When Do Cats Stop Growing? How Big Do They Get?

Every cat's growth is unique and different among breeds.

But when do cats stop growing? There is a wide range of factors that come into play when determining the growth of your pet cat.

Nonetheless, you can identify when your cat will stop growing through some distinct indicators.

To ensure that your pet feline goes through a smooth transition from a kitten to an adult, you need to understand the stages of growth in a cat's life. A cat's full-grown size is largely determined by the cat's breed and its genetics too.

A lot of cat experts and animal enthusiasts say that most cats attain their maximum size at about 18 months, and that is the age when they have attained maturity in how they'll behave as adult cats.

Some cats become fully grown between 18 months and four years of age. The kitten phase starts from zero to six months old. Young kittens tend to grow the fastest at this stage, and their growth starts the week they're born!

Once the kittens are born, you will notice that they double in size during the first week. After the first week, the kittens begin to gain 1 oz (28.34 gm) every three days. When they are born, the kitten's weight is about 0.2 lbs (0.09 kg).

You have to provide a proper diet for growing kittens that consists of three essential components: calcium, protein, and fat. It is recommended to free-feed kittens once they are eating solid food and weaning.

This allows them to get as much food as they need when they are growing. From six months to a year, a cat owner can start feeding their pet around three times a day.

If their diet does not have the right nutrients in it, their health and growth can be stunted. It takes 9-10 months for your kitten to transition from kitten food to adult food or cat food.

Consult your local veterinarian as he or she can provide you with the best advice on when this transition needs to be made. Interestingly, the larger feline breeds take a comparatively longer time to stop growing since they’ve got further to go to reach maturity.

The largest breed of cat, Maine coon cats, can take as many as four years to reach their full size. Some Maine coon owners also state their cats reach full size when they are two years old!

Cat breeds like Sphynx, Siamese, and Khao Manee tend to weigh less and grow quickly too. Apart from a cat's breed, diet, and genetics, their other attributes determine how much they grow too.

The age and timing of a cat's spaying or neutering can also determine its growing capabilities and weight. Again, get this checked with your vet and seek their advice on when it would be the right time.

Get pet insurance too, so that your cat can get professional care whenever needed. Cat diseases like bone deformities, dwarfism, and any other underlying medical conditions can affect the average growth of your pet feline.

The gender of your cat can determine its size as well. Male cats can grow up to 2 lb (1 kg) and their growth is much slower and larger than the growth of female cats.

In cats, the toe beans will tell you how big they are. You can estimate the adult weight of your cat when they are about 16 weeks old.

The order in which a cat is born and how many siblings it has affects its weight, size, and height. The health of a cat's parents also plays a big role in a cat's size and weight. Healthy parents give birth to healthy kittens who grow to be healthy cats!

How big do cats get?

Unfortunately, kittens don't stay cute and fluffy forever. Cats can grow even after a year, but the growing process gradually becomes slow. Every cat is different, and its growth is influenced by a combination of factors.

Every feline comes in different shapes and sizes, so it is important to understand your cat's growth cycle. Domestic cats, thankfully, do not grow to a massive size like wild cats, but they still reach a decent size.

Hence, this is why it is difficult to determine how big your cat can get, but you can do so with a few factors like their breed, genetics, age, and gender. Cats of the Ragdoll breed stop growing only when they are about four years old.

Many cats reach their full size, and a cat's growth stops at about 12 months of age or when they are 18 months old, but others can still continue growing!

However, their growth has become slow. The most rapid growth stage can be seen when the cat is in its baby or kitten stage, which is from newborn to six months old.

They also gain weight very quickly during this phase.

Feeding them a well-balanced and nutritious diet and food, along with plenty of exercise and tons of warmth and love from your end is the best thing that you can do to make sure that your pet cat is fully grown and healthy.

Especially in the early stages of your pet kitten's life (around 8-12 weeks), regular and small meals must be provided along with clean water.

Neutering and spaying, as mentioned by many cat experts, don't alter the size of your cat, but it does affect their metabolic rate.

When do male cats stop growing?

Your furry and fluffy friend, whether an adult cat or a kitten, passes through four distinct stages in life. From birth to one year, your cat starts out as a kitten.

Between the ages of one and six years, your cute kitten makes the transition to a full-size adult cat. During this stage of a feline's life cycle, some kittens can grow earlier, while the growth process in other kittens can be slower.

Your cat becomes a mature adult between the ages of 7 and 10. Finally, by 10 years, your cat is in its senior stage.

Adult male cats can grow to a healthy size that is bigger than females. They also weigh slightly more than females and grow longer than them too.

Many veterinarians state that male cats that have been fixed don't require a high-calorie diet to regulate their weight. Male cats grow bigger than females in general.

Males grow to a length of 21 in (53.3 cm) and the females are slightly shorter at 19 in (48.2 cm). You can expect to find males and females weighing between 6-12 lb (3-5 kg) on average.

Some male cats can stop growing by 18 months, when they are one and a half years old, but some can still continue growing. For instance, male Maine coons stop growing when they are two years old. Interestingly, male cats have a higher chance of being left-pawed, while female cats are more likely to be right-pawed!

Size Differences Between Different Breeds Of Cats

The breed of a cat is seen to be one of the biggest influences on a cat's size. Some cats reach a huge size when they're full-grown, while some can still stay small and reach their full size.

At around two years old, cats reach their full adult size and their growth stops completely. However, this varies from breed to breed. Some pet cats reach their full size, and some cats stop growing only when they are about four years old, or maybe even five years old.

Maine coons grow to a length of 4 ft (1.21 m) and weigh roughly 25 lb (11.3 kg). In fact, Maine coons hold the world record for being the longest cats in the world.

Their length is also very similar to that of wild Eurasian lynxes. These cats take about three to five years to reach their full adult size, compared to most cats, who take one year to become fully grown.

The Norwegian forest cat is another cat that is large in size and weighs about 18 lb (8.1 kg). They have big bones and an extremely fluffy coat, which contribute to their big size.

Then comes the leopard-like Bengal cat, which is a crossbreed between the domestic cat and the Asian leopard. The Bengal cat is long, lean, highly active, and can weigh up to 22 lb (9.97 kg)!

The Savannah cat, which is also produced by cross-breeding, is about 10-19 in (25.4-48.2 cm) length, with a weight of up to 20 lb (9.07 kg). These cats are medium-sized.

Cats like those of the Munchkin breed and Cornish Rex are quite small. They weigh about 8 lb (3.62 kg) and the Munchkin breed specifically is known to always be affected by dwarfism.

Dwarfism makes an adult cat abnormally small, and in the feline world, there are two main causes of dwarfism: pituitary gland malfunction and genetic mutation. Certain medical conditions can also affect your pet cat's growth. Always make sure to get pet insurance so that your pet cat can have suitable professional care when needed.

When do cats' teeth stop growing?

Just like in human babies, baby kittens are born without teeth. Their first set of baby teeth appears when they are two to four weeks of age.

When the kittens are three to four months old, their baby teeth, or milk teeth, begin to fall out and are soon replaced by a set of adult teeth.

This process is fully complete when the kitten is six months old. Teething does not cause much pain to the kitten, but their gums can feel slightly sore as their new teeth begin to come out.

Unlike baby dogs, kittens do not engage themselves in hazardous chewing, but it is crucial for you as their owner to provide certain soft toys or chewables that they can chew on. By six to seven months, kittens should have all 30 adult teeth.

At this life stage of a kitten, you can upgrade them from kitten food to cat food. Feed your kitten healthy, nutritious, and good quality kitten food, as a proper diet can help kittens grow to a healthy size.

Did you know...

Cats are crepuscular creatures, which means that your pet kitty will be more active during the dawn and dusk times of the day. Looking after the health of your pet can be quite a challenging task, but it becomes very simple when you get the hang of it.

Some foods that you should keep away from your pet cat include raisins, grapes, chives, onions, and garlic. Although the explanation behind them is yet to be determined, foods like grapes and raisins can result in kidney failure in your pet.

On the other hand, garlic, chives, and onions can cause anemia in your cat along with a host of other problems in their gastrointestinal system. Another dairy product to look out for is milk!

Unlike Tom in 'Tom and Jerry' who loves drinking milk, most cats are lactose intolerant.

Hence, take your pet cat to the vet regularly to learn what exactly it needs so that you can provide for them accordingly. Cats are also extremely good at hiding their pain and illness, so even though the behavior of your pet might seem normal, get them checked at the vet for any underlying medical conditions.