People who have or have had cats in the house sometimes wonder when do cats stop growing? This is a common question especially for those who have adopted a kitten for the first time and don’t know when their cat will reach adulthood.
Many kitten owners wonder how long their kitty will continue to grow and gain weight. And how long does a cat grow, develop fully? These are useful questions to understand how to best take care of our furry dog based on its stages of life.
How long do cats grow and how big do they get? On the one hand, it depends on their genetic makeup, on the other hand, growth is also influenced by external elements such as nutrition. Have a look on when do cats stop growing.
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The 6 Stages of a Cat’s Growth
The development of the cat is divided into six phases. By knowing this process on when do cats stop growing, we can give our kittens a perfect start towards a healthy life, and support them in the best possible way in their adult stage.
The Growth of The Cat in Six Stages
After about 66 days, the pregnant cats give birth to their young. At that moment, the small and sweet kittens do not even reach 100 grams in weight, but in the following months they will grow up to become the curious and lively cat. We can divide this cat’s growth path into several phases and you can know when do cats stop growing.
First Stage – The First Week of Life
After birth, Kittens who are still blind and weak need their mother’s milk. This substance, also known as colostrum, contains important nutrients and protective antibodies (i.e. protective proteins). These antibodies are critical to a kitten’s health, as soon after birth, her immune system is still incomplete and weak. Still having very little hair, kittens need the protective warmth of their mother, through which they orient themselves.
After about a week, the kittens open their eyes and we see the loss of their umbilical cord due to drying. In order to guarantee kittens a healthy start to life, great attention must be paid to the daily weighing. We can refer to the weight control tables drawn up by veterinarians, so as to check that the puppies are developing correctly and, if necessary, to intervene by changing their diet.
The Second Stage – Baby Teeth Appear
In the first weeks of life, kittens still have little strength, which is why they spend most of their day sleeping. Usually, the first milk teeth emerge between their third and eighth week of life. The entire dairy teething of cats includes 26 teeth which, unlike permanent teeth, are significantly smaller and more pointed.
Third Phase – The First Solid Food
After four weeks, the kittens have already gained some weight – they can finally run and romp with their siblings. Furthermore, at this stage, they also begin to receive solid foods: this is the right time to gradually offer them soft food suitable for kittens. However, this transition, from liquid to solid feeding, must be carried out gradually and patiently. In fact, the cat’s gastrointestinal tract initially used only for mother’s milk, must now adapt to the new type of food. Going too fast can cause the kitten to suffer from diarrhea, constipation and abdominal pain.
In the overall growth process of the cat, proper nutrition in its first phase of life is a determining factor, when do cats stop growing. Specific foods help meet your young cat’s high-energy needs.
Fourth Stage – The Kittens Continue to Grow
The kittens are now two months old and eat solid food for good. Of course, they continue to grow and therefore have higher energy and nutritional needs than their adult conspecifics. This is why it is important to give them specific puppy foods, specially designed for this delicate phase of their life. It is up to you to decide freely whether to offer your kitty adry food or wet food.
This is also the right time for your kitty’s first visit to the vet. No one better than the vet can properly inform you about the main one vaccinations and, if necessary on proper nutrition suitable for kittens, and when do cats stop growing depends on this one too.
Between the third and sixth months of the cat’s life, teething is completed. During this period, in fact, the kitten’s milk teeth are replaced by 30 permanent teeth. To make a comparison between us and our pets, adult humans have around 32 teeth, while dogs have 42 permanent teeth.
Fifth Stage – The Kitten Becomes a Cat
After seven exciting months of life, the kitten is finally an adult. Cats are sexually mature and able to procreate. Males become sexually mature one month late, around the eighth month. From this moment on, after having gathered the necessary information and carefully considered the matter, it is possible to consider the possibility of one castration on when do cats stop growing.
The Sixth Phase – Development Completed
After reaching their first year of life, cats gradually become much calmer. In the following years, they will not grow and, from around age 9, their hair in the mouth area will turn a little whiter. This is usually the first sign of the aging process. This is associated, progressively, with greater fatigue and reluctance to make movements.
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How Big and Heavy do Cats Get?
Obviously, there is no general answer to this question on when do cats stop growing. On the one hand, the growth of a cat depends on its genes and on the influence determined by factors such as its diet during the first months of life. On the other hand, many cat breeds differ greatly in size and physical structure. In the European short-haired cat is particularly widespread and popular, which is on average between 80 and 90 cm long. Unlike the European, an adult specimen of Maine Coon (especially the male) can reach up to 120 cm in length.
Conclusion
Hope with this you can know when do cats stop growing. Cat Weight also varies by race and gender: males of the Persian can weigh up to 8 kg, where Singapura, both male and female, are true featherweights that usually do not weigh over 2 kg. For more information on cats simply visit our CatsBuz website.