In the first weeks of your kittens' life, it seems like you see them growing every day. Believe us when we say that not only does it seem that way, but it is. Especially in the first four months, the small fluff balls quickly grow into real mini tigers. But how fast should a kitten grow? And what is the ideal weight when your cat reaches adulthood?
You can read more about it in this blog.
Growth of a kitten
On average, a kitten weighs about 100 grams at birth. Indeed, that is just as much (or little) as the ounce of meat at the butcher or the amount of chunks she can eat in 2 to 3 days as an adult. In the first 4 weeks, a kitten will only drink mother's milk. As soon as the first baby teeth come through, you can switch to solid food for kittens.
Up to 4 months a kitten will gain weight quickly. About 100 grams per week. A 10-week kitten weighs an average of 1100 grams, a 20-week kitten about 2200 grams. After the 20 weeks the growth rate decreases considerably, although kittens continue to grow up to the age of 1 year. After that, most cats are full grown in height. The weight will still increase, due to the strengthening of bones and muscles.
An adult cat weighs this on average
Adult cats weigh an average of between 3.6 and 4.5 pounds. Females are usually a bit lighter, males a bit heavier. Of course this weight only applies to the house-garden-and-kitchen cat. For example, the Siamese is a small breed, with the average adult cat weighing about 3 kilos. A Maine Coon, on the other hand, ticks at least 5 to 7 kilos on the scale. In addition, the differences between cats are large. For example, a cat weighing 2.5 kilos can be just as healthy as a male cat weighing 8 kilos. Most importantly, the weight is appropriate for your cat's physique.
Assess your cat's ideal weight
You can check whether your cat has a healthy weight based on the so-called "body condition score". Here you assess the weight based on a few external characteristics. For a cat at ideal weight, these are the following factors:
1. The ribs are not visible, but can be easily felt
2. Seen from above, your cat has a distinct waist
3. There is little belly fat or minimal tummy tuck
Can't feel your cat's ribs or is the waist invisible? Then your cat is probably overweight. Consult your vet to find out if your cat is underweight or overweigh
Castration or sterilization and weight gain
After castration of your hangover or sterilization of your cat, the hormone balance in the body changes. For most cats, this means that they gain weight faster. In other words, they need less nutrients. On the other hand, the appetite often increases. Chances are your lovely four-legged friend will be stroking your legs all day long or staring at you with pleading eyes, with the sole purpose of getting you to refill the food bowl. As difficult as it is… don't give in to this. Every day 10 grams of kibble too much, which equals about 20% too much nutrition. Before you know it, your once-so-active kitten will turn into a copy of Garfield.
This way you keep your cat at a healthy weight
Eating and exercising - just like with humans - influence your cat's weight. Cats that do not get more food than they need and that play (outside) every day, keep their weight. Do you want to let your cat lose weight? In this blog you can read about common causes of obesity and how you can help your cat reach the ideal weight.
In addition, in the Fokker range you will find various types of kibble that help you keep your cat at a healthy weight. For kittens we have the Opti-Grow. This supports growth and the immune system. For neutered and sterilized cats, there is the Steri-Fit, which helps prevent obesity and supports the urinary tract.
In the first weeks of your kittens' life, it seems like you see them growing every day. Believe us when we say that not only does it seem that way, but it is. Especially in the first four months, the small fluff balls quickly grow into real mini tigers. But how fast should a kitten grow? And what is the ideal weight when your cat reaches adulthood?
You can read more about it in this blog.
Growth of a kitten
On average, a kitten weighs about 100 grams at birth. Indeed, that is just as much (or little) as the ounce of meat at the butcher or the amount of chunks she can eat in 2 to 3 days as an adult. In the first 4 weeks, a kitten will only drink mother's milk. As soon as the first baby teeth come through, you can switch to solid food for kittens.
Up to 4 months a kitten will gain weight quickly. About 100 grams per week. A 10-week kitten weighs an average of 1100 grams, a 20-week kitten about 2200 grams. After the 20 weeks the growth rate decreases considerably, although kittens continue to grow up to the age of 1 year. After that, most cats are full grown in height. The weight will still increase, due to the strengthening of bones and muscles.
An adult cat weighs this on average
Adult cats weigh an average of between 3.6 and 4.5 pounds. Females are usually a bit lighter, males a bit heavier. Of course this weight only applies to the house-garden-and-kitchen cat. For example, the Siamese is a small breed, with the average adult cat weighing about 3 kilos. A Maine Coon, on the other hand, ticks at least 5 to 7 kilos on the scale. In addition, the differences between cats are large. For example, a cat weighing 2.5 kilos can be just as healthy as a male cat weighing 8 kilos. Most importantly, the weight is appropriate for your cat's physique.
Assess your cat's ideal weight
You can check whether your cat has a healthy weight based on the so-called "body condition score". Here you assess the weight based on a few external characteristics. For a cat at ideal weight, these are the following factors:
1. The ribs are not visible, but can be easily felt
2. Seen from above, your cat has a distinct waist
3. There is little belly fat or minimal tummy tuck
Can't feel your cat's ribs or is the waist invisible? Then your cat is probably overweight. Consult your vet to find out if your cat is underweight or overweigh
Castration or sterilization and weight gain
After castration of your hangover or sterilization of your cat, the hormone balance in the body changes. For most cats, this means that they gain weight faster. In other words, they need less nutrients. On the other hand, the appetite often increases. Chances are your lovely four-legged friend will be stroking your legs all day long or staring at you with pleading eyes, with the sole purpose of getting you to refill the food bowl. As difficult as it is… don't give in to this. Every day 10 grams of kibble too much, which equals about 20% too much nutrition. Before you know it, your once-so-active kitten will turn into a copy of Garfield.
This way you keep your cat at a healthy weight
Eating and exercising - just like with humans - influence your cat's weight. Cats that do not get more food than they need and that play (outside) every day, keep their weight. Do you want to let your cat lose weight? In this blog you can read about common causes of obesity and how you can help your cat reach the ideal weight.
In addition, in the Fokker range you will find various types of kibble that help you keep your cat at a healthy weight. For kittens we have the Opti-Grow. This supports growth and the immune system. For neutered and sterilized cats, there is the Steri-Fit, which helps prevent obesity and supports the urinary tract.
