To what age do British breed cats grow? Up to what age and how do cats grow?

To organize the correct and full care animals must be taken into account physiological characteristics in every period of growth. This will allow you to organize competent care, determine the timing of mating, draw up the correct and complete diet. Let's figure out what age cats grow to and determine the factors that influence this process.

Physiological growth is the process of increasing body size and gaining muscle mass through continuous cell division. The answer to the question of how old cats grow is very ambiguous. The animal grows to the size required by its genetics and breed. For each age, there are certain norms for body size and weight, but there are also individual characteristics. Some physiological and external factors also influence the growth of animals.

In parallel with growth, the development of the cat’s body occurs, the formation and formation of all organs and systems. It is believed that furry pets grow and develop until puberty. Then, this process continues, but not so actively.

Factors influencing the growth and development of a kitten

The main role in regulating body functions (including growth function) belongs to the endocrine system, namely the pituitary gland. The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland produces the growth hormone somatotropin. It's biological active substance ensures the growth of bones and cartilage, takes part in the formation of muscle mass. No less important is the general hormonal background, which is created by work thyroid gland, reproductive system and adrenal cortex.

There are several more physiological factors, forming the body’s ability to actively grow:

Breed characteristics. Small breed cats walk the path physical development somewhat faster than their larger relatives.
Belonging to one gender or the other. Males gain weight more actively.
Hereditary characteristics. The kitten adopts its character and growth characteristics from its parents. You can understand what an animal will be like at the peak of its development by looking at its mother and father.

The rate of physiological growth of cats is greatly influenced by the external circumstances and conditions in which they live and are raised, as well as the characteristics of their care:

Habitat. If the kittens grew up in a cold climate, with little sunny days, then their metabolism was slowed down. This means that they will lag behind in development from their relatives, who have lived their entire lives in the south.
Lifestyle. Domestic cats living in a warm place, receiving enough food and everything they need nutrients, have good immunity and develop faster than street animals.
Amount of sleep and rest. The cat needs to sleep enough time. If in childhood animals are playful and active, then in adulthood normal amount sleep should be 17-20 hours a day for them.
Physical activity also plays a role in development. The animal must be given enough space and opportunities to play.
Hereditary and acquired diseases. Owners must take all measures to protect their pets from possible infections. In this sense, the importance of preventive vaccinations cannot be overestimated.
Early castration and sterilization significantly pushes the limit of active growth. After surgery, the rate of growth and weight gain decreases significantly.
Early pregnancy has similar effect. After its onset, the priority for the body becomes bearing and then feeding the offspring.

Stages of growing up

Growth limits for each animal are individual, but there are averages. It is known that the phase of most active development ends at the age of 10-15 months. Large breeds, such as the British, continue to grow for some time after puberty. Small and medium breeds finish their development earlier. These include, for example, fold-eared and straight-eared Scots (medium breeds), and among small ones - munchkins.

There are several main stages of kitten development (starting from birth). In order for the baby to develop correctly and be different good health It is important that favorable conditions are created for him at each stage:

The neonatal period (lasts 4-7 days after birth) is a phase of continuous growth, although it is possible that the kitten will lose some weight during this period.
The suckling period (lasts 3-3.5 weeks). Phase speed dial weight. Kittens are rapidly increasing in size and learning to navigate independently.
Transitional period (lasts from 4 weeks to 2 months). The first teeth appear. At this age, complementary feeding and transition to independent feeding are carried out. There is a significant leap in development.
Adolescence (lasts until the end of active development). Phase of active and uniform growth. This is the period of bone formation and endocrine system. It is important that the diet at this time is of high quality and complete.

Active formation of the bone apparatus lasts up to six months. For proper bone growth, the kitten must receive sufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D during this period.

Cats stop growing by the age of 3, and cats already look like adult animals at 2 years of age. At this time, their ovaries activate. After bony skeleton and the muscle corset has completed its formation, an increase in body weight and size occurs only due to the accumulation of fat.

Providing ideal conditions for development

The first five months of a kitten's life are especially important. This period determines how actively and qualitatively their future life will be. The owner must do everything to ensure that the development of the small organism proceeds correctly. Great value has proper care. During this period, the conditions in which kittens grow must be ideal:

Reasons for slow growth in kittens

There are several reasons why active growth in the first responsible year of life can slow down significantly. Here are the main ones:

The reason for the slowdown in growth and development will help determine veterinarian. In the event that this endocrine disorders or hormonal imbalances, the doctor may prescribe injections of drugs that normalize metabolism and stimulate accelerated growth. These include kartinina chloride (growth vitamin), Gamavit, Milgamma (vitamin B complex).

A kitten that is lagging in growth and development must be surrounded with care and attention. It has been proven that an animal that is loved, caressed, praised and stroked grows well and gains weight.

Features of growth of large breeds

There are several artificially bred cat breeds, the representatives of which are particularly distinguished large sizes. The most common of them are the following:

Maine Coons;
Bengal breed;
British breed.

Let's look at the age at which large breed cats grow, and what size they can reach with good care.

Bengal breed

Kittens are born very small, their weight does not exceed 120 grams. During the first month of life, kittens gain weight up to 500 grams. Then active development stops, and by the age of 3 months the weight is a little more than one kilogram. At 7 months the process slows down even more, but continues to progress. Animals gain the bulk of kilograms in the first two years of their existence. Ordinary cats at 5 years old they weigh 7-8 kg, and castrated ones can reach 10 kg.

Maine Coons

The weight of a newborn Maine Coon can be 170 grams. By gaining 10 grams in weight every day, a kitten aged 10 days becomes 2 times heavier, by 28 days - 4 times heavier, and by 8 weeks - 8 times heavier. At the age of 4-5 months, the kitten's peak growth activity occurs. At this time, its energy costs are greatest. Bone growth continues up to 1.5 years, after which it develops muscle mass and the animal grows in breadth. A cat reaches its peak of development at the age of 3-5 years. At this time, his weight can increase to 10 kg.

British

Newborn kittens can weigh up to 140 grams. They grow quickly and become sexually mature by 9 months. Up to 2.5 years, bone growth occurs, and then the animal increases in width, building up muscles. General development ends by age 3. At this time british cats can reach 10 kg (while, for example, Scottish ones are only 6 kg). But indicators of growth and development may have individual characteristics.

Causes of slow growth in cats

You can often see that cats of the same breed look different. Due to slow growth, one of the pets may be smaller than its peers. This can happen for many reasons. Animals need vitamins, the lack of which affects the size of the cat and the formation of its organs.

Habitat and conditions of detention.

These factors play a big role in the growth and development of cats and kittens. In comparison with their domestic peers, street animals look very contrasting. Their parameters immediately catch your eye. Due to a lack of vitamins, their immunity is weak, which affects the growth of the animal.

Having decided to take a pet into your home from the street, you do not need to immediately switch it to dry food and stuff it with delicacies. It is best to add vitamins to his diet, and then the cat’s growth will catch up with its peers.

Hormonal imbalance.

For this reason, the animal’s body may slow down its development for some period of time, and after a while the pet sharply grows. This is especially true for cats that have undergone castration.

Regardless of whether your cat is purebred or not, sometimes he can look significantly smaller than his peers. This may happen by various kinds reasons.

To answer the question: how long do male cats grow, it’s worth taking a closer look at the animal’s parents. The way you see your parents is the way your children will be. All changes in appearance will directly depend on nutrition and other factors. If a cat grows, then he eats a lot.

Another option when you can find out about the growth of an animal is a consultation at veterinary clinic. A specialist who examines your pet from birth will be able to accurately indicate the peak of its development. Conditions for keeping animals are important factor animal development. The doctor will be able to accurately tell you how and what to feed your animal, based on its breed and other indicators.

In order to raise a healthy animal and the moment of its puberty does not deviate from the standard development pattern, you must always keep in touch with a veterinarian. Only a doctor can help with advice on nutrition, care and maintenance of the animal. You shouldn’t rely only on your own strengths, because without knowing anatomical features The breed of a cat is difficult to accurately understand how quickly it will grow.

A cat that has finally grown up can be allowed to reproduce at the age of one year. Early mating is not always beneficial for the animal. Early labor can lead not only to the death of the animal, but also to the birth of dead offspring. Before breeding an animal, it is best to consult a doctor.

The last important point in the development of your pet. Kittens are the same as children. As many sources confirm, those animals that do not receive enough attention from their parents - owners grow and mature more slowly, and then quickly age. The more attention it gets pet, the larger it will grow. A pet should receive not only breakfast and dinner, but also moderate games, affection from the owner and as much attention as possible.

There are several reasons why the active growth and development of kittens in the first important year of life can be significantly slowed down. Here are the main ones:

We often observe that animals of the same breed look different. The most common cause of slow growth is a deficiency of microelements and vitamins.

Living conditions also play a big role in the development of animals. Street ones look very contrasting compared to their domestic counterparts. They are smaller. Their immunity is weaker, which affects their growth. Therefore, when you appear in the house street cat You should not immediately switch him to dry food. You just need to add vitamins to his diet first. This way the pet will catch up with its peers in physical indicators.

Hormonal imbalances are another reason for the slow physical maturation of animals. This applies to pets who have undergone castration. Later they will catch up with their peers in height.

So, each animal has its own, individual growth period. And the owner’s task at this time is to create optimal conditions for food and living, surround him with attention, and protect him from stress.

Sometimes you may notice that some members of the cat family differ in size from the rest. There are several reasons for this.

The first is the lack of vitamins in the diet. Often observed in cats living outside. So if you take a barn cat into your home, there is no need to rush to feed it meat and various delicacies. It is necessary to introduce vitamin supplements into his menu, and he will quickly catch up with his brothers who grew up at home.

The reason for the slowdown in development is hormonal imbalance. The animal stops growing and then suddenly begins to grow again. This is often observed in neutered cats.

Signs of proper animal development

Bengals

Growing up, animals become large and imposing. These real beauties, upon reaching age, begin to demonstrate their masculine properties.

Bengal kittens grow and mature relatively slowly.

The pet begins to gain beauty only after eleven weeks. Until this age, the cub looks inconspicuous.

Adult home bengal cat It has quite decent dimensions. His average weight can reach eight kilograms. The body length of Bengals is about ninety centimeters, height up to forty-one centimeters.

Kittens are born weighing from seventy to one hundred and twenty grams. By the age of a week, their weight doubles, and by a month they weigh almost half a kilogram.

From the age of one month, Bengals begin to grow less actively. Their intensive growth ends by nine months. At this age, cats stop growing completely, and cats grow for more than a year.

Male Bengals reach their maximum size by the age of two.

Maine Coons

Kittens of this breed are born much larger than those of other breeds.

When choosing a kitten of this breed, you should pay attention to its paws. Your pet's thick paws mean he has good bone structure and will have room to build muscle. In a couple of years, such a kitten will turn into a huge cat.

British

Cats of this breed have an easy-going, unpretentious character and a beautiful plush face. They have amber eyes, short legs and many color variations.

The British become sexually mature at nine months.

The width of the “shoulders” and the length of the animal’s body grows up to two to two and a half years.

The weight of an adult male can be up to eight kilograms. If the pet is neutered, then it can weigh ten kilograms. Weight is influenced by many conditions and individual characteristics.

The general formation of the animal ends by the age of three.

To find out to what age your pet will grow, you need to carefully observe it, learn about the characteristics of the breed and consult a veterinarian.

The main role in regulating body functions (including growth function) belongs to the endocrine system, namely the pituitary gland. The anterior lobe of the pituitary gland produces the growth hormone somatotropin. This biologically active substance ensures the growth of bones and cartilage, and takes part in the formation of muscle mass. No less important is the general hormonal background, which is created by the work of the thyroid gland, reproductive system and adrenal cortex.

There are several other physiological factors that shape the body’s ability to actively grow:

Breed characteristics. Cats of small breeds go through physical development somewhat faster than their large relatives.
Belonging to one gender or the other. Males gain weight more actively.
Hereditary characteristics. The kitten adopts its character and growth characteristics from its parents. You can understand what an animal will be like at the peak of its development by looking at its mother and father.

The rate of physiological growth of cats is greatly influenced by the external circumstances and conditions in which they live and are raised, as well as the characteristics of their care:

Habitat. If kittens grew up in a cold climate, with few sunny days, then their metabolism was slowed down. This means that they will lag behind in development from their relatives, who have lived their entire lives in the south.
Lifestyle. Domestic cats living in warm conditions, receiving enough food and all the nutrients they need, have good immunity and develop faster than street animals.
Amount of sleep and rest. The cat needs to sleep enough time. If in childhood animals are playful and active, then in adulthood the normal amount of sleep for them should be 17-20 hours a day.
Physical activity also plays a role in development. The animal must be given enough space and opportunities to play.
Hereditary and acquired diseases. Owners must take all measures to protect their pets from possible infections. In this sense, the importance of preventive vaccinations cannot be overestimated.
Early castration and sterilization significantly pushes the limit of active growth. After surgery, the rate of growth and weight gain decreases significantly.
Early pregnancy has a similar effect. After its onset, the priority for the body becomes bearing and then feeding the offspring.

The first five months of a kitten's life are especially important. This period determines how actively and qualitatively their future life will be. The owner must do everything to ensure that the development of the small organism proceeds correctly. Proper care is of great importance. During this period, the conditions in which kittens grow must be ideal:

A veterinarian will help determine the cause of slow growth and development. If these are endocrine disorders or hormonal imbalances, the doctor may prescribe injections of drugs that normalize metabolism and stimulate accelerated growth. These include kartinina chloride (growth vitamin), Gamavit, Milgamma (vitamin B complex).

It is known that kittens are not fully developed after birth. Their ears and eyes are closed, the muscles of their limbs are not developed, and they can only crawl. The first week of life after the birth of a kitten is called the neonatal period. The mother is constantly in the nest and does not leave the newborns. The baby's body weight during the neonatal period can increase or decrease, and this largely depends on lactation.

Then it begins suckling period when babies grow rapidly and gain weight. At this time, amazing changes occur to them. At proper care And good nutrition Babies increase their weight 4 times in the first month. Their tail grows, ears form and their eyes open. They leave the nest and exercise their legs.

By the age of 4 weeks, kittens' first teeth have erupted and they begin to feed themselves. This is how it begins new period, which is needed to set up the endocrine system, which triggers the active growth phase. During this period of time, the mother’s lactation ends, and the type of feeding the pet changes. Now it becomes a concern for the animal owner. The kitten must be provided a large number calcium, necessary for bone growth.

After the baby gets used to the new diet and the internal secretion organs are adjusted metabolic processes, the growth of skeletal bones will accelerate. This happens towards the end of the second month.

The most active period for bone growth is the time from 3 months to six months. At this time, the endocrine system produces many hormones necessary for the growth of skeletal bones and internal organs.

Teeth growth can also be an indicator proper development animal. A normally developing kitten at 2 months has all its baby teeth. On upper jaw you can see 6 small incisors, 2 canines, 3 premolars. On the lower jaw there are the same number of incisors, canines and molars, and there are only 2 premolars. The third pair will grow when milk teeth are replaced by molars.

Kittens develop exactly to the parameters dictated by their breed:

1. British. Kittens grow big. British adults continue to grow up until they are three years old. Puberty occurs at the age of 9 months. The weight reaches up to eight kilograms, and for castrati it is even more.
2. Scottish. One of the most popular and sought after breeds in the world. Representatives of this breed are either lop-eared or straight-eared. Scots reach their final size by the age of three.
3. Bengal. One of the large cat breeds. It reaches its peak growth by one year. It grows to its final size by two years. IN childhood characterized by slow growth.
4. Maine Coons. Kittens are already born large. Birth weight ranges from 120 to 170 grams. By five months there is a significant increase in growth. During this period, the Maine Coon develops inharmoniously. That is, one part of the body grows larger than the other. Growth stops by age three. Such a cat can grow up to one meter.
5. Siberian. They grow to medium size. They usually reach a weight of 4 to 5 kg. Growth continues for up to one and a half years.
6. Sphinxes. Hairless breed of medium size. Normal weight is about 4 kg. Sexual maturity occurs at 12 months. Growth continues for up to two years.
7. Not purebred. Outbred cats do not have specific development standards, since they have a mixed genotype. Some grow by one year, others will grow up to three years.

Stages of growing up

Growth limits for each animal are individual, but there are averages. It is known that the phase of most active development ends at the age of 10-15 months. Large breeds such as Britons continue to grow for some time after puberty. Small and medium breeds finish their development earlier. These include, for example, fold-eared and straight-eared Scots (medium breeds), and among small ones - munchkins.

There are several main stages of kitten development (starting from birth). In order for the baby to develop correctly and be in good health, it is important that favorable conditions are created for him at each stage:

The neonatal period (lasts 4-7 days after birth) is a phase of continuous growth, although it is possible that the kitten will lose some weight during this period.
The suckling period (lasts 3-3.5 weeks). Rapid weight gain phase. Kittens are rapidly increasing in size and learning to navigate independently.
Transitional period (lasts from 4 weeks to 2 months). The first teeth appear. At this age, complementary feeding and transition to independent feeding are carried out. There is a significant leap in development.
Adolescence (lasts until the end of active development). Phase of active and uniform growth. This is the period of formation of the skeletal and endocrine systems. It is important that the diet at this time is of high quality and complete.

Active formation of the bone apparatus lasts up to six months. For proper bone growth, the kitten must receive sufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D during this period.

Cats stop growing by the age of 3, and cats already look like adult animals at 2 years of age. At this time, their ovaries activate. After the bone skeleton and muscle corset have completed their formation, an increase in body weight and size occurs only due to the accumulation of fat.

Height in cats is a relative concept. With age, they may become larger in both length and width, depending on the breed. And not only this affects the growth rate pet. This plays a role physical activity, and diet, and general condition health. Of course, there are average indicators by which you can roughly determine what age your pet will reach. maximum size. But they are different for each breed.

Scots

Among the Scots, one can distinguish lop-eared and straight-eared representatives. If you turn to common features breed, it is clear that by the age of three, cats’ muscle mass, skeleton, as well as eye color and coat color are finally formed.

Scots

Fold

Scottish Fold kittens are born weighing from 60 to 140 grams. It all depends on the number of brothers and sisters. In the first two weeks, the weight gain will be small and will not exceed 20 grams. Subsequent growth will go faster, the main thing is to make sure that the kitten receives a sufficient amount mother's milk. By two months his weight should reach 1.5 kg, and by six months - up to 3 kg.

Fold

Scottish Folds develop to their maximum by the age of three. The weight of an adult male can reach 6.5 kg, and females 4.5 kg. By that time, they are already fully physically developed and ready to reproduce.

Straight-eared

Representatives of straight-eared Scots are somewhat larger than their fold-eared counterparts. Their growth rates are not much different, but their final weight is yes. Males by the time of their final development reach 7 kg in weight, while females can weigh 6 kg. This is due not only to nutrition. Genetics plays a big role here. Straight-eared Scots rarely have deviations in terms of height. And if the cat is also a purebred, then we can safely say that he will grow into a fat teddy.

Straight-eared

British

The British begin to actively grow already at the age of one month. By then, their teeth have formed and they can eat on their own. Since, due to the characteristics of the breed, these felines are prone to obesity, their diet should be given increased attention.

British

Their musculoskeletal mass is finally formed by 2-2.5 years of life. But even after this they can continue to develop, until they reach the age of three. The weight of an adult male can reach 8 kg, and a female 6 kg. If you add two kilograms to each indicator, you can get the weight that these representatives of the feline family can gain after castration or sterilization.

Regular cats

Cats and male cats without claims to purebred also have their own developmental characteristics. As a rule, they reach the bulk and growth by two years. As mentioned earlier, a lot depends on heredity, nutrition and lifestyle. Sedentary animals that prefer to spend most of their time lying on the sofa can reach a weight of up to 9 kg. Moreover, these can be both males and females. Especially if we're talking about about castrated or sterilized cats.

Regular cats

In the latter case, nutrition must be given special attention. It will be better if you feed the animal with special dietary foods that have a balanced combination of nutritional components and are easily absorbed by the body.

Maine Coon

Exists erroneous opinion that adult Maine Coons can reach up to 15 and even 25 kg in weight. However, despite great growth(up to 100 cm in length) animal, the weight of an adult male does not exceed 12 kg, and females are even less - 8 kg. They are born larger than kittens of other breeds: babies can weigh from 120 to 140 grams. And this only happens if there are several kittens in the litter. If the baby was born alone, his weight may be 160 grams.

Maine Coon

Maine Coons grow up to three years old, like most purebred cats. Closer to this age, their muscles actively develop: rib cage becomes wider, and shoulders and paws stronger.

Bengal

Bengal babies weigh from 70 to 120 grams at birth. They grow actively until 9 months, after which the rate of their development decreases. In females at this age it can generally stop, while males can grow up to two years.

Bengal

The maximum weight of females does not exceed 5 kg, males - 8 kg. And the body length can vary from 50 cm to 1 meter.

Sphinxes

Sphynx kittens are born tiny and helpless. Their birth weight is only 85 grams. But at the same time, after three days they are able to independently find their mother’s nipple and, with the movement of their paws, cause the release of milk. Sphynx cats are considered one of the smartest cats.

Sphinxes

They reach sexual maturity by 6 one month old. But if the first mating occurs at this age, the development reproductive system the body stops. Therefore, it is not recommended to mate a Sphynx until at least a year old. In general, sphinxes can grow up to 2-2.5 years. This can be seen especially well by the increase in the shape of the head and the expansion of the skeleton.

Abyssinian

Abyssinian cats are not much different in size and weight from ordinary ones. This in no way concerns their appearance, but only their general parameters. In general, male cats grow until they are about two years old. Their weight, like most felines, depends on diet, genetics and whether the cat is spayed or neutered.

Abyssinian

The weight of an adult female is 5-6 kg, a male is 6-7 kg. But under certain conditions it can be 8 kg. There is no need to worry about this: breed standards allow this option.

Cats are surprisingly different from other animals in some ways. biological features. In particular, they are weakly sensitive to electric current and easily balance on high altitude, almost always land on their feet.

How old do cats grow?

Babies are born blind and grow up quickly. In young kittens, their first teeth erupt at about 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks all their milk teeth emerge. Primary teeth include 2 canines, 6 incisors, 3 premolars in the upper jaw and 2 in the lower jaw, 2 molars.

At about 5 months of age, baby teeth begin to be replaced by permanent teeth. The first to change are the incisors, then the canines, then the premolars. Molars are replaced in about 6 months. An adult cat has 30 teeth.

At the age of 15 months, cats become adults and are already capable of breeding.

Pregnancy lasts normally 56-60. Thus, we can say that domestic cats grow until they are about one and a half years old.

Basic physiological indicators

A cat's normal body temperature is 38-39.5 ° C. In kittens it is higher. It is advisable to accustom your cat to the procedure of measuring temperature at a young age.

The respiratory rate in young animals can reach 40, in adults it is 20-30 breathing movements per minute. Sometimes cats breathe open mouth. Able to severe fright or due to a strong increase in air temperature, the cat regulates heat exchange in this way.

In small kittens it appears conditioned reflex tameness, attachment to permanent place residence and to the owner. They quickly get used to the living conditions in the house and become attached to the order established there. It is known that attempts to take away adult cat from home even at a very long distance, often end with her return.

Adults will need some time to tame when changing ownership. But provided there is a good emotional background in the house and acceptable living conditions, over time the tameness reflex becomes permanent.

To what age do cats grow is not an idle question. Typically, signs of tooth wear, changes in coat color, and the condition of the lens in cats are not as pronounced as in dogs, so it is quite difficult to determine the exact age of an adult animal by eye.

The average life expectancy of pets ranges from 10 to 14, sometimes 18 years. There are cases where cats at the age of 15 gave birth to healthy offspring and lived to be 20 years old.

How fast kittens grow - video

It’s a rare family today that lives without pets, and cats are the most popular among them.

Many cat owners different breeds are interested what age do cats grow to? and what influences their development.

If you observe a kitten over a long period of time, you will notice that when it reaches the age of two years, the size of its muzzle and the width of its shoulders remain unchanged. This means that formation has completed and it is no longer growing.

First of all, a kitten’s growth is influenced by its genetics:

The main factor is the breed of the animal. The larger it is, the more time passes before the end of growth;
hormonal background and genetic predisposition;
A mother cat's weight also affects how quickly her babies grow. The larger it is, the sooner the kittens will grow up;
when using hormonal drugs An imbalance of the endocrine system develops, negatively affecting growth.

Impact of environmental factors:

if the kitten is not eating well, its growth time changes;
the formation is influenced by the state of the place in which the animal is located;
if pets are often stressed, their growth is impaired;
if the pet was neutered late, this affects not only its weight, but also its height.

Until what age does a kitten grow?

This age depends, first of all, on the breed of the pet. The growth of cats with average weight ends at approximately 14 months, and larger individuals can grow up to two years.

Maximum growth occurs at five months. The development of kittens is divided into several stages:

Neonatal – the first four days of life. At this time, the kitten’s weight may decrease or increase. It depends on how the cat gave birth.
Suction – first month. Into this time goes by stable growth.
Transitional – from four to seven weeks. At this time, the type of feeding changes, so growth slows down by the fifth week. After switching to solid food, it continues, this happens closer to the seventh week of life.
Post-suction period – the seventh or eighth week and until the individual’s growth is complete. At this time the cat begins independent life. The growth of females of some breeds stops, but males can add to it for another year and a half.

Reasons for slow growth

It often happens that kittens of the same breed look different. Due to slow growth, some individuals may be smaller than their peers, and there are many reasons for this problem.

https://youtu.be/wARj0zg11D8

To avoid such a problem, you should visit the veterinarian more often and give the cat anthelmintic drugs.

Hormonal imbalances

Hormonal imbalances can slow down the development of the cat’s body, and after some time the pet will begin to grow rapidly. This is especially true for castrated males.

Living conditions and habitat

All this is very important for the growth and development of pets. Street cats They lose very much in comparison with those who live in the house. Due to shortage necessary vitamins their immunity is weakened, this affects growth and immediately becomes noticeable.

If you adopted a kitten from the street, you do not need to immediately offer it treats and switch it to dry food. Best option– filling the cat’s menu with vitamins that will help him grow taller.

Development of cats of various breeds

It is necessary to take several cat breeds as an example and consider their differences.

British cats

Many people are interested What age do British cats grow to?? These animals have short limbs, amber eyes and the most different colors wool:

adult cats can weigh about eight kilograms, and if it is a neutered male, then more. Weight is affected personal characteristics pet and other conditions;
body length and shoulder width continue to increase until the age of two and a half years;
males become sexually mature when they reach nine months of age.

Formation as a whole is completed by the age of three years.

Scottish cats

Today the Scottish fold cats are one of the most sought after and popular breeds. They appeared in the sixties of the last century and almost immediately won the hearts of cat lovers around the world.

After much debate, Scottish Fold and Straight-eared cats separated from the British and received their own breed standards.

Cats of this breed bloom by the age of three. Their bones are forming, and their eyes and fur are taking on their final color. Scots get their classic look.