A kitten’s healthy growth depends in large part on you keeping an eye on their weight. Every month brings new developmental phases, and keeping an eye on their weight enables early detection of any possible problems. Weight is an important measure of general health, whether it’s an indication of proper nutrition or a red flag.
You can also tell if a kitten is growing at the proper rate by looking at their weight. Kittens who are underweight may require additional care or medical attention, whereas those who are growing too quickly may have other health issues. Giving the appropriate care at each stage can be made easier if you are aware of these changes.
You can promote your kitten’s healthy development and take care of any issues as soon as they appear by keeping a regular eye on their weight. This easy routine will help ensure that your kitten grows up robust and healthy.
| Kitten Age (Months) | Average Weight (kg) |
| 1 Month | 0.2 – 0.3 kg |
| 2 Months | 0.4 – 0.6 kg |
| 3 Months | 0.8 – 1.2 kg |
| 4 Months | 1.4 – 2.0 kg |
| 5 Months | 2.3 – 2.7 kg |
| 6 Months | 2.7 – 3.5 kg |
- What can a kitten weigh at birth
- Why you need to monitor the kitten"s weight at different periods of its growth
- What is a weight diary
- How to properly weigh a kitten
- Video: how to weigh a cat
- What are the weight gain norms for kittens
- Table: average body weight of kittens in the first 6 months of life
- Short-term stabilization of weight in a kitten
- Table: kitten weights by month (values for popular breeds)
- How to determine the weight norms for a non-pedigree kitten
- Video on the topic
- Mathematics is not Islam
- Training before and now #batya #dad
- Kitten weight by months: the table of the correct ratio
What can a kitten weigh at birth
The weight of a kitten at birth can vary depending on a number of factors:
- Gender. At the time of birth, a male cat may not differ in weight from a female cat, but this difference becomes noticeable after some time. Male cats are usually slightly larger than female cats, and accordingly, weigh a little more.
- Number of kittens born. It has long been noted that the more numerous the litter, the greater the underweight of each individual will be.
- The completeness of the mother cat"s diet during pregnancy.
- Belonging to a certain breed. For example, a Maine Coon kitten will weigh more at birth than a baby, for example, of the Siamese breed.
Large breed newborn kittens (like Maine Coons) will weigh more than their elegant cousins.
Generally speaking, a newborn kitten weighs no more than 120 grams. It remains largely immobile and blind. Its only capabilities are to grow, eat, and sleep enough. The baby can gain up to 15 grams per day in this mode.
Why you need to monitor the kitten"s weight at different periods of its growth
A kitten’s weight plays a crucial role in its development. There are various reasons to keep an eye on the baby’s weight. For instance, a kitten may weigh as much as 500 grams within a month of birth. The following factors may be at play if his weight deviates from this indication in a downward direction:
- congenital or acquired diseases;
- a large litter;
- the mother"s lack of a complete diet that can provide nutrition for both the cat and her babies.
The cat’s food volume should be increased by 30% during the feeding session compared to the daily average.
The underweight of a kitten may be a sign of malnutrition. It grows listless, sleeps a lot, and withdraws from the other kittens. In this instance, it’s important to give the nursing cat more food and keep an eye on how long the frail infant is breastfed.
Once I brought foundlings to my nursing cat. They were left without a mother, and unkind people simply threw them out to the mercy of fate. Two babies quickly got used to it, actively sucked the cat and were no different from her "native" kittens. One kitten was very weak, he could not defend his place at the nipple and was often left out of work. Sometimes he still managed to get comfortable, but he quickly got tired and soon fell asleep without eating enough. Since I closely monitored the adaptation of the foundlings, I noticed this right away (literally within 24 hours). The baby had to be fed separately. I diluted a special mixture for him, but also tried to make him latch on to the cat"s breast more often (more active brothers had to be pushed aside for a while). As a result, this baby still lagged behind the others in weight, but caught up with them in height at about a year.
If a kitten is diagnosed with a disease of any kind, you will also need to know the precise weight of the animal in order to calculate the appropriate dosage. As such, a diligent owner keeps a close eye on this indication at all times.
What is a weight diary
For a kitten, every loving owner should maintain a weight journal. Whether the kitten is growing with its mother cat and brothers or alone, this needs to be done. All weight indicators must be noted in the diary so that it will be possible to determine later on whether the baby was developing normally.
The weight diary can be kept in any form, as convenient for the owner. Mine is a regular notebook. In it, I write down the kittens" birth dates, the names I gave them, and everything related to their care. This is not only their weight, but also the dates of flea and worm treatment, as well as the dosage of drugs (which, by the way, depends on the weight). This is very convenient, because over time I forget when, for example, I treated the animals. The notebook-hint helps me remember, especially since now I have 4 cats and a dog, so it is quite possible to forget or mix something up.
How to properly weigh a kitten
If the kitten is very small, you can weigh it with a small box and standard kitchen scales. The best time to weigh a kitten is right after sleep to avoid the process becoming a game. The indicators won’t work if the baby starts to spin and jump. Additionally, trying to hold a playful baby in your hand may result in distorted images.
There are two ways to determine the baby’s weight that will yield the most accurate result:
- First, weigh the box, then put the kitten in it and record the result again. Subtract the difference.
- Put the box on the scales, and only then turn them on. They will show zeros. After this, put the baby in the box and get the figure for its body weight.
For more accurate results, it is more convenient to weigh active kittens in small boxes or containers.
In this manner, the owner will receive an exact weight in grams that they can enter into the animal’s weight journal.
Video: how to weigh a cat
What are the weight gain norms for kittens
A kitten’s growth is most active during the first six months of its life. As a result, the baby will regularly gain weight if it is healthy and developing normally:
- Before the baby turns 1 month old, it rapidly gains weight – about 15 g per day. By the end of the 1st week, the kitten should double its birth weight. Weigh it daily during this period.
- From 1 to 2 months, weight gain is systematic, on average 100-150 g per week. Weigh the baby once every 3 days.
- After 2 months, weight gain is individual. It depends on the breed, nutrition of the animal. Weigh it weekly until 6 months, then once a month until a year. It is important that there is weight gain. If there is none, you should contact a veterinarian to find out the reasons.
The owner should concentrate on the average weight norms for kittens, as there are no precise markers of weight gain (much depends on the individual characteristics of the animal, its living conditions, and its diet).
Table: average body weight of kittens in the first 6 months of life
| Age | Weight |
| 1–6 days | 70–130 g |
| 7 days | 85–200 g |
| 7–14 days | 225–400 g |
| 14–21 days | 285–500 g |
| 1 month | 500–750 g |
| 2 months | 1000–1500 g |
| 3 months | 1700–2300 g |
| 4 months | 2500–3600 g |
| 5 months | 3100–4200 g |
| 6 months | 3500–4800 g |
Short-term stabilization of weight in a kitten
We frequently come across a phenomenon like the short-term stabilization of weight. If the kitten’s weight gain "froze" for a few days and then resumes its normal course, do not become alarmed.
Any point during the baby’s development could see the emergence of such an abnormality. It frequently happens when a baby moves from breast milk to regular food (natural or dry food). This is because the baby’s body needs time to adjust to the new nutrients it is getting.
If, however, no change occurs for more than a few days, you should be concerned (for example, a week). This could indicate that the kitten is ill, malnourished, or has a parasite infection. If, following a period of weight stagnation, your body weight starts to decline rather than rise, you should see a veterinarian right away.
Table: kitten weights by month (values for popular breeds)
| Kitten age | Female cat weight Maine Coon (g) |
Female cat weight Maine Coon (g) |
British female cat weight (g) | British male cat weight (g) | Scottish female cat weight (g) | Scottish male cat weight (g) |
| Newborn kitten | 120–140 | 120–160 | 60–140 | 70–140 | 60–140 | 70–140 |
| 1 week | 180–230 | 200–260 | 110–250 | 240–260 | 110–250 | 240–280 |
| 2 week | 280–340 | 400–360 | 150–360 | 340–400 | 140–360 | 340–400 |
| 3 week | 420–550 | 440–600 | 210–420 | 400–630 | 200–420 | 390–630 |
| 4 week | 560–680 | 630–750 | 250–600 | 550–740 | 240–600 | 540–740 |
| 2 months | 1100–1400 | 1200–1500 | 450–900 | 1000–1700 | 400–900 | 1000–1700 |
| 3 months | 1700–2300 | 1800–2300 | 1000–1500 | 1500–2500 | 1000–1500 | 1500–2500 |
| 4 months | 2700–3600 | 3000–3800 | 1700–2400 | 2100–3900 | 1700–2400 | 2100–3900 |
| 5 months | 2900–3900 | 3000–5500 | 2200–2900 | 2600–4300 | 2200–2900 | 2600–4300 |
| 6 months | 3200–4000 | 3900–6000 | 2300–3600 | 3000–5400 | 2300–3600 | 3000–5400 |
| 7 months | 3500–4100 | 4200–6500 | 2400–3900 | 3300–5600 | 2400–3900 | 3300–5600 |
| 8 months | 3800–4300 | 4500–6900 | 2500–4100 | 3500–6000 | 2500–4100 | 3500–6000 |
| 9 months | 4100–5000 | 5000–7000 | 2500–4300 | 3800–6400 | 2500–4300 | 3800–6400 |
| 10 months | 4200–5500 | 5200–7700 | 2500–4400 | 4100–6700 | 2500–4400 | 4100–6700 |
| 11 months | 4300–6000 | 5700–8000 | 2500–4500 | 4300–6800 | 2500–4500 | 4300–6800 |
| 12 months | 4500–6300 | 5700–9000 | 2500–4600 | 4500–7000 | 3500–4600 | 4500–7000 |
How to determine the weight norms for a non-pedigree kitten
Average indicators must be used when identifying the breed of the kitten is not possible. As the baby develops, its size will adjust accordingly. You are able to predict the kitten’s weight gain based on several factors. He may lose a little weight, for instance, if he moves from breast milk to regular diet.
Weight gain becomes insignificant after the sixth month of life. You shouldn’t be too concerned if the cat is active, eats well, and visits the tray without any issues. The doctor’s schedule, which primarily aligns with the vaccination schedule, should be followed when observing the veterinarian.
I visit the vet on a regular basis because I have unfortunate cats and a dog that was adopted from the street. Every animal I own is vaccinated and sterilized, and has a veterinary passport. So I defend my family as well as them. After all, a person can contract certain illnesses from other people—at least from the same worms. My kids play with animals, so I have to give them strict instructions in this situation.
To ensure healthy growth and development, it’s crucial to weigh your kitten each month. By keeping an eye on this, you can identify possible health problems early and take action before they worsen.
The weight of a kitten can reveal information about its general health. Abrupt weight fluctuations, whether excessive or insufficient, may point to health conditions or dietary problems that need to be addressed.
By keeping an eye on this straightforward sign, you can give your kitten the proper attention and assistance, ensuring a long and happy life for them.
It’s crucial to track a kitten’s weight each month to make sure it’s developing normally and growing healthily. Frequent examinations can aid in the early detection of any possible problems, such as malnourishment or underlying medical conditions, enabling prompt dietary or veterinary care adjustments. Monitoring weight promotes the long-term health of the kitten and assists in determining appropriate feeding.
