When do cats stop growing

Felines have to be through stages of growth like humankind which are childhood, teenage, adulthood then aging, however, compare to human average life expectancy from 55 to 75 years old, cats only live for 10 to 15 years. The reason is cats getting mature at very early age and aging sooner.

So when do cats stop growing? It depends on what aspects of animal and what type of feline your cat is.

People should take care of cats more during the time they turn into new phase of growth including controlling diet and sexual habits in order for your cats go into maturation to the fullest and safest.

In general, cats become sexually maturation after about six to nine months after birthday. However, it also depends on different in genres. Following timeline, people should let newborns be nursed by their mom in first four weeks, after this time, kitten foods can be delivered for them instead.

Cat reproduce

Normally, after 6 or 9 months, depending on felines, cats will reach sexual maturity. For example, Siamese takes only 4 months to reach sexual maturity but Persian need almost a year full to be at that level (source) It literally means they are able to reproduce. Both male and female cats can come into heat and start to be parents of new litters, but, they haven’t get their full size really. Sexual maturity in cats last for almost two years, and the time of 6 month after delivery is confirmed to be the moment they start to be capable of giving birth.

By untrained eyes, people can notice that both tom cat and female feline tend to express their changes in behaviors due to sexual maturation by becoming either more aggressive or affectionate to attract each other. Unluckily, male cat can become father by his own without any biological changes, meanwhile, female cat will suffer pregnancy within significant swell of belly and weight, for her uncomplete size, it would be quite dangerous. Consequently, if you have plan of breeding, veterinary should be asked first to make sure everything will be under your cat ability, avoid the uncomplete growth in size causing health problems for both mom cat and fetus.

Cats will grow until they reach a certain size of body and weight. The process will happen in two stages, at first 9 months or 12 months after birthday, kittens will consume proper amount of food then get their physically mature weight and size, the length of time will varies individually and by categories. Then six months after, growth size will happen slowly until they are in normal size of their specimen. Depend on how big they are expected to be in species, period of time will be shorter or longer. For instance, huge breeds such as Maine Coon or Savanah in full weight of 30 pounds are supposed to take three to five years to develop to that massiveness.

Length of growth also depends on diet. From childhood to teenage stages, people tend to feed kittens food of rich nutrition at large quantity, even prepare for them more than two regular meals. It is encouraged because newborns need energy to grow up and enhance bones and immune system. Some breeds will have their bones frame stop growing after 8 months. Come to teenage time, some cats do not even reach their fully expected size but diet tends to be cut up for remaining their durability of age and slow down their aging process

Social maturity is evaluated in biologic body and cat behavior. After about six months, kittens will be less around their mom, or by another expression, they do not need their mom feed but consume kittens food instead. The fact of their separation from mother more frequently causes them more sensitive and nervous or even irritable at somehow, inside their bodies, alternation of hormones also happens to contribute into their different behavior.

However, situation will pass soon when they come to know outside world for a year or little more, little kitties now growing up will become calmer and more dignified.

As nowadays, spayed and neutered pets become popular, pet owners quite do it pretty much. Sterilization affect cat social maturity certainly. Considering form their habit of being affectionate in the time of sexual maturity, both female and male felines will become more active and socialize to attract each other. In comparison with intact cats, the spayed or neutered will be more reserved because at their early time, social experience was not trained.

As mentioned above, diet should be elevated along with cat growth. Diet at the right time will support cats in swelling in size and enhancing health condition, diet in another time will be to supply cats with necessary nutrition but not overwhelm them.

Cats in mature size will have smaller stomach. Childhood to cats is time of bones and skin development, and these parts will be elastic for expansion in size, therefore, kittens deserve constant and vast amount of added sustenance and nutrition. Consequently, feeding them as much as feeding kittens will cause them obesity. After kittens had received enough calories and nutrition for proper growth. Mature felines, if not in pregnancy, should eat under suitable diet which are only sufficient. Development in size will last long after that, lack of minerals such as potassium, zinc, calcium … will be one of reasons for slowdown; hence, proper formula will be useful for their scientific expansion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, kittens will stop growing in size after their first birthday ceremony, properly, their social intention will become mature at the same time. However, sexual maturity can come before that time, six months at average. However, when to stop growing depends on feline specimen. Small breeds will take less time to reach full size and weight than larger ones, the difference will range from some months to some years. To welcome and prepare for cats growing, diet should be changed for suitable development inside their body