Kittens weigh only two small eggs when born, and are completely unaware of their surroundings. Their eyes are initially blue but soon change color. These are some of their characteristics. The adventurous growth process of these cute furry creatures that you share your life, home, and sometimes your food with, continues until they become adults. Enables you to learn new facts about them. If you want to refresh your knowledge about the life stages of cats or learn brand new info, you can take a closer look down below.
Kitten: Hello Purr-fect World!
After spending approximately 60-70 days in its mother's womb with its siblings, a kitten is born as a tiny creature weighing an average of 80 grams, or two small eggs, as mentioned. Its size varies depending on its breed and the number of siblings, but like all other kittens, its sensory organs are initially non-functional, and it cannot hear until the second week of its life. Its eyes start to open on the third day, but its vision is not as good as an adult cat's until the end of the second week. The kitten's skeletal and muscular system develops rapidly and making its motor skills functional as it receives all the necessary nutrients from its mother's milk. In the beginning, it may waddle and occasionally fall on its bottom, but this does not last long. In the fifth week, the kitten, which weighs up to 500 grams, continues its growth process with activities such as walking and even running. With its fully open eyes and developing hearing, the little pawsome friend can interact more comfortably with the outside world. In the sixth week, when its teeth are fully grown, you can switch to solid food. If it is no longer nursing from its mother and is being fed with wet food.
The development process of a kitten is crucial, and kittens that are separated from their mother need to be raised under the supervision and special care. If you have to take care of such a small kitten, it is essential to consult your veterinarian and follow their instructions regarding care and feeding because maintaining a body temperature between 35.7 and 37.7 degrees Celsius, which is provided by the mother and siblings, and being fed with their mother's milk, are vital for the kitten's survival. After completely passing its infancy stage and being a few weeks old, the little furball in your home will continue to grow at an unexpected pace.
Rapid Transition from Kittenhood to Adulthood in Cats
Breaking mews, one of the cutest creatures in the world is a two-month-old kitten. If you have successfully welcomed the second month with your adopted kitten, you can prepare to witness its rapid growth period. Your purr-tner, who will start to notice its presence in the house and its position next to you, can continue to eat wet food, dry food or BARF diet depending on your feeding style. However, at this stage, the vaccination process will begin. Which also concerns its health. In accordance with the vaccination schedule provided by your veterinarian, internal-external parasite and distemper shots are a must for your kitten when it is around 8-9 weeks old. If its nutrition is regular, your kitten will gain a lot of weight which will become healthier and grow faster by being rid of possible parasites. In fact, the weight of the kitten, which was 80 grams at birth, can reach 1500 grams (yes, 18.75 times) when it enters the third month. At this point, there is no need to think that your cat has gained too much weight. Because your cute little furball, who evaluates all the food it eats as building blocks for itself with all its mobility, will continue to gain weight and grow in all dimensions. You should be careful to feed it with the right nutrients during this process. If necessary, you can also get support from vitamin-mineral supplements under the supervision of your veterinarian.
The answer to the question asked by cat lovers "When do cats complete their growth?" is 1.5 years. Kittens continue to grow rapidly and complete their development at 1.5 years of age. Cats, who become adults are recommended to be neutered before entering heat because their reproductive abilities develop parallel to their own growth. It is valuable for both the health and well-being of your cat to take into account the recommendations and guidance of your veterinarian who performs detailed examinations of your cat regarding the surgery process. If not neutered, male cats may exhibit entrenched negative behaviors and a desire to escape from home, while female cats may exhibit heat behaviors first and encounter health problems in later stages. You may want your cat to be neutered to prevent all of these issues. After neutering, a new chapter begins for your cat. You can easily observe that your cat, who starts to move less compared to before due to the effects of hormones but also gets rid of restlessness due to mating desire, has become a source of peace in your home. You can feed your cat with special formulas for neutered cats or natural alternatives during this process and prevent him from gaining excess weight.
We wish you healthy and happy years with your cat, whose every stage of growth is a unique experience and will teach you more than you could ever imagine. Remember, your cat needs you as much as you need them, and even though it may not show it, your cat loves you as much as you love them back!