As a pet owner, one of the most common questions that arise during your cat’s early years is: how long does it take for a cat to be fully grown? Cats do grow fast within the first year of their growth, and therefore, that is not a sign that as soon as a cat is one year old, they no longer continue to grow. Knowledge of when your cat is fully grown to its potential size is also crucial when nourishing, exercising, and even treating it medically while it is still young.
If there is anything you are most ever stumped looking at how your cat transforms, you are not the only one. To be able to know when your cat is no longer going to grow, this article will outline the main aspects of the cat development process. The following information is important on how to feed your cat.
How Long Does It Take for a Cat to Be Fully Grown?
The development for cats is, however, not standardized, but it depends on breed, genes, and surrounding. Normally, a feline’s growth rate is highest in the first six months of life, and the growth rate significantly drops after that. From four months, many of the cats will be at their full height, but they may gain weight and fill out until they are around 12 months old.
Key Signs Your Cat Has Reached Full Size
Now that you know it can take up to 18 months for a cat to stop growing, how can you tell if your cat has reached full size? Here are a few key signs:
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Height and Length
This is one of the easiest indicators that your cat has grown to the size that it will be for the rest of its life, its height, and body length. Domestic cats reach their final height when they are approximately 12 months old. If your cat is no longer growing taller, then it may be time to accept that your cat has grown to full size. For such types as Siamese or Bengal, the process begins somewhat earlier, and for such giants as Maine coon may take up to 2 years in order for the cat to get the maximum of its size. -
Weight Stabilization
Along with the height and length changes, a fully grown cat will also stop gaining weight at such a rapid pace. Though some cats may continue to gain weight slowly, this growth should level out by 18 months. By this time, your cat should be close to their adult weight. Small breeds usually weigh around 5-10 pounds at full growth, while large breeds can weigh anywhere from 12 to 25 pounds or more. -
Muscle Development
As your cat matures, you’ll notice their muscles becoming more defined. Full-grown cats have developed strong, toned bodies, especially in their chest, shoulders, and back. Kittens and young cats tend to have softer, less developed muscle mass. If your cat’s muscles are firm and their body appears sleek, that’s another sign they’ve reached their full size. -
Behavioral Changes
One of the surest ways to realize that your cat has grown to its full size is when their immaculate height and body length stop growing. Felines grow to a certain height or length depending on the breed and most of the young cats will stop growing at around twelve months of age.
You will, therefore, need to consider other symptoms if you want to know when your kitten is through growing; blunting off in height is one telltale sign. However, for other types of cats, such as Siamese and Bengal cats, this occurs slightly earlier, and fully grown Main Coon cats may take up to 2 years to be completely grown length-wise. -
Spaying or Neutering Age
Performing the operation to spay or neuter a cat while still young can be unbeneficial because it alters growth, as the release of growth hormones is stopped. More often, cats are neutered or spayed after six months but this is also a key age to look at the growth of the animal. Mature cats that were spayed or neutered later in maturity possibly had continued growth for a longer time.
Growth Phases of Cats
Understanding how long it takes for a cat to be fully grown involves knowing the phases of growth your cat goes through:
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Kitten Stage (0-6 Months) This is the fastest growth period. Kittens are growing exponentially, doubling or even tripling their birth weight in the first few months. By six months, your kitten is already becoming a juvenile cat, with their primary features like fur and basic coordination well-established.
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Adolescent stage (6-12 Months) Cats are becoming more independent during this stage. While they still have a lot of growing to do, their overall size (height and length) should be nearly complete. They are likely to be less active than they were as kittens but will still need high-energy food to support their rapid development.
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Young Adult Stage (12-18 Months) Cats at this age have fully developed their height and length, though they may continue to fill out with muscle and weight. This stage marks the transition from kittenhood to adulthood, and by the end of it, your cat should be nearing full maturity.
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Full-Grown Adult (18-24 Months) By the time your cat reaches around 18 months to 2 years of age, they should be fully grown. While some cats (particularly larger breeds) may continue to fill out for up to 3 years, this is when they reach their maximum height, and the majority of their physical growth is complete.
How Long Does It Take for a Cat to Be Fully Grown? Breed-Specific Growth Differences
It is common knowledge that a cat is considered grown when it is between 12 and 18 months, but this must be understood cum borne in mind that different breeds grow at different ages. Here are some examples:
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Small Breeds (Siamese, Scottish Fold, etc.): Small breeds achieve their complete size in a duration of 12-14 months. These cats are also larger than domestic cats and take a shorter time to become full-grown adults.
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Medium Breeds (American Shorthair, Domestic Shorthair, etc.): These cats reach the social maturity age of growth by 18 months. These are not as small as the toy breeds but you still grow up fast as well.
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Large Breeds (Maine Coon, Ragdoll, Savannah, etc.): While it will mostly depend on the type of breed, bigger breeds have a longer period of maturation in terms of their growth, and they stand fully grown between 18 months and 2-3 years. There are breeds that take months and even years to reach this weight, such as Maine Coons, which don’t fully grow until they are three years old.
Caring for Your Cat During Their Growth Stages
Feeding your cat: The general rule of thumb about feeding your cat is that the cat is growing, and they need to be cared for properly. This is in the form of feed and water, exercising, and taking the animal for healthy sessions with the veterinarian. They should be fed kitten meals until they grow up because their bodies need special foods to grow up.
When your feline is grown up, think of taking him/her off kitten food and opt for adult cat food to be in good health and shape.
Through this, you’ll be able to assess when they have grown full size and if at all they’re growing adequately. Monitoring your cats behavior, weight, and muscle mass will ensure that you have made all the necessary assessments that will inform you when they have reached their optimal size.
Knowing how long it takes for a cat to be fully grown and understanding when your kitten is done growing, as described in How to Tell When Your Cat Has Reached Their Adult Size, ensures that you are in a position to adequately take care of the kitten and make it a healthy, happy adult cat. It thus means that if you’re attentive to growth milestones and flexible with care, you can keep them healthy for their whole life.
