5 Super Reliable Ways to Know When Do Cats Stop Growing

Don’t you just love caring for your cats? Seeing your pet grow is one of the most beautiful things you could ever witness as the owner. For sure, you will never forget the very first moment you held that kitty in your arm.The joyful experience is tantamount to watching your very own child grow from a baby until he or she matures.

The truth is – we will all have to accept that reality that our beloved feline friend will eventually turn into a mature cat one day. The question is – when does this happen? Another curious information you may probably want to know is when do cats stop growing?

As each stage of development is crucial, it is important to know when they fully mature so you would know which food to give and what kind of care you could better demonstrate. Let’s find out the different ways on how you could anticipate your cat’s full growth and maturity.

From being a kitten to an adult cat – knowing the fundamentals of the stages can help understand the biological changes in cat, particularly the physical growth. The infancy of the cat takes place in a course of 4 weeks. This is the time that kittens still continue to be nursed by the queen.

The Toddlerhood of kittens will then unfold between the 1st and 2nd month of their lives. Weight gain and growth becomes more evident since the kittens will then need to be fed 2-4 times per day with solid food. It is also expected that at age 8 weeks, they are already weaned off. At this stage, they can weigh around 12 ounces to 2.6 lbs.

As your cat will continue to mature, she will continue to gain weight and her built will soon become of an adult feline. More or less, she will be at her adult size when she turns 1 year old. This is the usual period when they reach their maximum growth period. Note, however, that there are heftier breeds could take longer to mature and reach their full growth.

#2. Growth Spurt Can Determine the Full-Growth Potential of Your Cat

In general, there is a massive growth spurt that happens in cats between the second and sixth month of their life. You may see some cats which appear to be ‘adult-sized’ even at the age of just 6 months. However, as they need to be fed with protein-packed food at this for around 4 times a day, you would notice them gaining more muscles and getting in bigger form.

Growth Spurt does not only happen in human. In fact, a study performed at the University of Michigan reveals that there are molecular signals that trigger the catching-up or spurt of growth in both animals and humans. It is, therefore, possible for your cat to display this behavior and could impact how fast or slow she can reach her full growth potential.

#3. Behavioral Development Can Tell When Your Cat Is About to Reach Full Growth

Knowing what to expect on the physical development of the cat could help you determine whether your cat is about to reach her maximum size. As with humans, cats also go through adolescence period. Yes, this is like having a feline teen at home and expect some changes in the behavior.

In addition, you would know that your cat has reached adulthood and will soon stop from developing physically when there start demonstrating the behavior of senior cats. From the 1st year to the 2nd year, the adult’s body is fully developed by now.

When it comes to behavior, three of the most common changes include your cat’s constant hiding, hissing, and kneading. Mature cats hiss to communicate their dislike for a particular person or animal. They also like to hide and climb high places. Adult cats also tend to knead their owner's leg or arm.

Being informed of these changes – both physical and behavioral can give you hints as to when your cat will be fully developed, mature, and stop from growing. You would also notice that the behavior of these cats is quite similar to the humans who also experience sudden behavioral changes during adolescence, adulthood, and senior years.

#4. The Breed Also Dictates When A Cat Stops Growing

According to the Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) or the world’s biggest registry to pedigreed cats, there around about 40 distinct cat breeds. Some of them are Himalayan, Manx, Persian, Siamese, and Coon. These cats generally differ in many characteristics, including the coat length and the body size.

However, it should be noted that smallest and largest of the domesticated breeds only has a weight difference of 5 to 10 pounds. Nevertheless, the breeds of the cat are considered as one of the ways to determine the size of the full-grown feline.

As a general guideline, domestic short-haired kittens typically reach their full size from the first two years. There are certain breeds that tend to grow or mature faster or slower. For instance, Singapura cats can get to their peak at 15 months while the Chartreux kittens become full-sized adult cats at age 3 years old.

#5. The Size Category of the Cat Can Give You Hint As Well

Is your cat small-sized, medium-sized, or large-sized? Cats are not only classified depending on their breed but are categorized based on their size as well. Dwarf cats or specialty cats, for instance, can be at their biggest size at only 5-12 lbs. Other types of small-sized cats are the miniature cats or teacup cats.

There are medium-sized cats such as the Savannah and Bengal breeds which become full-sized adults between their 2nd and 3rd year. Other examples are the American Bobtail which takes three years to reach their full growth potential.

Bigger-sized cats such as the Ragdoll breed can take as long as five years before it can reach its full size. Another breed under the same category is the Turkish Van, which also needs about 3-5 years before it can turn into an adult-sized cats.

Other cats are also considered slow-maturing. These are those that take about 4-5 years to become adult-sized. Examples of these are the Siberian cats and the Norwegian Forest Cats. So, when planning to adopt a cat, it is imperative to know their full size so you can adjust to their dietary needs as well.

Let’s Recap, Shall We?

The majority of the cats would stop growing sometime between their 1st and 3rd year. The size, however, will depend on the factors mentioned above. Knowing such information is essential if you truly intend to become serious cat owner or breeder. Their biological structure and the food they eat can immensely influence their growth potential.

To better monitor the growth of your feline pal, you could keep a growth chart handy. Checking an online weight calculator would also help you determine whether your cat is getting bigger at a healthy rate.

However, I’d like to stress out that growth should not only be your main concern. Part of the development of the cat is also based on the amount of weight she gains. If your cat tends to gain weight faster that she should be, it is essential to have her checked right away before she turns overweight.

I wish that you truly enjoyed the list. Again, it is my commitment to constantly deliver relevant information that would help you become a better cat owner. If you like this post, go ahead and feel free to hit ‘SHARE’. Keep in mind that you can always inundate me with your questions and comments. I would be more than pleased to read and answer them!