When Does A Kitten Stop Growing
Some cats may continue to fill out for several months beyond their first birthday.
When does a kitten stop growing. Some cats may still experience some growth after this stage but at a much slower pace. Kittens usually stop growing at approximately 12 months of age says dr. Their bones stop growing at about 8 months old and they begin sexual maturation which usually takes another four months. Time to spay or neuter a kitten at six months of age your kitten may look like a little adult but that doesn t mean it has reached its adult size.
This doesn t necessarily mean that cats over a year old will stop growing altogether. Most cats reach their maximum size at 18 months which is when most kittens stop growing. The last growth spurt usually occurs when your kitten is between four and six months of age. Most experts agree that the answer to when do cats stop being kittens is about one year.
Between 6 months to 12 months is when kittens stop growing in size. A 12 month old kitten is equivalent to a 15 year old person. Growth speeds vary by breed but all cats have special nutritional requirements at all stages of life. The major developmental milestones may have already passed by six months but that doesn t mean your kitten is done growing physically or mentally.
Large cat breeds which include the maine coon siberian ragdoll and birman don t reach their full size until 3 4 years of age. After month six your kitten will keep growing but it will be at a slower and slower rate. Nicole fulcher assistant director of the animal medical center of mid america although they still may have some filling out to do. When do kittens stop growing.
At around 12 to 14 months most cats stop growing. Let s break each phase down. Cats stop growing when they reach adulthood usually around their 1st birthday. On average a cat s full adult weight should be double the cat s weight at 16 weeks old.
Most cats continue to grow until around the 1 year mark. Most cats have stopped growing by twelve months which is approximately 15 years in human terms. Kittens grow rapidly until 6 months old. The full range can be anywhere from 8 16 months or up to five years if it s a larger cat breed.
At around the 6 month point kittens slow down substantially in terms of speed of growth. When do cats stop growing. The first 2 months the initial 7 8 weeks are the most important in your kitten s life.