Every pet owner knows that kittens grow fast but just when is a kitten fully grown anyway? Check out this article if you want to answer that question.
While the tiny size of kittens is one of the things that make them look adorable to humans, they would not stay that way forever. Actually, regardless of the wish of cat parents, kittens grow rapidly, especially during the first few months of their life. Therefore, it seems like your fluffy friend could turn into an adult cat in a blink of an eye. That being said, in order to answer the question of "when is a kitten fully grown?", you must check out various factors in addition to the size of your kitty.
Unable to deduce the time it takes for your furball to reaches maturity by yourself? If that happens to be the case then you have come to the right place. Down below, you shall find a list of aspects that allow you to determine if your kitten is an adult.
Time: A Great General Reference
Generally speaking, ordinary pet owners tend to think of kittens as adult cats once they reach 1 year of age. In most of the cases, ordinary kittens approach their full body size between Month 9 and Month 12. Nonetheless, it's worth noting that your fluffy friend would continue to grow, albeit much slower, after the 1-year mark.
Assuming that kittens develop properly, they should achieve their full body size right around Month 18. Of course, different cats have different growth potentials so it's a good idea to take your kitten into account. For instance, cats of the Maince Coon breed often take a much longer time to mature compared to other breeds. In fact, a Maince Coon cat only become fully grows when they reach 2 – 4 year old. Hence, it's of utmost importance to take the breed of kittens into account to answer the question of "when is a kitten fully grown?",
Find out how much a 6-month-old should weigh with CattyBox!
Reproduction: Beware Of Odd Behaviors
Overall, male kittens shall reach sexual maturation from Month 6 to Month 9 so they have the ability to father kittens of their own around that time. Correspondingly, it's possible for female kittens at that age to give birth to kittens. That being said, early pregnancies put significant strain on the body of growing kittens though.
To preempt future issues and let the felines grow peacefully, people must consider spaying/neutering operations as soon as the pets start to behave strangely. Most of the time, male kittens that reach sexual material resort to spraying (urinating on things) to mark territory which greatly troubles cat parents. In the case of female kittens, they would be more affectionate toward humans as well as other pets in the house and make howling meows. Once such behaviors show up in kitten, they should already become teenagers and adulthood is really just around the corner.
Dig in a 5-month-old kitten's behavior with CattyBox!
Social Activity: Changes In Temperament
At 6 months, kittens get more and more clingy to people in the surroundings due to hormone changes in their bodies. But as time passes by, the felines eventually mellow out. That development takes place in virtually every cat on the planet excluding spayed/neutered ones. Generally speaking, when a cat receives surgeries that remove the reproductive organ, expect the pet to remain playful and affectionate well into its senior years. Of course, exceptions do exist here and there but changes in temperament often signal the impending maturity of the felines.
Factors That Tend To Affect The Overall Growth Of Kittens
While talking about the question of "when is a kitten fully grown?", it would be a mistake to not include factors that influence the growth of the pets in reality.
Needless to say, all kittens need to receive a sufficient amount of nutrients every day to support their rapid growth. That is why kittens in shelters seem to be noticeably smaller than their home counterparts. In addition, spayed/neutered kittens grow bigger than intact ones over time for an obvious reason: they don't have to support the reproductive organ. Last but not least, certain health issues such as dwarfism, bone deformities and so on could put a stop to the usual growth of cats.
Check us out for further detailed cat's health guide!
Taking Care Of Developing Kittens: A Guide For Cat Parents
Knowing how to answer the question of "when is a kitten fully grown?" is vital in many decisions: switching the food, scheduling spaying/neutering surgery,... However, if you want your furball to grow up to be healthy, consider the following:
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Preventive Care Is A Priority
Kittens have a fragile constitution which is why it's essential that you take specific measures in order to protect your fluffy friend from illnesses. Cat parents have to ensure that their kitten receives enough vaccine shots at proper times. In the case your fluffy friend seems to experience issues, it's strongly recommended that you make an appointment at the local veterinary clinic immediately.
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Ease Up On The Treats
Every cat love treats but if you give your kitty too many treats in addition to its high-calorie diet, the pet may develop obesity. Your kitten would get nice and roundy if it eats a lot but remembers that obese cats face considerable dangers. As a result, it's a good idea to hand out treats sparingly to keep your furball in top shape.
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Socialize, Socialize And More Socialize
Overall, cats should be calmer around humans if they got socialized at an early age. Therefore, put together regular play sessions to give your fluffy friend the attention it needs. Of course, keep things moderate as you don't want to stress your kitten by mistake due to excessive interactions.
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Instead Of Punishments, Use Encouragements
Kittens still have to learn about what considers to be acceptable/unacceptable in the house. With that in mind, you need to be patient if your furball messes things up. Don't shout at the pet as it would leave negative impressions instead of correcting the behavior of your kitty.
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Prepare A Suitable Litter Box
Since kitten eats a lot, it's only natural that they need to answer the call of nature fairly frequently. To make sure that the pet could take care of its business without a hitch, you need to invest in a kitten friendly litter box.
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