How old do cats grow?

The maintenance in private houses and apartments of pets grows from year to year. And it is not a secret to anyone that the majority of people are in the priority of representatives of the cat family. There are several reasons why people prefer cats and cats. Some people think that maintenance is cheaper than, for example, dogs, and that these pets cause less hassle. Others follow fashion trends, because having a cat at home, especially an unusual breed, is very prestigious today. But there are people who choose a cat, because they want someone to wait 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 the dogs, choose their own master.

The choice of such a pet should 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 may arise from a person who is going to have a cat is how old his pet will grow up to.

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 inclinations for growth. For example, large cats grow for a long time until they reach the desired size. As for heredity, everything is as in all: the larger the parents, the larger their offspring.
• Belonging to the floor. In this case, its takes genetics. Females significantly lag behind males. Also, experts have proven that when a cat begins puberty, its growth stops; cats, on the contrary, continue to grow further.
• Nutrition features. Growth hormones in all cats laid at the genetic level. The growth of the animal depends on proper and balanced nutrition that meets the requirements of the feline organism, contains the necessary vitamins, minerals and microorganisms. It is very important that the diet of the cat was varied and contained vitamins of groups A, B, D.
• Conditions of detention. If you compare a homeless cat and one who lives in a house, then the difference in height is noticeable to 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 pets are well-groomed, their owners are closely monitoring their health.

It is also worth noting that the growth rate is also influenced by various drugs that can be taken by the animal, various parasites that inhabit the skin and hair, and diseases. Very often, cats and cats living in the house are subjected to surgical intervention, 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 the baby’s life.During this period, the kitten's weight can change, it can either increase or decrease - it all depends on how the lamb passes.
• Stage 2 called suck, characterized by weight gain. This is due to the fact that the kitten is constantly fed 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 - transition period. Lasts 4 to 7 weeks. It is characterized by a slow growth of a kitten. This happens because maternal milk feeding stops and the kitten begins to eat solid food. When the animal's body gets used to the new food, growth will recover.
• Stage 4 - The latter is called the post-suction period. This period lasts until the animal is completely formed.

Consider the example of a cat breed "British". This is one of the most popular today rocks. This is what the body weight of an animal should be depending on its age.

From the figures in this table it is clear that the cat significantly exceeds the “beautiful 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 contact a specialist about slowing growth. This problem can face every owner. The size of the 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 the kitten to be fully implemented, it is necessary to create favorable external conditions for it.

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

• Food does not meet the standards and requirements. Although in appearance the kitten can be well-fed and well-fed, but its growth does not correspond to the norm. When he grows vigorously, his body needs good nutrition, and it is important that the food that he eats be of high quality. Food that is present in the diet of an animal should contain vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, protein. In this case, it is important to consider 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 pick up the various infectious diseases that the baby is most susceptible to during intensive growth. Timely need to perform the necessary vaccination and treatment. One of the main reasons why the animal stops growing is the appearance of helminthic invasions.
• Hormonal disbalance. In this case, we are talking about castration, related to cats, and about the sterilization that cats undergo. Therefore, before deciding on such a step and attributing your pet to this procedure, be sure to consult with a specialist to make sure that this kind of intervention does not harm the animal.

Hence the conclusion that if it was suddenly noticed that the pet is lagging behind, you need:

• first go to the doctor;
• to diversify the diet;
• to prevent parasites as recommended by a specialist.

To normalize the development of cats, experts usually prescribe a complex of vitamins. The following factors influence their choice.

• If an animal eats natural food or cheap food, it is necessary to give it extra vitamins in the form of tablets.
• If the cat eats expensive specialized feed, it will only need a tool that stops molting, since the premium class feed already contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals in its composition.
• When the animal has reached maturity, you can purchase a special vitamin complex in the pharmacy, which contributes to the overall strengthening of the body.
• For sterilized cats, special vitamins are available for sale. This applies to both pregnant and lactating cats. There are also special vitamin complexes for neutered cats.
• If your pet is already old, treat it with vitamins that were created to slow the aging process.
• To increase muscle mass, you can get fodder protein for animals.

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