Your kitten boom chart provided a visual representation of what to anticipate from your pet each week. Inquiring minds want to know how quickly your kitten is growing. Does your kitten’s size or behavior help you determine their age?
Here you’ll discover how to track their development, provide them with the support they need at each stage of their growth, and information on what to anticipate in the weeks ahead.
Chapters
Kitten Growth Chart
| Age | Weight |
| Newborn Kitten | 1.8 to 5.3 ounces |
| 1 Week Old Kitten | 5.3 to 8.8 ounces |
| 2 Week Old Kitten | 8.8 to 12.3 ounces |
| 3 Week Old Kitten | 12.3 to 15.9 ounces |
| 6 Week Old Kitten | 1.2 to 1.8 pounds |
| 8 Week Old Kitten | Around 2.5 pounds |
| 12-week old kitten | Around 4 pounds |
| 6 Months to Adulthood | 6 to 8 pounds |
Why Follow a Kitten Weight Chart?
A wonderful method to keep track of your kitten’s progress is using a kitten weight chart. Another way to put it, it’s a good idea to weigh all kittens, whether they’re with or without their mother, on an ongoing basis. If your kitten isn’t growing or thriving, there may be significant issues with its health.
Using a kitchen food scale is by far the most convenient way to track a kitten’s weight. The weights of kittens must document and monitor weekly. Your particular kitten may not fit perfectly within the load levels provided in the kitten weight table below, which includes both male and female kittens as well as a large number of breed builds.
Even more important than ensuring that your kitten stays within the optimal range on the above chart week after week is ensuring that kittens acquire an average of 14 to 12 an ounce each day, or 1.75 to 3.0 ounces per week.
Newborn Kitten
The kitten cannot see, hear, or regulate the temperature of the frame immediately after birth. When it’s this little, you’ll notice it gravitates toward the mother’s body for warmth. When you’re pregnant, it’s critical to keep the mother and the baby safe from germs. A setting that is both welcoming and safe is outstanding.
It is usual for a healthy kitten to weigh between 2 and 4 ounces after birth. You are using the chart shown above. You may ask your veterinarian about the health of your new kitten. Different species grow at different rates, and the difference in size between such a female and a male kitten is another factor.
The kitten has to be fed by its mother as soon as possible. There is no better food for the kitten at this stage than this. However, if you are caring for an orphan, looking for a cat already taking care of her other young. The cat milk substitute is your only option if you can’t locate any. You may read about kitten care and feeding in our previous post.
1 Week Old Kitten
Even though the umbilical cord no longer connects one-week-old kittens to their moms, their eyelids remain closed. Around the 7th day after birth, its ears will begin to unfurl, and its eyes will slowly commence between eight and twelve days. One eye may open faster than the other. However, it would be best to refrain from interfering with forcing them to open their eyes. It’s beautiful when a kitten decides to open its eyes on its own. Your kitten may have blue eyes at this period, but don’t become attached to the hue since it will eventually change to adult color.
The only-week-old kitten must have gained weight two times over its starting weight before it can consider gowns fully. One-week-old kittens should weigh between 5.3 and 8.8 ounces on average. To keep their kittens healthy, mother cats consume the excreted waste from their litter boxes. Did you know that?
A baby kitten may need stimulation from its mother since it is too early to pee or defecate on its own. Mom cats’ anogenital grooming encourages the bowel movements of their young kittens by licking them. The mother cat then eats everything her kittens throw out. This may seem strange, but it is essential if you care about the kitten’s health and well-being.
2 Week Old Kitten
Your kitten’s eyes and ears will open fully at this stage. If they aren’t, see your vet. The kitten would still lack enamel and have non-retractable claws. Two-week-old kitten weight must be between 8.8 and 12.3 ounces. Their eyes might be blue and their ears short and round.
With their eyes fully open, young kittens can quickly locate their mother’s nipples and begin feeding. Even so, they may require the mother cat to cooperate. However, -week-old kittens cannot urinate or defecate on their own. Mama cats still kiss their kittens, encouraging the elimination process and cleaning them up.
A mom cat role must play if you have rescued an orphan or abandoned kitten. You may need to use a kitten feeder to give her KMR. You may also need to encourage them to pee and defecate and breastfeed and calm them. To get a baby kitten to pee, gently touch their genitals with a soft disposable cloth or tissue until they urinate. Also, if you think the kitten has to poop, you should stimulate their bottoms until they have done so. However, if you do not have one, you may keep this highly-rated cat litterbox on Amazon.
Kittens have incredibly delicate skin and are more prone to pee and face scald if not adequately cleaned. So clean the kitten gently with a moist towel or a baby wipe. Take your freshly acquired or rescued kitten to the doctor as soon as possible to check their health and be vaccinated against dangerous pussycat illnesses.
3 Week Old Kitten
Their blue eyes remain at this stage, but the spherical shape of their ears is beginning to take shape. At this point, your kittens will start to develop a greater capacity for listening. If you look inside your kitten’s mouth, you may see the beginnings of tiny teeth.
Mom cats are still responsible for cleaning up their kittens’ faces, even when the kittens may be peeing and taking a dump on their own. A three-week-old kitten’s weight should fall between 12.3 and 15.9 ounces on average.A 3-week-old ancient kitten’s minuscule paw prints may one day be traceable. Purring and exploring the immediate area are signs that your kittens are healthy. They may also begin to recognize and play with other members of their litter.
6 Week Old Kitten
Balance is getting better! The color of the kittens’ eyes will remain the same. The toddlers’ teeth are fully developed, and the kittens can perfectly regulate their body temperature. This is social play at its most exuberant and delightful. Even though they may still be able to suckle, they’re practically weaned.
Get a head start on destructive behaviors by spotting them early on! It is easier to teach them now than to wait in the short term. Don’t anticipate much more than severe “no’s” as a starting point, and don’t expect much more than that.
8 Week Old Kitten
At this stage of development, kittens are testing the limits of their acrobatic skill, yet they are still vulnerable to injury. The kittens are healthy; they may be successfully spayed or neutered. While playing, the kittens will begin to learn about and display cat body language.
If you haven’t already, be sure to keep an eye on the kittens and kitten-proof your home. Trimming the kittens’ nails is also a good idea at this stage of development.
12 Week Old Kitten
The kittens are beginning to test their physical boundaries. The growth of their teeth is still about a month away for them. They are entirely acclimated to life apart from one’s mother and immediate family.
Clawing behavior for heady scent-marking begins to emerge throughout this growth stage. Cats must wait until they have completed three rounds of vaccinations (given in the seventh, eleventh, and twelve weeks of their lives) before going to their permanent homes.
6 Months to Adulthood
You may expect to see your kitten looking like a bit of a person by the time they are six months old. Assuming your cat is gaining weight abnormally, you don’t need to worry. Your cat’s long thin legs may begin to develop over time. A 6-month-old vintage kitten should weigh between 6 and 8 kg on average.
Cryptorchidism is a condition in the testicles of a male kitten that are not visible in the scrotum, even at the age of 6 months. A man’s testicles are kept in his rectum or inguinal canal in his stomach. There is an outstanding possibility that testicles that are not removed may become malignant. Since cat owners should see a veterinarian and spay their male kittens with cryptorchidism, they are highly advised to do so if the physician confirms it.
Sexual maturity occurs between the ages of 4 and 9 months and is complete by the time your cat is 12 months old. Some cats may take longer to mature than others—14 months or even two years—even though most cats reach adulthood at the age of 366 days.
If they are not breeding, you should keep your male and female kittens together before reaching adolescence. Talking to your vet to find out the best age to bring your cat back from the brink of puberty; different breeds of cats mature at different rates. By minimizing the danger of developing numerous critical diseases, repairing enhances your kitten’s longevity.
What if my kitten is losing weight?
It’s always a better way to be safe than sorry when it comes to an underweight kitten that shows signs of illness. This implies that kittens are more vulnerable to parasites, viruses, and other diseases than adults since their immune systems have not matured to the extent that adults do. Aside from that, they may get ill very rapidly. Therefore, it’s best to have your pet tested by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Question:
- How do you tell how big a kitten will get?
Cat weight may also provide information about its maturity level or estimated age. To calculate your cat’s mature weight, weigh them when they are 16 weeks old and multiply the result by two. You may anticipate that amount to be somewhere in the vicinity of your cat’s mature weight. Although it is not accurate, it is a reasonable approximation.
- What are the kitten stages?
Kitten Stages of Growth and Development:
- Neonatalis defining as those born during the first two weeks of life. Training one’s ears to tune in on the sound.
- Socialization takes place over two to seven weeks. A baby’s sense of smell and vision is fully developed by the third week, allowing them to locate its mother.
- The ranking process lasts between three and six months.
- Adolescence occurs between the ages of 6 and 18 months.
- What age is a kitten full grown?
The average lifespan of a kitten is 12 months, at which point they cease to grow. But it might take up to two years for more giant breeds, like Maine Coons, to achieve their maximum size. Following 12 months, development typically slows dramatically, with a rapid growth surge happening during the first eight weeks after 12 months.
- Is a 9-month old cat still a kitten?
If your teenage kitten is nine months old, it should be about fully developed, with all of its baby teeth having fallen out. Teething should stop, but your kitty may still learn how much fun it is to gnaw on other objects in the meanwhile.
- How long is a kitten?
Until around 12 months, most cats are still considered kittens. Mature time for large breeds, such as the Maine Coon, may range from 18 months to two years. Kittens require a comprehensive and balanced kitten diet throughout this phase of growth and development.
- Do kittens grow fast?
Unlike other animals, kittens develop rapidly, reaching maturity by the time they are 10 to 12 months old. At around 30 weeks of age, their development rate begins to decrease as they approach 80 percent of adult size, and at approximately 40 weeks of age, they attain adult body size.
- Is a 3-month old cat a kitten?
Kittens are just bold enough to explore their physical limitations between the ages of three and six months, putting various objects in their mouths and approaching other animals to see how they react.
- What should seven-week-old kittens be doing?
You may no longer need to bottle feed your seven-week-old kittens, which has both benefits and problems. They’re growing more interested and active, and they’re also more coordinated and mobile. You’ll have to keep a tight check on them to avoid any mishaps.
Final Thoughts:
Using a kitten boom chart, you may keep track of your kitten’s early growth. It will help you ensure that your kitten is healthy, and your veterinarian will appreciate the additional information you offer.
