Kittens are adorable, entertaining, and let’s be honest, a lot of work! Every day that they grow a little bigger and bolder, you might find yourself wondering, “When do cats stop growing?” At what age can you expect your fluffball of purrs and claws to be a full-grown cat? And how will your cat’s physical growth impact their energy levels and playfulness?
The short answer here is that most cats continue to grow until they’re about one year to two years old. That said, there are a few different factors, including breed and background, that can determine how long you’ll be able to enjoy the kitten life. In this article, we’ll help you figure out when your personal furbaby may reach full maturity.
When do cats stop growing in general?
You might wish that you could cuddle your adorable little bundle for fur forever, but the truth is, felines mature quite quickly! Here’s a quick rundown of the major milestones of kitten growth during the first year:
- Birth to four months: When a kitten is born, they are tiny and quite helpless, without teeth, claws, or the ability to see. But, by the time that they’re about three weeks of age, they’ve undergone an impressive growth spurt! Kittens during this time will open their eyes, learn how to walk, and start growing their adult teeth. Between one month and four months, a kitten will start to become bolder and more confident on their feet, playing with their littermates, mum, and probably your shoe laces! They’ll also have doubled their birth weight!
- Four months to nine months: Kittens at this age don’t grow as rapidly as they did during the first four months, but they’ve certainly got a lot of maturing left to do. During this time, you’ll notice your kitten begin to gain more gracefulness and grow into their adult features. Sexual maturity typically begins around this time, which is why many veterinarians recommend desexing around six months of age
- Nine months to a year. Many cats at this stage grow longer and taller before they fill out, which can be concerning to caring Pet Owners. But, don’t worry. Your cat isn’t too thin; they’ve still got some growing to do! At this point, they are likely fully sexually mature and will grow at a much slower rate than at any time during the first year
- One to two years. As long as your cat isn’t part of the large cat breed group (more on that in a moment), they’ll likely stop growing by the time they reach two years old. At this point, you’ve got an adult cat in their prime! You might miss how cute and cuddly your tiny kitten was during the first few months, but you’ll love this new life stage with your young adult cat! In fact, you’ll notice that your cat’s energy levels will naturally decrease after they’ve reached their adult size, which means more cuddles and time for relaxing with your furbaby.
When do cats stop growing based on breed?
Big cat breeds, such as Maine Coon Cats and Norwegian Forest Cats, take a longer time to mature than average sized breeds. In general, you can expect them to continue growing all the way until they are about 3 or 4 years old!Miniature cat breeds, such as the Munchkin Cat or the Minskin Cat, also have a longer growth period than breeds without the gene for dwarfism.
Because these kitties have a longer growth period than most cats, your vet may recommend that they remain on a dedicated kitten food plan until they’ve reached their adult weight.
What other factors play a role in when cats stop growing?
While breed is a major factor in determining when your cat will stop growing, there are a few other considerations, as well:
- Nutrition & litter size. Early nutrition has an impact on a cat’s growth trajectory. If mum isn’t able to adequately feed her young or if there are many littermates fighting for space, some kittens in the litter may end up growing faster than others
- Genetics. If possible, you can look to your kitten’s parents to get a better idea of how long it may take them to reach their adult size. Of course, genetics can be a tricky thing to predict! So, don’t be surprised if your kitten grows at a different rate than their parents
- Gender. Male cats are typically larger than females, with a longer and slower growth rate
Despite long-held beliefs about desexing, scientists have concluded that the procedure doesn’t have an impact on a cat’s final size.
How can you make sure that your cat is growing normally?
As you can see, there are many factors at play that will determine how long your kitten’s growth period will last. No matter how much growing they have left to do, you’ll want to keep an eye on them to make sure they’re developing normally. Here are a few ways that you can ensure that your kitten is growing safely:
- Have them checked by a vet. Every time that you bring your kitten in for their vaccinations, which should be about twice a month during the first four months, your vet will weigh them to monitor their growth
- Between vet visits, weigh your kitten at home. After your kitten has received all of their early vaccines and won’t need to see their vet as often, you can continue to keep an eye on their growth by weighing them yourself. Kittens typically grow more slowly after the 6 month mark, but you should still see increases every few weeks until they reach their adult size
- Feed them a nutritious diet. High quality kitten food will be one of the best ways to encourage healthy growth for your little furball. Your vet will be able to recommend when you should transition them onto an adult food
- Encourage play. As a Kitten Owner, you probably already know that you don’t have to encourage your kitten to play. They’re going to play whether you want them to or not! But, offering opportunities for interactive play a few times per day is a great way to bond with your cat and ensure that they’re benefitting from a healthy metabolism. As your cat ages, this practice will become increasingly important in preventing unhealthy weight gain as their energy levels begin to taper off. If you can’t be home to play with your kitten throughout the day, consider leaving them in the care of a friendly Cat Sitter who can keep them entertained
Now that you know, “When do cats stop growing,” you can focus on enjoying the kitten phase!
Whether you’ve got a large breed cat who is slow to grow or a tiny kitten who is growing up in the blink of an eye, one thing is for sure: you’re going to miss the kitten phase! Don’t forget to enjoy this special period no matter how long it lasts!
