Those of us who have adopted kittens, we know that our life completely changes after that. Kittens are so adorable that they make our lives colorful. They create memories for a lifetime. So there might be a time, when you will be thinking how long you would enjoy this furry little ball? When do male cats stop growing?
There are some indicators which can help you to predict that. They are not full-proof because they vary from breed to breed. But they might give you a clue about at what age he’ll be fully grown.
Life cycle of a male cat
Average lifespan of a pet cat is about 15.1 years. It grows approximately 18 inches in head-to-body length and 9-10 inches in height. Adult pet cats typically weigh between 8 and 11 pounds. To get there, a cat passes a few life cycles. Let’s dive into that.
0-6 months: A kitten is usually born weighing about 3.5 ounces. After that, they usually double their sizes within a week. Within 7 days of their birth, their eyes are open. After the first week, they grow an ounce every 2 weeks. Up until 8 weeks, they try to stay in close proximity to their mothers. They gain weight quickly and change the most in this stage. Their teeth are coming in and they can clean themselves. Between 3-4 months, they weigh around 3 pounds and can get upto 7 pounds. In this time, baby teeth start to fall out and adult teeth start to come in, a process which usually completes by 6 months.
Kittens are the most adorable in this stage. They are fluffy with round faces and enormous eyes. Also they need human interaction, it ensures a strong bonding between you and your kitten for the rest of the life.
6 months-1 year: They continue to grow but the growth rate becomes slower than the first 6 months. It’s the transition period when they step into adulthood. They are no longer kittens, meaning, you can give them adult food gradually. During this time, they reach sexual maturity. It’s noteworthy that most kittens will become sexually mature before they are fully grown. You may compare it with adolescence, which kittens go through between six to nine months of age. So, you may consider neutering them to control the population. Even if they get mature, you should continue to play with them so that they can feel confident.
1-3 years: They continuously grow slowly. At the age of 1.5 years, they are fully grown and stop growing after that. So, if your question is precisely “When do male cats stop growing?” Then the answer is 1.5 years. A 1 year old kitten is equivalent to a 15 year old person and a full grown 1.5 year old cat is equivalent to a 21 year old person. This is the age where their personalities have matured and it indicates how they will behave for the rest of their lives.
3-6 years: At this phase, they are in their healthy prime and most active. They will spend their days hunting for mice and sleeping. That means, they’ve settled into their lives and taken responsibility.
7-10 years: It’s called the mature adult phase. They become fully mature and might gain some weight around the tummy. This means they need proper nutrition because they are more prone to develop health issues like kidney failure and diabetes.
11 years+: They become senior citizens at this stage. Cats’ life spans vary. The age related diseases will show up, and health begins to deteriorate. Your cat will begin to slow down.
How big will a male cat get?
Cats come in different sizes and shapes. Some weigh around 5 pounds while others are around 20 pounds. You can guess how big a male cat will get from a couple of factors. Firstly, you can estimate it from the breed. The size of a cat varies from breed to breed. A Maine Coon can grow about 10-25 pounds, and take upto 4 years to be fully grown whereas Munchkin cats are among the smallest. You can also look at the kitten’s parents size to get a rough idea.
A common mistake of some people is that they try to determine the size of the cat by looking at his paws. Cats are not dogs in any way, so there is no correlation between cat’s paw size and his height and weight. There is no scientific backup that supports this claim.
The best way to tell if your cat has stopped growing is by measuring weight each month. Also you can measure the height and length to notice if the measurements have stopped changing. You can guess your cat’s adult weight by measuring them when they are 16 weeks old and doubling that number. You’ll get a rough idea.
At what age male cats stop growing?
The answer to this question is a little bit complex. Since the growth rate varies from breed to breed, here’s the comparison to give you an idea:
British Short-Hair: They can take 3-5 years to be fully grown and weigh between 7 to 8 pounds with an approximate height of 20 inches.
Maine Coons: Their growth stops at 4 years. They weigh around 25 pounds with an approximate length of 48 inches and height of 8-16 inches.
Savannas: This hybrid breed is also called “small cheetah”. They take 2 years to grow fully. They weigh between 12 to 20 pounds with a length of 20 to 25 inches and height of 10-19 inches
Tabby or common Shorthair: Their growth stops at 12-19 months. They weigh around 10 to 12 pounds with a length of 13-16 inches and height of 11 inches.
Bengals: They are described as a small leopard. Their growth stops at 2 years. They weigh around 10 to 22 pounds with a length of 13-16 inches and height of 11-13 inches.
Ragdolls: While you are holding it, this cat kind of flops in your arms. Their growth stops at 4 years. They weigh around 8 to 20 pounds, with an approximate length of 15-26 inches and height of 9-11 inches.
Factors that determine the size
There are some factors that contribute to the size of the cat. Among them, diet plays an important role. Just like humans, cats need proper nutrition in their growing stage. So, they need to be fed a massive amount of daily calories. If they are not provided regular nutrition, then their growth can be hindered.
Gender plays an important role too. Male cats grow slower but larger than female cats. A tomcat can grow upto 2 pounds, larger compared to his female counterpart.
Neutering also affects the size of a cat. A recent study found, a neutered cat grows larger than a cat who wasn’t. It also increases life expectancy. Castered male cats live twice as long as intact males. Spayed female cats also live 62% longer than intact females. It’s because neutering provides health benefits. A neutered male can’t develop testicular cancer, spayed females can’t develop uterine or ovarian cancer and both have a reduced risk of mammary cancer.
Genetics is another important factor. There are 19 pairs of chromosomes that control every characteristic of a cat. Other genetic factors that can indicate if your cat will be small in size include dwarfism and any bone deformities.
Feeding habit relative to growth increment
After 2 months from their birth, they rely solely on their owners for nutrition. A proper diet ensures that they grow at the right time. You shouldn’t offer any diet that leads to feline obesity. You should also consider how much food you are giving them and the frequency of the meals.
Until the age of 6 months, most kittens should be fed free-choice because in this time period, they need a lot of nutrition and energy for their growth. If you don’t like to offer free-food, then offer four meals a day with about a half cup of food at each meal. It’s because their tiny stomachs can’t store the amount of food needed for proper nutrition. After 6 months, you can feed 3 times a day. After a year, you can offer two meals a day, but you may also continue smaller meals.
However, if you neuter or spay a kitten, these food charts will be changed. According to a recent study, a castrated cat needs 30% less food than an intact cat. It’s because after neutering, a cat’s productivity level decreases, so they need less food, otherwise they need to burn their excess calories. Also, neutering alters the hormones that are responsible for metabolism. In short, if you neuter your cat, you need to give them less food.
When offering a diet for your kitten, you should include three main components of a proper diet. They are calcium, protein and fat. Unlike dogs and humans, cats are obligate carnivores. So they need a higher amount of protein than dogs. That’s why kittens need minimum 35% and upto 50% of their food to be composed of protein. They need fat for essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins. Fat contents of the food should be between 18% and 35%. They also need calcium for their development. A healthy diet of your cat should provide 2.5g of calcium per 1000 kilocalories of food. Lack of calcium can lead to breathing problems, lethargy and stunted growth due to vitamin D toxicity.
For most cats, around 10-12 months of age, you should give them adult foods. Here again, it might depend on the breed because the growth rate is not similar across the breeds. For example, a Maine Coon who is struggling to gain weight, might gain benefit if they are switched to adult food at the age of 2 years. So ask your veterinarian when your cat is ready to be fed adult foods.
Emotional growth of a cat
Just like humans, a lot of change happens inside the kitten’s body at his adolescent phase. We often just care about their physical growth, ignoring mental growth. A cat loves affection and attention. It gives them confidence and makes the interaction with humans better. Kittens become socially mature at the age of six months, so time leading upto this is really essential.
They need a lot of socialization during this time. You can create fun games such as chasing you around the house or jumping over a small fence. Give him the food he likes the most. Pet him a lot and play with him more often. Call your friends, so that the little kitten is also familiar to people. You should also give them comfort, cuddle them, so that they feel a sense of security and comfort in your house. These kind gestures will make your kitten happy and calm.
When do male cats stop growing?
Each cat is different, their growth starts and ends at different times. Their growth rates are different too. We have already discussed some signs that can tell you how long your cat will keep growing. If you want to know whether or not your cat is done growing, use the tools and start measuring.
You should measure their length, height and weight each month for three to six months after they hit one year. At some point, you will find no increment in the measurement. That’s when you know that your cat has fully grown.
Note that a kitten will look like an adult at 6 months old. So people who are thinking about adopting a kitten, should also consider this factor.
The best way to make sure your cat reaches full growth is by giving them nutritious food that consists of essential vitamins and minerals. While they are growing, make sure you enjoy every minute of it and deepen your bond with your kitten. Hang out with them, take a lot of pictures and make them feel special. You’ll have a life-long memory!
