Feline Stages Of Life
A cats height can vary on their breed and age, but most cats are eight to 10 inches tall and 18 inches when fully grown. While some cats like Tabbies and Siamese can grow to adult size in one to two years, bigger cats like Maine Coons may take three to four years to grow.
Lets dive into the growth that occurs during each stage of a felines life.
Newborn to six months old:
This is the most rapid growth stage. Your kitten will go from newborn , to a feisty, curious kitten. Kittens will also gain weight quickly putting on 0.25 0.5 lbs per week.
This is also the time that socialization is important. To keep your kitten from becoming aloof, lots of interaction and love are key. Feral kittens dont have any socialization with humans which explains why they prefer to avoid us.
In this stage, kittens are fluffy, with downy fur, round faces, big toe beans , and enormous eyes. Their facial features will become more prominent and sleek around three to six months old.
They have sharp, tiny teeth, and small, delicate bones. Theyre also very active and playful. Around 10 weeks they lose their baby teeth, and around 6 months they have their adult teeth.
6 months to 12 months:
A kittens growth rate slows down during this stage. Most veterinarians will consider a kitten full-grown by one year. They can also transition from kitten food to adult cat food during this stage. But depending on the breed, some cats are still growing and need to remain on kitten food until 2-years old.
Why Cant I Bring The Kittens And Their Mother Indoors
Even if your home is very nice, a mother cat may become so stressed by being confined in the new environment that it impacts her health and her ability to care for her kittens. Community cats thrive in their outdoor home and the mother cat has likely chosen an ideal space to raise her kittens, so there is no need to intervene.
When Can Kittens Eat Dry & Wet Food
Although kittens shouldnt eat adult cat food before theyve fully matured, they can begin eating dry kibble and wet kitten food much earlier.
By three to four weeks, kittens can begin eating moistened dry kibble or wet food. Between six and eight weeks, kittens are fully weaned from their mothers milk and can eat dry or wet kitten food.
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At What Age Do Cats Stop Growing
Tabby, Siamese or common Domestic Shorthair: 13-16 inches long, 11 inches tall, weighing 10-22 lbs. Growth stops at 12 19 months.
Ragdoll: 15-26 inches long, 9-11 inches tall, weighing 8-20 lbs. Growth stops at four years.
Savannahs: 20-25 inches long, 10-19 inches tall, 12-20 lbs in weight. Growth stops at two years.
Maine Coons: 48 inches long, 8-16 inches tall, 25 lbs in weight. Growth stops at four years.
Bengals: 13-16 inches long, 11-13 inches tall, 10-22 lbs in weight. Growth stops at two years.
How Fast Do Kittens Grow
A newborn kitten generally weighs only a few ounces. If properly fed, she can gain anywhere from ¼ ounce to ½ ounce per day and thus double in weight by the time shes two weeks old. A healthy kitten should generally gain about a pound per month during her first year. Most cats will have gained ½ to ¾ their adult weight by the time they are six months old. At that age, a young cat will typically weigh between six and eight pounds.
Breed, gender, and health will affect how large a kitten gets. For example, its well-known that female cats are usually smaller than males. The growth of small breeds like the Munchkin often slows down when they are between six to eight months old. For the record, a full-grown Munchkin weighs between five and nine pounds.
At the other extreme, large cats like the Maine Coon can keep growing for four or five years! The Maine Coon is the largest of the domestic cats, and a big adult male can be four feet long from nose to tail tip and weigh over 25 pounds.
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In some breeds, such as the Maine Coon, a kittens gender effects when it reaches sexual maturity. Female kittens, for example, dont have their first heat until they weigh about 5.5 pounds, and they will be between four to six months old. Male kittens, by contrast, dont start spraying or marking territory until they are ten months old.
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Age Range For A Kitten
Your kitten grows fast. Hell reach adolescence much sooner than a human child. From birth to about 6 months of age, your feline is officially a kitten then, as he enters puberty, he leaves kittenhood behind. From here until his 6th birthday, hes considered a young adult.
Hold on, cat parent, because the ride becomes wild now. If you dont plan to neuter him, expect him to display all the signs of sexual maturity. If you do get him neutered, hell still become an adult cat but wont enter sexual maturity. Neutering your male kitten before he reaches 6 months of age means you may not need to deal with any of his sexual acting out. If he still mounts a female cat its because his brain is hard-wired and he enjoys doing so. Relax. He cant get her pregnant because his testes have been removed.
What To Feed Kittens
Choosing the right foods for kittens is essential for promoting healthy growth and development. Kittens should have a different diet from adult and senior cats because they have specific nutritional requirements. Providing a nutritious, tailored diet for your kitten will maximize the chances of them developing into a healthy, active adult.
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Moving Into Adulthood And Lifestyle Changes: Your Cats Changing Nutritional Needs
When your kitten has reached the age of 6 months, with sexual maturity fast approaching, this is sometimes considered the best time to consider neutering. For health reasons, many veterinarians often recommend early neutering when your kitten is between 4 and 6 months old. It is important to be aware that neutering will have certain consequences on your cats appetite and metabolism. For example, a neutered cats ability to burn calories is modified and weight gain could increase up to 20% quickly . There is a chance she may also be more inclined to beg for food in an attempt to satisfy her new found hunger. Hence, it is crucial to pay close attention to her body weight throughout this potentially tricky 18 week period following neutering and to closely monitor her food intake.
When Can A Kitten Leave Their Mother
Ideally, kittens should bond with their littermates and Momma Cat for eight to 10 weeks. Rucinsky says if siblings are adopted together, they can sometimes move on at 7 weeks old, but in a perfect world, the whole family would stay together for at least nine weeks.
At 7 weeks old, kittens have already experienced lightning-fast development:
- At birth, their ears are folded onto their head but start to spring up after about one week.
- Initially born blind, they’ll open their eyes within two weeks and should be crawling around this time, too.
- They start developing itty-bitty teeth at 3 weeks old and taking cautious upright steps.
- Momma Cat uses her tongue to teach them how to self-groom when they’re 46 weeks old, and they’re eager to play, pounce, and generally be more spunky kitten-like now.
- Within six to eight weeks, kittens stop nursing, as their baby teeth are in place and they’re ready for solid food.
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“Developmentally, the time period between 47 weeks is crucial to a lifetime of being feline good citizens. If Momma Cat doesn’t teach them manners then, or if they aren’t exposed to people during that time, it’s so much harder to have those kitties be well mannered and well-adjusted,” Rucinsky says.
She adds that when they leave the litter too soon, or if they’re solo babies, they don’t build essential social skills and normal behavior cues as they would from being in the whole group.
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How Often Do Kittens Nurse
Many cat owners are interested in knowing how often do kittens nurse?
Nursing is important for the health of kittens, but you want to ensure that your new kitten gets enough nutrients and exposure to warmth.
Knowing the answer to this question will help you decide if and when your kitten needs to be bottle fed. Here is how often do kittens nurse:
In the wild, your kitten would be fed by its mother for at least a few days after it is born. This time can last up to several weeks, depending on the temperature of the mothers territory.
If the mother cat dies, it will likely have a litter of its own you will need to feed your kitten after a period of time.
At about three weeks of age, kittens will begin to nurse on their mother. You can go into a room with your new kitten and see if she will suckle on you. You can also stimulate her with a milk shock.
This shock causes the reflex to release hormones that prepare her for nursing. To use this method, you need to rub the area around her mouth until she starts to suckle.
The longer your kitten is nursed, the more pure her milk is, which means her mothers milk is all she will ever need. Your kitten may take longer to nurse than some cats, but it should be expected.
As a rule of thumb, the more often a kitten nurses, the better she will be at nursing.
It is recommended that you keep the amount of time that you let your kitten nurse to less than 10 minutes, as most cats do not nurse well longer than that.
How Do You Make Your Own Kitten Formula
A variety of recipes for homemade kitten formula exist, but if you can purchase a kitten milk replacement from the pet store to use, that is ideal. For times when store-bought milk replacement is not an option, find a recipe for which you have all the ingredients, until you can get some milk replacement formula. A homemade kitten replacement formula should not be used beyond 24 hours .
The following formulas are from The Cornell Book of Cats by the Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine:
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What Should Be Done In Case Of Orphaned Or Abandoned Kitten
Kittens can be orphaned or abandoned for a variety of reasons. In such a case it is critical that you take proper care of the kitten assume the role of the mother. You will first have to know if the kitten has been truly abandoned or orphaned. If yes, then you should start by providing cat milk substitute to the small one and give enough attention, care and time.
The nursing time will not reduce in such a scenario and might even increase to some extent. You will have to take special care at least till the kitten is 10 weeks old. The time might increase because of the lack of presence of a mother cat.
There are many kitten rescues that actually find a foster mother for any abandoned or orphaned kitten. This gives the kitten a better chance at proper growth and nutrition as well as character development.
What Happens If Kittens Are Weaned Too Early
How can you help a cat weaned too early? It depends on the timeline. For example, if you have a home litter and something happens to Momma Cat in that critical four to seven week window, you’ll become a surrogate cat with all the parenting skills right away, including bottle feeding and solid food introduction, litter training, and socialization.
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Consistent socialization helps reduce aggression, anxiety, and fear in orphaned kitties by acclimating them to their siblings, other people, and animals. Without a mom to swat away inappropriate antics, you’ll have to rely on positive reinforcement training techniques supported by aids such as treats, pats, and toys to keep them on the right track. A cat behavior consultant can walk you through the process. This makes it a little easier for kitties to venture into the world beyond 7 weeks old.
Nevertheless, kittens leaving their mom too early might develop some minor behavioral repercussions that become part of their character. “If for some reason a kitten is weaned too early, they may have some tendencies to try to nurse on fabric or fluffy things, kind of an oral fixation kind of thing. It’s harmless most of the time and just makes them feel soothed,” Rucinsky says.
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Five Weeks Old Kitten
Showing their independence, Darling, Denby, Corduroy, Tweed, and Wembley are beginning to demonstrate their individual personalities: Darling is a talker Denby is always up for adventure and a good wrestle Corduroy is brave and confident Tweed is sweet and loves belly rubs and Wembley is a cuddle bug and full of silly mischief.
Corduroy, brave and confident!
Eight Week Old Kitten
- Cloe loves a combo of Wellness Complete Health Grain Free dry food for kittens and wet food. Photo via @trucking_tzus
- Feed small meals three times a day. Reference the feeding guidelines.However, if they seem hungry increase the amount. Its difficult to overfeed a kitten at this age since they are growing so rapidly.
- Socialize your kitten. Get them used to being around people, but start slow. Not too many people at once.
- Introduce a grooming routine. By stroking them and playing very gently with their feet you are also priming them for a grooming routine when they are older.
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Stages Of Kitten Development
- 2 Weeks By this age, most kittens have opened their eyes for the first time.
- 3 Weeks The ear canals have fully opened.
- 4 Weeks The kittens baby teeth have begun poking through the gums. They can also begin exploring their surroundings and are becoming more mobile and curious.
- 8 12 Weeks By this age, kittens are old enough for their first vaccinations, which means they are now old enough to be separated from their mother, which is why most cats go to their new home at about 12 weeks of age.
- 4 Months The kittens baby teeth are beginning to fall out and are replaced by adult teeth. In general, a kitten will have a full set of adult teeth by the time it reaches 7 months of age.
- 5 6 Months Most kittens have now grown enough to be safely spayed or neutered.
How Long Should Kittens Eat Kitten Food
Kittens have different nutritional needs than adult cats. Theyre growing rapidly and need a nutritious and balanced diet for healthy development. Theyre also still strengthening their immune system, improving mental function, and learning new skills.
Therefore, all young kittens need to be fed specific kitten food it has the optimal nutrients they need for the early stages of life. But as kittens mature, there comes the point where you need to switch your kitten to cat food. Their nutritional needs change as adults, and their diet has to match!
But how long should kittens eat kitten food? How do you successfully transition to the new food? And what type of adult cat food is best for your growing feline?
As you might imagine, randomly swapping to a new food without notice isnt a good idea. You need to make the transition at the right time and in the right way. In this article, I reveal all there is to know so you can successfully ensure your cats diet meets the demand of its body.
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Feeding Kittens 6 To 8 Weeks Old
When a kitten is 6 to 8 weeks old, it should be thoroughly weaned from the bottle and transitioned to solid foods. At this time, offer only food thats been specially formulated for kittens. Its a good idea to mix dry and canned food together so your pet experiences both at a young age. As your kitten ages, you can switch to an all-dry or all-canned diet. You should be feeding a kitten this age three to four times per day, depending on their appetite. Its also important to keep a clean, shallow bowl of fresh water available at all times to keep your kitten hydrated.
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What To Do After The Birth Of The Kittens
Keep a close eye on your new mom until you are sure that all of her kittens have been delivered and she seems healthy. A mothers instinct should kick in to keep her puppies safe, warm, and nourished, therefore she should begin feeding immediately. When a kitten is only a few hours old, it must feed. Then you will have to step in as a replacement mother if this does not happen. Look for signs that your kittens arent happy or that their needs arent being met when it comes to the attention they receive.
It is possible for them to get overly agitated, suck their lips, and howl as a result of a mothers unwillingness to breastfeed. You may buy nursing bottles and supplements from your local pet shop to boost your babys milk consumption. If you think youll need to hand-raise your kittens, contact your veterinarian right away. The advent of new kittens neednt be a traumatic affair if you prepare beforehand. Your new expanded feline family has our best wishes, so best of luck!
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