How old do cats grow?

Keeping pets in private houses and apartments is gaining momentum from year to year. And it's not a secret for anyone that the priority for most people is the representatives of the feline family. There are several reasons why people prefer cats and cats. Some people think that keeping them is cheaper than, for example, dogs, and that these pets are less of a hassle. Others follow fashion trends, because having a cat at home, especially an unusual breed, is very prestigious today. But there are also people who choose a cat because they want someone to wait for them at home and create a special comfort. There is an opinion that cats are selfish, serve the one who feeds them. But this is not at all the case: they, like dogs, choose their own master.

The choice of such a pet must be treated responsibly, taking into account the characteristics of the breed and the necessary care, because each cat is individual and requires a special approach. One of the most popular questions that a person who is going to have a cat may have is how old his pet will grow up.

Cats of different breeds grow in different ways. Before announcing certain numbers, let's find out the factors that are directly related to the growth of the animal.

• Breed and heredity. This is one of the most important factors, it is he who gives a start and certain makings for growth. For example, large cats grow for a long time until they reach the desired size. As for heredity, everything is like everyone else's: the larger the parents, the larger their offspring.
• Belonging to gender. In this case, genetics takes its toll. Females lag significantly behind males in growth. Also, experts have proven that when a cat reaches puberty, its growth stops; cats, on the other hand, continue to grow further.
• Features of nutrition. Growth hormones in all cats are at the genetic level. The growth of the animal depends on the correct and balanced nutrition that meets the requirements of the feline body, contains the necessary vitamins, minerals and microorganisms. It is very important that the cat's diet is varied and contains vitamins of groups A, B, D.
• Conditions of detention. If we compare a stray cat and the one who lives in the house, then the difference in height is noticeable with the naked eye. This is due primarily to the fact that cats that live on the street, in most cases, have a low level of immunity and many different diseases. But the pets are well-groomed, the owners are closely monitoring their health.

It is also worth noting that the growth rate is also influenced by various medications that the animal can take, various parasites that live on the skin and wool, and diseases. Very often, cats and cats living in the house are subjected to surgery, popularly known as "castration" and "sterilization".

Kittens, like human children, go through certain stages of growth from birth to adulthood. Let's take a closer look at them.

• Stage 1. It is called neonatal. This period lasts for the first 4 days of a baby's life. During this period, the weight of the kitten can change, it can both increase and decrease - it all depends on how the lambing went.
• Stage 2 called sucking, is characterized by weight gain. This is due to the fact that the kitten constantly feeds on mother's milk, which contains everything necessary to strengthen its body and active growth. The duration of this stage is about a month.
• Stage 3 - a transitional period. Lasts 4 to 7 weeks. It is characterized by a slowdown in the growth of a kitten. This happens because breastfeeding stops and the kitten begins to eat solid food. When the animal's body gets used to the new food, growth will be restored.
• Stage 4 - the latter is called the post-suction period. This period lasts until the animal is finally formed.

Let's take a look at a British cat as an example. This is one of the most popular breeds today. This is what the body weight of the animal should be, depending on its age.

It can be seen from the figures in this table that the cat significantly exceeds the "fair half" in weight. But again, it all depends on the factors that were listed at the very beginning of the article.

Very often, the owners of purring pets are forced to consult a specialist about growth retardation. Every owner can face this problem. The size of a cat primarily depends on heredity and genes. But that's not all. In order for the genetic code that is responsible for the growth of a kitten to be fully implemented, it is necessary to create favorable external conditions for it.

The development of a kitten may slow down for the following reasons.

• The food does not correspond to the norms and requirements. Although in appearance the kitten may be well-fed and well-fed, but its growth does not correspond to the norm. When he grows intensively, his body needs good nutrition, and it is important that the feed that he consumes is of high quality in composition.The food that is present in the animal's diet must contain vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, protein. In this case, it is important to take into account both the breed and the age of the kitten. Not only the appearance, but also the state of the immune system depends on proper nutrition.
• Various diseases. It is very important to ensure that the kitten does not catch various infectious diseases, which the baby is most susceptible to during intensive growth. The necessary vaccination and treatment must be carried out in a timely manner. One of the main reasons why an animal stops growing is the appearance of helminthic invasions.
• Hormonal disbalance. In this case, we are talking about neutering related to cats, and about neutering that cats undergo. Therefore, before deciding on such a step and referring your pet to this procedure, be sure to consult with a specialist to make sure that this kind of intervention will not harm the animal.

From this it follows that if it was suddenly noticed that the pet is lagging behind in growth, you need to:

• first of all, go to the doctor;
• diversify the diet;
• carry out the prophylaxis of parasites according to the recommendations of a specialist.

To normalize the development of cats, experts usually prescribe a complex of vitamins. Their choice is influenced by the following factors.

• If the animal eats natural food or cheap feed, it must be given additional vitamins in the form of tablets.
• If a cat eats expensive specialized food, he only needs a tool that stops molting, since premium food already contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals in its composition.
• When the animal has already reached maturity, you can purchase a special vitamin complex at the pharmacy, which contributes to the overall strengthening of the body.
• Special vitamins are available for a spayed cat. This applies to both pregnant and lactating cats. There are also special vitamin complexes for castrated cats.
• If your pet is already old, pamper him with vitamins, which were created to slow down the aging process.
• To increase muscle mass, you can get feed protein for animals.

For information on how to determine the age of a cat, see the following video from the Bio-vet network of veterinary clinics.