How old are cats?

Keeping pets in private homes and apartments is gaining momentum from year to year. And it’s no secret that the majority of people have representatives of the cat family. There are several reasons why people prefer cats and cats. Some believe that keeping is cheaper than, for example, dogs, and that these pets are less troublesome. Others follow fashion trends, because having a cat at home, especially an unusual breed, is very prestigious today. But there are also people who choose a cat, because they want someone to wait for them at home and create a special cosiness. There is an opinion that cats are selfish, serve the one who feeds them. But this is not so: they, like dogs, choose their own owner.

The choice of such a pet should be treated responsibly, take 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 can arise in a person about to have a cat is how old his pet will be.

Cats of different breeds grow in different ways. Before announcing certain figures, 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 the start and certain inclinations for growth. For example, large cats grow for a long time until they reach the desired size. As for heredity, then everything is like everyone else: the larger the parents, the larger their offspring.
• Belonging to the floor. In this case, genetics takes its toll. Females are significantly behind growth in males. It was also proved by experts that when a cat has puberty, her growth stops; cats, on the contrary, continue to grow further.
• Features nutrition. Growth hormones in all cats are laid at the genetic level. It is from a proper and balanced diet that meets the requirements of the cat's body, contains the necessary vitamins, minerals and microorganisms, the growth of the animal depends. It is very important that the cat's diet be varied and contain vitamins of groups A, B, D.
• Conditions of detention. If we compare the street cat and the one who lives in the house, then the difference in growth is noticeable with 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 the pets are well-groomed, the owners are closely monitoring the state of their health.

It is also worth noting that the growth rate is also influenced by various medications that the animal can take, various parasites that live on the skin and coat, 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 4 first days of the baby's life. During this period, the weight of the kitten can change, it can both increase and decrease - it all depends on how the lamb passed.
• 2 stage called suction, is characterized by weight gain. This is due to the fact that the kitten is constantly fed by mother's milk, which contains everything necessary for strengthening his body and active growth. The duration of this stage is approximately a month.
• 3 stage - transition period. Lasts from 4 to 7 weeks. It is characterized by a slowdown in kitten growth. This happens because breastfeeding stops and the kitten begins to eat solid food. When the animal’s body gets used to the new food, growth will be restored.
• 4th stage - the latter is called the post-sucking period. This period lasts until the animal is finally formed.

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

From the figures of this table it can be seen 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, owners of purring pets are forced to consult a specialist about growth retardation. Every owner can face this problem. The size of the cat primarily depends on heredity and genes. But that is far from all.In order for the genetic code that is responsible for the growth of the kitten to be fully realized, it is necessary to create favorable external conditions for it.

The development of a kitten may be slowed down for the following reasons.

• The food does not meet the norm and requirements. Although the kitten may be full and well-fed, its growth does not correspond to the norm. When it grows intensively, his body needs good nutrition, and it is important that the feed he eats is of good quality. Food that is present in the diet of an animal must 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 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 an 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 to take such a step and take your pet to this procedure, be sure to consult a specialist to make sure that this kind of intervention does not harm the animal.

This implies the conclusion that if it was suddenly noticed that the pet is behind in growth, you need:

• first go to the doctor;
• diversify the diet;
• to prevent parasites according to the recommendations of a specialist.

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

• If the animal eats natural food or cheap feed, he must be given additional vitamins in the form of tablets.
• If the cat eats expensive specialized feeds, he will only need a tool that stops molting, since premium foods already contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals in their 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.
• Special vitamins are available for the sterilized cat. This applies to pregnant and lactating cats. There are also special vitamin complexes for castrated cats.
• If your pet is already old, treat it with vitamins that were created to slow down the aging process.
• To increase muscle mass, you can get animal feed protein.

About how to determine the age of a cat, see the next video from the network of veterinary clinics Bio-vet.