Your kitten’s weight and growth is important for their wellbeing, so it’s a good idea to track how much they’re progressing. The best way to keep track of your kitten is to weigh them regularly so that you can distinguish between healthy increases in weight and any worrying losses which could be a sign of an underlying issue.
Your kitten should weigh about 4.5 pounds if they are between 4 and 5 months old. Vets figure a pound a month. If your kittens are less than that, it is time to take them to the vet. They may have worms, they may not be getting enough high quality protein food or something else may be wrong. If they haven’t had their shots, they will need them. And they are old enough to be desexed. Do it now before they reach sexual maturity which will be in a couple more weeks or so. Usually around 5 to 6 months.
Steady weight gain is an indication that your kitten is growing at a normal rate. But how much should a kitten weigh during each stage of development? We turned to the experts to find out. We’ll cover the ideal kitten weight by age, what you need to know about caring for kittens during this time, and when you should contact your vet.
What Does My Kitten Growth Chart Mean?
Weight can be the number one indicator of problems in many cats, but where kittens are concerned, this is especially true. Kittens growvery rapidly, because in the wild, they would be expected to be weaned and fending for themselves by the time they are 12-16 weeks old. A kitten that is not growing is usually sick or may not be getting enough nutrition.
If kittens are still with their mom, it’s possible that there’s a health problem with mom as well. If you’re feeding orphaned kittens, you may not be doing so often enough and/or there could be an issue with your formula, for instance. In any case, if a kitten is not gaining 1.75 to 3.5 ounces every week, he or she should be examined by your veterinarian right away.
Tips For Healthy Kitten Weight Gain
Your kitten’s growth may be affected by many factors, including genetics, nutrition, parasites, illnesses, surgeries, and other variables.
So, how do you ensure your kitten is growing at a healthy rate? Try these tips.
- Feed your pet kitten food, not adult food, since kittens and adult cats have different nutritional needs.
- Use the feeding guidelines on your kitten food packaging as a starting point for how much to feed and adjust over time as your kitten grows (and adjust again as their growth slows down).
- Feed several small meals per day, rather than one big meal.
- Don’t add supplements or vitamins unless specifically instructed to do so by your vet. It’s possible to have “too much of a good thing,” and excesses of certain nutrients can cause health problems.
- Monitor your kitty. Their weight and body condition will be checked at each kitten visit, and you can always call your vet’s office with questions between appointments.
How Fast Do Cats Grow?
One of the reasons we love cats is that there is such a range and variety. But, the downside is that answering the question of how fast kittens grow is much more difficult.
In fact, the question of “how fast do kittens grow?” is one that we must answer on a breed-specific basis.
In other words, if you have a Bengal kitten, the answer to this question will be different than if you have an American Shorthair kitten or a Maine Coon kitten. And if you have a “mutt” kitten – a kitten whose parentage is unknown or only partially known, then good luck! Figuring out when is a kitten full grown becomes even more of a mystery!
When Do Kittens Stop Growing?
There isn’t really any hard and fast scientific evidence to prove at what age do cats stop growing.
Different feline breeds grow at different rates, and some breeds are quite petite at maturity. Others can be surprisingly robust in size and never seem to stop growing.
Most cat breeders agree that kittens stop growing somewhere between 8 and 16 months, depending upon the breed. That’s a pretty good rule of thumb for the vast majority of cats.
However, it can be a bit more complicated than that. As we all know, cats are naturally contrary creatures and nothing is that simple!
Does Breed Affect Cat Growth
For some breeds, growth towards maturity happens much more slowly or more quickly! We’ll learn more about these later. In some cases, your cat may not stop growing until she reaches 18 months.
But, for other breeds, how old are cats when they stop growing may take up to three or even five years. As we mentioned before, these figures are only guides and cat growth can be very complex!
When Should You Weigh Your Kitten?
We recommend that you weigh your kitten whenever it’s having a major growth spurt (i.e. when it goes through a significant change in size or weight) or if you think something is wrong.
If you start to notice how much your kitten is growing and changing, then weighing them every week will really help you track their progress and catch any problems early before they turn serious.
How to weigh a kitten?
Your kitten should be weighed on a flat surface, such as a kitchen counter. Make sure you turn the scale on and it’s set to zero before you place your kitten on it. Always warm up your kitten and feed him or her before weighing, to make sure they’re not feeling hungry or in the middle of a growth spurt.
How Much Should A 4-Month-Old Kitten Weigh?
All kittens are different, but 4 months is a good age to start a weight regime. A healthy kitten weighs over 2.5kgs (5lbs) and is around 14cms from the nose to the base of the tail. You should be able to feel every bone in their body, and they shouldn’t appear ‘pot-bellied’.
If your kitten was one of six born in a litter, you should have them weighed at least every month until they’re 7 months old. If they’re having a growth spurt, they may put on weight quite quickly for a few days or weeks. The important thing is not how much your kitten weighs now but how much it weighs two or three weeks from now.
How Much Weight Should A Kitten Gain Each Week?
According to the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine at Madison, your kitten should gain approximately ½ ounce (or 14 grams) per day for a total of four ounces (or 113 grams) each week. Ask the Cat Doctor has a handy kitten weight chart you can use to make sure your new fur baby stays on target with her weight gain.