To What Age Do Cats And Cats Grow, Which Affects The Growth Rate Of Animals, Reviews Of Veterinarians And Pet Owners

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

And a big-big cat has grown: how cats grow

A loving owner of a small kitten seeks to provide all conditions for the growth and development of the pet. Having the necessary information and proper care of the growing animal will allow you to get the best results.

Content

• 1 Stages of development of cats and cats
• 2 How old does kittens grow?
• 3 What reduces growth rates

• 4 Features of the growth and development of cats and cats of different breeds

  • 4.1 British
  • 4.2 Scots
  • 4.3 Siamese
  • 4.4 Persian
  • 4.5 Sphinxes
  • 4.6 Maine Coons
• 5 How to create a growth-friendly environment
• 6 Reviews

Stages of development of cats and cats

The most active growth and development of a cat occurs in the first six months of its life. Experts distinguish the following periods:

• Neonatal. The first four days of a kitten's life lasts, during which it begins to grow continuously, but the dynamics in the first days of life may be uneven.
• The period of breastfeeding, or sucking. Lasts the next four weeks and is characterized by intense and fairly uniform growth. The kitten gains weight every day 10-15 g, gets stronger, becomes active.
• Transition. This period characterizes the change in the kitten's nutrition from mother's milk to independent, and at this time there may be a decrease in the growth rate. Usually the period covers 4-7 weeks of life.
• Post-sucking - from the 7th week of a kitten's life and up to 6 months in cats, cats continue to grow much longer, more than a year. At the beginning of the post-sucking period, the kitten begins to grow rapidly again, by the end of the period, the pace slows down.

The most intensive growth occurs in the first 6 months of a kitten's life

How old does kittens grow?

If we give the average data, then the cat reaches its final size during the first year; cats, especially of large breeds, can continue to grow in the third year of life.

The age at which growth stops is individual for each animal and is determined by a number of factors:

• breed - small breeds complete growth and formation faster than large breeds;
• gender - the growth rate of cats is faster than that of cats, and the growth period itself is much longer;
• hereditary factor - the size of the kitten will often approach the size of one of the parents;
• hormonal regulation - the growth of the pet takes place under the control of the endocrine glands, and a violation of the hormonal background can lead to a deviation in the formation of a young animal.

The age of cessation of growth is purely individual for each animal and is determined by its breed, sex, hereditary factors and hormonal background

What reduces the growth rate

If a kitten lags behind in growth from brothers and sisters, as well as from the growth and development norms characteristic of its breed as a whole, factors that cause a slowdown in this indicator should be identified and eliminated:

• insufficient or imbalanced diet - it is worth revising the kitten's diet for the sufficiency of the basic nutrients, vitamins and minerals in it, as well as consulting a veterinarian on optimizing the animal's nutrition;
• unfavorable living conditions - kittens living in unsuitable conditions (for example, on the street) lag behind in growth from domestic and well-groomed pets, therefore, a baby picked up on the street is often older than the age at which he initially looked;
• early neutering in cats, which is recommended before the first estrus, and especially early neutering in cats (in this case, the pet is shown hormone replacement therapy to eliminate growth retardation);
• helminthic invasions - with a massive infection, the growth of a kitten can greatly slow down to a complete stop, since helminths deprive the baby of full nutrition, and also cause intoxication and weakening of his immunity (therefore, growing kittens are regularly, once a quarter, given anthelmintics);

• any diseases suffered by a kitten can negatively affect the rate of its growth, therefore, special attention is paid to:

  • vaccination;
  • preventive examinations of the veterinarian;
  • weighing and measuring the baby;
  • keeping records of its development data;
• early pregnancy in cats - cats reach puberty before their full formation ends, in case of pregnancy in the cat's first estrus, its growth will stop, since carrying embryos is a very heavy load for the body of a young mother;
• lack of physical activity - physically active kittens grow faster than babies who do not have conditions and places for games, as well as toys;
• lack of sleep - during the period of intensive growth, kittens really need sleep and can sleep up to 20 hours a day; if the kitten is kept in a noisy, crowded and restless place, its growth will slow down.

Features of the growth and development of cats and cats of different breeds

Certain patterns during the growth period are observed in representatives of different breeds.

There are some differences in the course of the growth period between different breeds of cats.

British

An adult British cat can reach 8 kg, and a cat of 6 kg. By the age of 1 year, the growth of British cats slows down, but the formation of the skeleton and an increase in muscle mass continue; the pet becomes heavier and continues to form up to 2–2.5 years, with some individual cats up to 3 years.

Cats and cats of the British breed are prone to the formation of overweight, therefore, if you do not control their diet, after sterilization or castration, the pet can gain 2 extra pounds.

Scots

Both straight-eared and fold-eared Scots finish their formation by 2–2.5 years, and the final size of Scottish folds turns out to be smaller: a cat reaches a weight of 4.5 kg, and a cat reaches 6.5 kg, while in straight-eared brethren, the weight of a cat reaches a mark 7 kg, and cats 6 kg.

Siamese

The final development of Siamese pets ends by 2 years. Cats reach a weight of 3.5–5.5 kg, cats - less than 3.5 kg.

Persian

The growth and formation of the skeleton, head and coat of a Persian cat ends by the age of 3 years, and the weight of adult cats is 3–6.5 kg, since Persian cats can be either medium-sized or large.

Sphinxes

Sphynxes grow up to 2–2.5 years old, but reach sexual maturity already at 6 months, so early use in breeding work will result in stunted growth, especially head size and skeletal development will suffer. The average weight of the Sphynx is 2.5–5 kg, the cats of the larger Don Sphynx can weigh 7 kg.

Maine Coons

Maine Coon grows and forms up to 3 years. Cats reach 12 kg and cats - 8 kg. Maine Coon grows in parts and may look disproportionate during the period of active growth. After 2 years, the animals form a muscle corset, the size of the head increases, the chest and shoulders become wider, and the limbs become more massive.

Maine Coons grow up to three years

How to create a growth-friendly environment

Creating favorable conditions for the growth of a kitten consists in:

• complete feeding of the pet, using only the best feed or a completely balanced natural diet;
• preventive vaccinations, they will help to avoid infectious diseases and associated growth and development delays;
• ensuring the absence of fleas and helminths that exhaust the kitten;
• preventive examinations by a veterinarian for the timely detection and treatment of diseases, as well as receiving recommendations for care;
• equipping a quiet place for the baby to rest and sleep;
• outdoor games with a kitten, it is important that he has toys for independent play and increasing physical activity;
• favorable temperature conditions in the region of 20 ⁰ С, the cold retards the growth of kittens;
• weighing and measuring a kitten;
• exclusion of early use in breeding.

Reviews

The growth rate of a kitten is influenced by its breed, sex, heredity, as well as hormonal regulation. It is very important to create favorable conditions for the realization of the genetic potential of the pet and the formation of its beautiful exterior. During the growth of the kitten, you need to keep a diary of its development. If the baby is lagging behind in growth, a veterinarian consultation and examination of the kitten is necessary. The operation of castration or sterilization, as well as early inclusion in breeding work, can interrupt the growth of a young animal.