What is a kitten growth chart?Why is it important to maintain a kitten growth chart? How does it help in tracking a kitten’s development?A newborn kitten is fully dependent on the mother cat. As a guideline, if you double the kitten’s weight at 16 weeks old then that is its estimated adult cat weight. This growth equation may be used to understand growth in kittens. It is of utmost importance that the kitten size, weight, height, and behavior of the kittens are monitored.They require different care levels at different stages of their life. In order to keep the pet cats healthy, several actions need to be taken. It is important to brush the pet cat daily. Too much dry food should not be fed. Too much dry food may lead to Type 2 diabetes in cats. They may also turn obese. Dog food is not suitable for cats. The pet should be kept hydrated. A sufficient number of litter boxes needs to be placed around their dwelling areas. Pet cats should be trained to use a scratching post. They should be neutered if the need arises.Like reading about a kitten growth chart? Want to know more about a kitten growth chart? Let’s move on. If you like reading about a kitten growth chart, you may also like reading about the biggest cat breed and the biggest domestic cat here on Kidadl.What are the stages of cat growth?A cat has four stages in its life- the kitten, the young adult, the mature adult, and the senior. From birth up to one year, they are called kittens. From the first year up to the sixth year, they are called young adults. Cats between seven to ten years are called mature adults. When cats are over ten years of age, they are called seniors.Each of the stages is unique, and cats require attention in terms of health and behavior issues at all of these four stages. The ears are folded, and the eyes are shut in a newborn kitten. This helps the eyes of the little one to continue to develop even after birth. When the eyes are closed, it also helps the kitten with its hypersensitivity to light. There are no teeth or gums in newborns. At this stage, the kittens are completely at the mercy of the mother cat. The mother cat feeds the kittens and helps them to stay warm. She also helps them with mobility. The kittens start nursing after about an hour or two after their birth. The mom cat helps her little ones to latch on and suckle. She initiates nursing. The umbilical cord stays attached between the newborn and the mother and falls off after three to four days. The paws and the nose of the little one are pink in color. The newborns sleep most of the day. Prematurely born kittens need even more care and monitoring. They are born weaker than the others. The eyes are shut in one-week-old kittens, however, they are not attached to the mother cats through the umbilical cord.After one week, the ears start unfolding for the little ones. The eyes start opening when they are 8 to 10 days old. It might happen that one eye opens faster than the other. However, owners should let the natural process take place at its own pace. The little ones should do it themselves. The kittens have blue eyes initially, however, the color changes with age. At one week, the kitten’s are double in weight in comparison to their birth weight. These kittens cannot defecate or urinate on their own, and they need help from their mothers. Anogenital grooming by the mother helps in this case. The mother consumes whatever the little one eliminates. When they are two weeks of age, the kittens usually have fully open eyes and unfolded ears. They have small and round ears. The eyes are still blue in color. They will be able to initiate nursing at this point. However, they won’t have teeth and also would not be able to defecate and urinate by themselves.Kittens have sensitive skin and need to be cleaned either naturally with the help of their mothers or artificially using wet cloths and baby wipes. An adopted or orphaned kitten needs to be taken to the vet as soon as possible. At three weeks, the kittens will have blue eyes. The round ears will start pointing upward. The kittens start to develop their sense of hearing at this age. If the mouth of the kitten is opened, tiny teeth become visible as well. The kittens may start to defecate and urinate on their own. However, the mother would still be responsible for cleaning their wastes. The tiny paws of these kittens would become retraceable. Healthy kittens would start purring and start exploring their enclosure. They will start to recognize other kittens in their vicinity and play with them. The kittens would start developing their canines when they are about four weeks old. The premolars would develop during the fifth week. By the sixth week, the kittens would have a fully developed set of teeth (early development). Toys can be kept in the enclosure to encourage healthy chewing habits. Though their sense of vision would be fully developed by this time, the kittens would continue having blue eyes. Around the fifth week, they would start initiating nursing on their own, however, they would require considerable cooperation on their mother’s part. The babies would start to urinate and defecate on their own around the enclosure. They would not require stimulation from their mothers anymore. They would also start to groom themselves. However, the mother would still assist in grooming.At seven weeks, the kittens wean off completely. They start consuming more solid food. The color of the eyes changes from blue to yellow. Usually, a kitten grows around 1 lb (453 g) per month in the first six months of its life. When the kittens are 9-12 weeks old, they start consuming solid food completely. The kittens would now have a fully developed set of teeth. The adult eye color is visible as well in this stage. 12-16 week old kittens face intense growth. Their nutritional needs change as well at this stage. 16-20 week old kittens start behaving like their adult counterpart. The kittens will start separating from their mothers and go over medium distances. Baby toys are suggested at this stage.How big will my cat get, and when is it fully grown?A kitten will start looking like a little adult by the time it reaches six months of age. The kitten will start imitating its mother and other adults around it. Kittens may start gaining weight, and they may do so disproportionately at this point in time.However, it is not something to worry about. The kitten will start growing its legs next. The legs are long and thin. Cryptorchidism is a situation that may take place in male kittens. It might so happen that testicles may not be visible in the male kittens even when they reach six months of age. The testicles, in this case, get retained in the inguinal canal or the abdomen. Potential health issues may arise from this situation. The testicles may become cancerous. The kitten owners are advised to consult a vet and get the cat neutered. However, such actions should be carried out only if the vet suggests. Most breeds of cats reach their adult size by the time they are 12 months old. However, in some cases, the cats may take more time to grow. They may reach adult size after 14 months.It may so happen that they reach adult size after two years. The issue regarding fixing should be dealt with in the case of both male and female kittens if the owners are not interested in breeding them. This should be done before the male, and the female kittens reach puberty. Cats of different breeds reach puberty at different ages. It is a matter of utmost importance that such issues are taken up with the vet. The vet shall suggest the optimal age to get the cat fixed. Fixing helps in improving the lifespan of the kittens as it reduces the risk of developing serious health issues in the kitten. A healthy cat is a happy cat!When do cats stop growing? Growth in cats slows down when they reach about 9-12 months in age.A cat reaches sexual maturity when it is about six to nine months in age. To know more about the growth pattern in the pet cat, it is important to keep a note of its length and weight. It is also important to watch out for the cat around the members of the opposite sex if it has not been neutered or spayed.Large Cat Breeds And What To ExpectMaine Coons and Savannah are two large breeds of cats. The Maine Coon cats are the largest of the domestic cat breeds. They weigh around 10-25 lb (4-11 kg). They might get even larger depending upon the gender- a male kitten or a female kitten. The weight also depends on the height. In length, that is, from the tip of the nose at the front to the tip of the tail at the end, this cat can grow 3 -4 ft (91.4-121.9 cm). It is rightly referred to as a cuddly giant.A cross between a wild African cat, a male serval, with a female Siamese leads to the birth of a Savannah. These cats can get pretty big when they reach their final size. They tend to get bigger if they are close to the male descendant, that is, the male serval. The cat’s weight varies between 8-20 lb (3-9 kg). However, the weight varies with the genetics and the sex of the cats. It can differ widely even in the same litter.Are indoor cats bigger than outdoor cats?In terms of growth, there will not be much difference between two cats of the same litter if one is left outdoors and the other is brought up indoors.The outdoor cat would be lighter in comparison to the indoor cat. This is because the outdoor cat needs to find its own food while the indoor cat is fed regularly and maybe even overfed by the cat owner. The outdoor cat can go hungry sometimes. However, that is how nature works. Both cats are equally adept at hunting for their own food.Cats That Don’t GrowAdult cats of certain breeds tend to be kitten-like in size. These include quite a few breeds like the Singapura, American Curl, Munchkin, Devon Rex, Cornish Rex, and Siamese. These are some of the different breeds of small cats found in the world.The Siamese cat has striking eyes that are blue in color. It is considered to be one of the oldest cat breeds found in the world. Also, it is believed that this cat has descended from the sacred temple cats of Thailand. The Siamese cat has a long body, however, it is incredibly lightweight because of this, the cat has an athletic and sleek appearance. The Munchkin is one of the most famous small cats found in the world. These are small in size because of a gene mutation. The Munchkin has small legs. The legs are much smaller than those of a normal cat. The body of the cat is a bit smaller than the average cat. However, the shoulders of the cat lie almost at the ground level. Their gait is adorable. This little adult is very active and fast. The curly coat of the Cornish Rex helps to identify it. This cat breed is hypoallergenic as they do not shed their hair often. They only have down hair that is super soft to touch. This cat has long and agile toes that help it open doors and cabinets.Though similar in appearance to the Cornish Rex, the Devon Rex has shorter whiskers which help to distinguish between the two cat breeds. The Devon Rex resembles a pixie in appearance. The Cornish Rex and the Devon Rex have the same genetic makeup. The Singapura is almost half in size in comparison to an average cat. These cats are much more snuggly in comparison to other pets. They are fast and good climbers. The American curl has a diverse gene pool because of this, the cat comes in a wide range of sizes. The cat is petite. It is pretty famous for its ears which are known to curl back towards the base of the skull. These kittens require some extra care in comparison to other cats. However, even with this little extra effort, they are a pretty low-maintenance breed of cats. These cats are playful by nature and are considered to be ideal for families.How do you measure your cat’s growth?To measure a cat’s growth and to monitor a kitten’s health, it is important to tabulate kitten size, maintain a kitten growth chart and a kitten feeding chart.A newborn kitten weighs around 1.8 -5.3 oz (51-150.2 g). Keeping a tab on the birth weight is crucial. There is a small weight gain for the new kitten as it matures into the first week. It now weighs around 5.3 - 8.8 oz (150.2-249.4 g). The kitten’s weight is around 8.8 -12.3 oz (249.4-348.6 g) in the second week. In the third week, the weight reaches 12.3 - 15.9 oz (348.6-450 g). A litter box and wet food can be provided in the third week. It is a good age, where a kitten can be fed wet food that can be mixed with kitten formula. Also, in this week, the male cats can be differentiated from the female cats. Baby teeth start coming in this week. From the fourth week to the eighth week, it weighs around 1.4- 2 lb (0.63-0.90 kg). After four weeks, the kittens are sturdy on their feet, and they like to play around. From 9-12 weeks old, the kitten weighs around 3 lb (1.36 kg). A 12-16 week old kitten weighs around 4 lb (1.81 kg). A 16-20 week old kitten weighs somewhere around 5-6 lb (2.26-2.72 kg). From 6 months till they become fully grown, the cats weigh around 6 - 8 lb ( 2.72-3.26 kg).Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for a cat growth chart, then why not take a look at the most expensive cat breeds or Australian mist cat facts.
What is a kitten growth chart?
