Having a cat as a pet for the first time can raise many questions and uncertainties, and one of the most common ones is likely to be about their typical lifespan.

And in this post we’ll help you figure it out, we’ll clarify this question, but you’ll also learn a lot about it.

When kittens are young, they are undoubtedly adorable little creatures, full of curiosity and energy. With the passage of days, we will notice that the kittens begin to grow very quickly.

Cats, unlike humans, grow quickly. Within one year or less they reach their adult size, during which time they begin to run, jump, and hunt.

During their first year of life, these creatures undergo remarkable growth, increasing their weight from a mere 100 grams to as much as 2 or 3 kilograms, and even reaching sexual maturity within this timeframe.

It is important to know that the growth of cats takes place in different stages, during which they will go through noticeable physical changes, and they will even have changes in their personalities and behaviors.

And then we’ll talk a little bit more about all of this, so you can learn about each stage of a cat’s development .

The age and development of kittens

As previously mentioned, kittens go through different stages of development after they are born and before they become adults. Let’s see how the kittens grow up.

Although it is important to know that the pattern of growth time is not exactly the same in every cat, some grow slower, and others grow faster.

This varies according to the type of cat. Although their growth may differ in certain aspects, it can generally be divided into distinct stages that share some similarities.

When newborn kittens are formed (the first stage), they usually weigh between 85 and 120 grams and in the first week of life they usually double their weight.

In these first weeks of life, the kittens are completely dependent on their mother, so it is very important not to separate them from her, and she will know how to keep her warm, fed and clean.

Kittens are born toothless, blind, deaf, and have such a subtle sense of smell that they can recognize their mother’s scent.

Week 1

Immediately after birth, the mother’s milk is of utmost importance for the survival of these young creatures, as it provides them with vital nutrients. The first milk, referred to as colostrum, has a unique composition containing a high concentration of immunoglobulins, which transfer essential antibodies to the newborn kittens, ensuring the proper development of their immune system.

During their initial days, these kittens possess extremely limited mobility and are only capable of weakly meowing.

Week 2

Between the ninth and fourteenth day, kittens begin to open their eyes and open their ears. This is where the transitional period (second stage) begins.

Aside from starting to see and hear, they will also start trying to muster themselves to explore their surroundings as much as possible, their gaits will be unsteady, they will start crawling, and it won’t be until about 17 days when they will walk more or less well.

The mother of these young creatures typically transports them from one location to another by carrying them in her mouth, grasping the nape of their neck. During this period, she also serves as their primary protector, defending them when necessary. Another significant milestone occurs around the second week of life when their teeth begin to emerge.

Week 3

Already in the third week (the third stage) the kittens have a very developed sense of smell, and their ears are fully raised, although the sense of hearing is not developed.

When their teeth start to come out, they must learn to control their bite force , so as not to hurt their younger siblings who can play with them a lot.

As they progress through this stage, these young creatures become increasingly self-sufficient, and their mother’s level of involvement decreases as well. This is due in part to their newfound ability to digest food and eliminate waste without assistance.

Week 4

During the fourth and fifth weeks of their life, these young felines undergo significant developmental changes, growing increasingly self-reliant and learning to use a litter box for elimination. They also become more agile and energetic, engaging in activities like running, playing, and exploring their environment.

This period is also the optimal time for these kittens to begin interacting with humans and other animals, as they enter Phase IV of their development.

They should take it gently and pamper them so that they gain confidence and associate positive things with connecting with people. It can be said that the eighth week is the perfect week to adopt or put them up for adoption.

Of course you have to realize that this is a very active phase in cats. They are usually very playful and funny. And maybe your furniture will regret it.

How old are the cats? males and females.

Between the third and sixth months , the kitten will already be at a stage where she will no longer need her mother at all. Now he’ll be able to survive on his own, he’s practically ready to reach adulthood without major complications.

During this period when the cat, whether female or male , reaches its final shape and size, they become like youngsters, that is, their size begins to stabilize.

The puberty of cats is somewhat similar to the puberty of humans, they tend to rebel, to disobey, to do whatever they want.

Now, when they finally become adults, they tend to be a bit quieter, although their desire to play is still quite high, and kittens are still very active.

But how old are normal cats? They usually finish growing after six months, maybe earlier, sometimes even later it all depends on the breed.

As mentioned earlier, cat growth varies according to the breed, as there are cats that reach a size larger than others, so some take longer to grow than others.

Although the growth period in most of them does not exceed one year. For example, there is a Maine Coon breed of cat , which is a giant species of cat, on the other hand, there is a British breed that takes 3 years to grow.

Other breeds such as the Persian cat and the Siamese cat take about a year.

When does a cat reach puberty?

After the sixth month of life , the cat reaches puberty (sixth stage). At that point, there isn’t much rebelliousness anymore, they’re just a lot calmer and more mature.

Despite spending a considerable amount of time sleeping, these young felines remain quite lively and playful. It becomes evident that they are nocturnal creatures, as they exhibit the most energy and activity during nighttime hours.

To encourage these creatures to sleep through the night, it’s advisable to engage them in physical activities and play during daylight hours, ensuring they remain active throughout the day.

Between 3 and 7 years of age, the kitten will not have the same energy as before , will sleep a lot more and be more territorial.

As our feline companion reaches the age range of 7 to 12 years old, they enter a more advanced stage of life, becoming progressively less active and more lethargic. Playfulness becomes a rare occurrence during this period. It’s important to note that cats can live up to 20 years, meaning they still have a considerable amount of time left to enjoy life despite their age.

Cat age and ideal weight

The weight of cats varies according to the breed, as there is a large difference in weight according to age between cats of small, medium and giant breeds.

But, if possible, average the weights according to the type of cat being analyzed.

Next, we give you the average weight of cats according to their ages.

• Newborn cat: 100 grams
• Kittens 2-3 weeks old: 170-225 grams
• Kittens 4-5 weeks: 225-450 grams
• Kittens 8 weeks old: 680-900 grams
• Kittens 12 weeks old: 1.3-1.5 kg
• Kittens 16 weeks old: approx. 1.8 kg
• Cats 18-24 months: 3-4.5 kg (depending on the breed)