{"url":"https://www.zooplus.co.uk/magazine/cat/kitten/growth-of-cats-in-six-phases","title":"Cat Growth: 6 Stages to Becoming a House Cat","mag_id":249474,"is_single":true,"cat_name":"Cat","sub_cat_id":440,"sub_cat_name":"Kitten","cat_id":138}
How long cats grow and how big they become depends partly on their genes, but external factors such as nutrition also play a role. A cat’s growth happens in six stages. By understanding these different phases, you can give your kitten the perfect start in life and support them as they grow into adulthood.
After around 66 days, pregnant cats give birth to their kittens. At this point, these tiny, adorable creatures weigh less than 100 grams. Yet within the next few months, they quickly grow into curious little house tigers.
The development from kitten to adult cat can be divided into six different stages. Below, we introduce the individual phases of a cat’s life. We explain what matters most when it comes to care and keeping, before answering some general questions about how cats grow.
1st Stage: The First Week of Life
After birth, the still-blind and fragile kittens urgently need their mother’s milk. This first milk, also known as colostrum, contains essential nutrients and protective antibodies (defence proteins). The latter are especially important for the kitten’s health, as their immune system is still immature and weakened after birth.
Anatomical Features
After about a week, the tiny kittens open their eyes and, as it dries out, their umbilical cord falls off. However, because their coat is not yet fully developed, they still need their mother’s protective warmth for a while.
What is Particularly Important at This Stage?
To ensure your kittens get off to a healthy start in life, you should definitely monitor their weight daily. Growth charts can help you check whether the kittens are developing well and adjust their feeding if necessary.
Reading tip: In the zooplus cat magazine, you can find out how to monitor your kittens’ weight– including a growth chart for young cats.
2nd Stage: Baby Teeth Appear
In the first few weeks of life, kittens still have very little strength. That’s why they spend most of the day sleeping. Between the third and eighth week of life, the first baby teeth usually start to come through.
A kitten’s full set of baby teeth consists of 26 small teeth, which are much smaller and sharper than those of an adult cat.
3rd Stage: The First Solid Food
After four weeks, kittens have already gained a fair amount of weight. They can finally walk and romp around with their siblings. They also begin to eat solid food.
This is the right time to gradually offer your kitten soft kitten food. However, this change of diet should be done slowly. At first, their digestive system is still used to their mother’s milk and needs time to adjust to the new food. Otherwise, digestive problems such as diarrhoea, constipation and stomach aches may occur.
Approximately four weeks after birth, kittens begin eating their first solid food.
4th Stage: The Young Cats Continue to Grow Steadily
The kittens are now two months old and eating solid food consistently. They are, of course, still growing and therefore have a higher energy and nutrient requirement than their adult counterparts.
For this reason, you should feed them special kitten food tailored precisely to this stage of life. Whether you prefer to serve your kitten dry food or wet food is entirely up to you.
Important to know: Between the third and sixth month of life, kittens go through the change of teeth. During this time, the baby teeth are replaced by 30 permanent teeth. For comparison: we humans have around 32 teeth, while dogs even have 42 permanent teeth.
When Does a Cat’s Eye Colour Change?
Kittens are initially born with blue eyes. This is because the pigment cells in their eyes are not yet fully developed. Immediately after birth, a kitten’s eyes are colourless but appear bluish due to the way light is refracted.
After about three to four months, the pigment cells begin to produce the pigment melanin. During this time, the kitten develops their individual eye colour.
5th Stage: From Kitten to Cat
After seven exciting months of life, the cat is considered grown up. Female cats now come into season and can become pregnant. Male cats reach sexual maturity about a month later.
At What Age Should Cats Be Neutered?
Once your cat is sexually mature, you can consider having them neutered after gathering enough information and taking time to think it through.
6th Stage: A Cat’s Growth Is Now Complete
The cats have completed their first year of life. In the years that follow, they no longer continue to grow. After around eight years full of experiences, the fur around the mouth may start to turn slightly white. This is usually the first sign of ageing in cats. Gradually, increased tiredness and reduced activity may follow.
When Do Kittens Become Calmer?
In the first few months of life, cats are curious, playful and full of energy. Once they have completed their first year of life, they generally become noticeably calmer. Even so, they still love to play and enjoy mental stimulation.
From junior to senior: Discover our wide range of cat food and cat accessories – you’ll find everything your cat needs for a long and happy life in the zooplus online shop.
How Big Do Cats Get?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. A cat’s growth depends on their genes and influences such as nutrition during kittenhood. In addition, many cat breeds differ greatly in terms of size and build.
In our regions, for example, the European Shorthair is particularly popular and reaches an average length of 80 to 90 centimetres. Adult Maine Coon cats, especially males, can grow up to 120 centimetres in length.
How Heavy Can a Cat Become?
Just like size, a cat’s weight also varies depending on breed and sex: male Persian cats can weigh up to eight kilograms. Female Bengal cats, on the other hand, are lighter and usually weigh between three and four kilograms.
When Are Cats Considered Adult and How Long Do They Live?
Cats are considered adult by the end of their first year at the latest. Healthy cats live for around 15 years on average. However, some cats even reach the age of 19. This shows that a cat’s life expectancy is individual and partly hereditary. Illnesses, as well as poor or unbalanced nutrition, can negatively affect a cat’s lifespan. So make sure you know what your cat needs at every stage of life.
Reading tip: You can find out how to convert cat years into human years in our article on cat age. You’ll also find more articles about caring for kittens in our kitten section.
Important Note: The content provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional veterinary advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns about your pet's health, please always consult a licensed veterinarian.
This article was translated using Artificial Intelligence from the original German zooplus Magazine. While the original content was authored by industry experts and reviewed by our editorial team, this automated translation has not been human-edited and is provided for informational purposes.
At the Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen I was extensively trained as a veterinarian and was able to gain experience in various fields such as small animal, large animal and exotic animal medicine as well as pharmacology, pathology and food hygiene.
Since then, I have been working not only as a veterinary author, but also on my scientifically driven dissertation. My goal is to better protect animals from pathogenic bacterial organisms in the future.
Besides my veterinary knowledge, I also share my own experiences as a happy dog owner and can thus understand and enlighten fears and problems as well as other important questions about animal health.
It’s not just the right type of litter tray that will make your cat happy, but also the right type of cat litter. The best litters are ones that are very absorbent and ideally neutralise odours too, but finding the perfect cat litter can be no easy task with so many varieties on offer from natural clumping litter made of clay, non-clumping litter, litter made of wood or silica.
Are you worried because your ageing feline friend no longer responds to her name? Or are you wondering why your house cat can’t find her food bowl straight away? Your cat has probably reached a proud senior age and now needs special care. Find out how to spot the symptoms of senility in your cat early on and give her an age-appropriate life.
Coconut oil is very popular among cat owners as it provides natural protection from ticks and other parasites. In addition, this on-trend product is said to have numerous benefits. We will give you tips and information on how and when coconut oil can be a practical alternative to conventional remedies.
