How big is our kitten going to grow?

[NaturalMamma]

Our kitten (female) is 4 mos old. She weighs 7 lbs. She does not appear overweight...she just looks long and big...like an adult cat. Mind you, it's been some years since we had a cat, but I don't think our previous cats weighed so much at this age.

Not too long ago I thought I read something that said you can sort of predict a kitten's adult weight by taking their weight at 5 mos and doubling it. That would mean our little girl will eventually weigh 14-16 lbs. Wow!

We don't know the history of her as she was part of a litter that was abandoned on the doorstep of a vet clinic at 2 wks. We got her around 8 wks when she was 1lb and she's grown like a weed!

So, are we going to have to buy a bigger house for our feline friend?

[Geigerin]

I don't have any expert knowledge, but both of our very big kitties were about 7 pounds at that age, too. Now, one is 19 pounds (a little overweight) and the other is 17 pounds (healthy weight). They're just long and tall kitties.

The only downside is that my brother gave us one of those carpet-covered cat houses a few years ago, and they didn't fit. Our bigger cat poked his head in, looked around, and never went back. lol. We also just installed a cat door to the basement (relocated the litter since it used to be in what is now the baby's room). We were afraid they wouldn't fit through the door, but they manage to squeeze through and don't seem to mind.

They are the sweetest, most lovey kitties I've ever had, and I love how big they are.

Congrats on your new kitten!!

[Gentle~Mommy :)]

all my cats have been 20 pounders lol

[Minky]

From my experience, it's been nurture, rather than nature. Our smallest kitties have been the ones who were homeless and underfed at a young age.

Of the three mamacats I've fostered (well, I've fostered 4, but one of them passed away, RIP), the ones who were in an emaciated state and gave birth about 2 weeks after we took them in had tiny kittens, but, from what I've heard from the people who adopted them, they're now normal-sized to enormous. The mamacat we nurtured through her entire pregnancy had HUGE kittens, who are now huge cats.

That's just my experience, though.