Fully Grown Kitten

 

At some point, most cat owners have asked when do cats stop growing.

However, each cat breed grows at a different rate. So, the answer will be different for every cat owner!

For the majority of cat breeds, kittens stop growing between 8 and 16 months.

But some can take up to 5 years to stop growing. Let’s take a look at some reasons for this, and some different breeds to answer the question: when do cats stop growing?

Changes in Kittens

You adopt a small, fluffy kitten that loves to play and cuddle on your lap. Soon, tiny kittens become bigger kittens with sharp teeth and claws.

After looking at your ruined sofa or torn hands when she got carried away with play, you start to wonder how big she will get!

Love can turn a wonderful blind eye to so many physical changes.

For instance, if you got your cat when she was a kitten, you can probably still recall what she looked like the very first time you met!

You may even still think of your full-grown cat as your palm-sized fluffy baby, Maybe you continue to see her “inner kitten” long after her length, height, and weight might say to others “adult cat!”

And, truly, in some ways your cat will always be a tiny kitten to you.

When Is My Kitten Full Grown?

So, how do you know when your kitten is full grown? When do cats stop growing?

What height, length, and weight should you expect to see? How long will it take for your cat to reach that milestone?

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. This can make answering the question of “when does a kitten become a cat?” very interesting!

In this article, we’ll help you navigate through this minefield and learn about cat growth. Before we start talking about size and weight, let’s look at the age when kittens stop growing.

WHEN ARE KITTENS FULLY GROWN?

So, when are kittens fully grown? When do cats stop growing and reach their final size?

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!

There isn’t really any hard and fast scientific evidence to prove at what age do cats stop growing.

And, there is quite a range of information out there.

It Isn’t All About Size

Fortunately, there are a few other ways of looking at the question: when do cats stop growing?

If you ask a feline veterinarian ‘when do cats stop growing’, you may get an assessment of your kitten’s progress toward adult cat-hood. Usually, vets base these on what they like to call cat “life stages.”

However, veterinary science doesn’t base these life stages on your cat’s length, height, or weight.

Rather, they describe when your kitten is likely to reach other important life milestones. So let’s look at these milestones to help answer when do cats stop growing.

Important Milestones

Milestones include such things as being fully weaned and eating independently. Sometimes, they describe when a cat becomes fertile and able to make kittens. For the youngest cats, it can be achieving the full range of vision and hearing.

They also include developing a full set of adult cat teeth, alongside behavioral changes such as acquiring important social and predatory skills.

Finally, vets also look at when your kitten completes the cycle of kitten vaccinations and similar benchmarks.

That all sounds a bit complex if you ask us, so we have created a handy chart to show the major stages of kitten growth. This can help visualise when cats stop growing.