crawl
Into the dark and trackless hall,
Where ‘neath the Hat-tree’s shadows deep
Umbrellas fold their wings and sleep.

A cuckoo calls — and to their dens
The People climb like frightened hens,
And I’m alone — and no one cares
In Darkest Africa — downstairs.

Geisha på fluff by Mikael Tigerström

Geisha i hand by Mikael Tigerström

Kitty in the hand, with milky mouth! by Tambako The Jaguar

King for a day by Fringe Falcon

Anticipation
When I grow up I mean to be
A Lion large and fierce to see.
I’ll mew so loud that Cook in fright
Will give me all the cream in sight.
And anyone who dares to say
“Poor Puss” to me will rue the day.
Then having swallowed him I’ll creep
Into the Guest Room Bed to sleep.

Peeking out of the basket by Tambako The Jaguar

Kitten paw .) by Olga/ Олька

To The Land of Dreams by Abdillah Wicaksono

Gαtinhσ. by Rafael Acorsi

A Thought
It’s very nice to think of how
In every country lives a Cow
To furnish milk with all her might
For Kittens’ comfort and delight.

Kitten food by Mikael Tigerström

newborn – One of five! (+1) by Anders.Bachmann

Kitten by Vladimer Shioshvili

Education
When People think that Kittens play,
It’s really quite the other way.
For when they chase the Ball or Bobbin
They learn to catch a Mouse or Robin.

The Kitten, deaf to Duty’s call,
Who will not chase the bounding ball,
A hungry Cathood will enjoy,
The scorn of Mouse and Bird and Boy.