[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference misery::feline

Title:Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected
Notice:purrrrr...
Moderator:JULIET::CORDES_JA
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1079
Total number of notes:28858

787.0. "growth rate for little kitties" by POLAR::ROBERTSON () Tue Aug 09 1994 15:03

    
    I have a small kitten at my house.
    
    I love him to death.
    
    He was dropped off at my husband's place of work in his customer's
    vehicle when the car was having a tune-up done to it.
    
    Of course knowing that I love animals- he brought it home to me.
    
    I have a good question - We've had the kitten for approx 2 months now
    and he doesn't seem to be growing very quickly.
    
    He looks extremely healthy, clean, and playful.  He eats very well and
    shares the house with another 4 year old cat and 2 dogs.
    
    He plays well with them all.
    
    Should I be worried that he's not growing very fast?
    
    Would like to hear from you.
    
    Julie
    
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
787.1Many Factors to ConsiderLJSRV2::FEHSKENSlen - reformed architectTue Aug 09 1994 16:0914
    
    Unless you weigh him, it may not be obvious that he's growing, it
    happens slowly enough.  The growth rate slows down too as the kitten
    gets older; two months at age two months should be obvious, but two
    months at age ten months will be pretty subtle.  Also, some cats are
    just plain small, and won't seem to grow fast.
    
    If he's eating and active, I wouldn't worry, unless it's really
    important to you that he be *A REALLY BIG CAT*, in which case,
    uh, ...
    
    len (who's still amazed by the difference in size between sisters Robin
    and Blueberry).
     
787.2JUPITR::KAGNOTue Aug 09 1994 16:125
    Have you had your vet examine him yet?  That would be a good start. 
    Looking healthy and being healthy are two entirely different things.
    
    Just a thought.
    
787.3my two experiencesSHRMSG::BERTELTue Aug 09 1994 16:3723
    I had a similar concern over my cat "Miss sarah vaughan".  Sassy was my
    first cat, and I had no idea what to expect in terms of growth and
    eating.  I read all the manuals and books, and it said that kittens
    should be fed several times a day.  She didn't seem hungry enough,
    though, to eat more than twice a day.  AND I was bringing her to the
    vet, who dewormed, etc.  She had a cough, and I kept mentioning it to
    the vet, and after 2 months I decided to change vets.  Her lungs were
    so full that the new vet couldn't hear anything, but upon x-ray, she
    saw that her lungs had calcified to the point that she had only one
    small area from which to breath.  After 17 days of antibiotic
    injections and about a month on the pink stuff by mouth, she
    recovered.  As a result, of not getting enough oxygen, not eating, her
    growth was stunted.  She's about 6 lbs  and a little peanut, but
    certainly has a strong will.
    
    My second kitten was totally opposite, a real chow hound, who ate about
    8 times a day, like what I thought a kitty kat kid would be like.
    He is now 12 months old, about 12 lbs, and growing out of the MEDIUM
    kitty carrier.  In summary, make sure the vet you have has checked the
    kid out real well; if you still don't feel right, get a second opinion.
    
    Carol
    
787.4might the kitty be the runt of the litter ?SLOHAN::FIELDSStrange BrewTue Aug 09 1994 16:477
    I've got just the opposite kitty...Navajo, is not even 6 months old and
    he is about the size of Squeeky (the cat up stairs whos about 10yrs old)
    although he doesn't have the weight and bulk of Squeeky, Navajo is the
    same height and length....but he shows his age when he trots from room
    to room with his stuff pink bunny rabbit :')
    
    Chris
787.5USCTR1::MERRITT_STue Aug 09 1994 17:207
    Worms can definitely stop cats from gaining weight...so I agree
    with Roberta that if the kitty hasn't seen a vet yet, it might
    be a good idea to bring him.
    
    He will need is shots anyway!!!
    
    Sandy
787.7Not all cats are 'king size' or 100's...BPSOF::EGYEDPer aspera ad astraWed Aug 10 1994 04:479
    My mom's siamese is 8 years and 5 pounds.
    His brother is 1 year and 14 pounds.
    Both totally OK and healthy.
    
    No comment.
    
    (cats *can* surprise us!)
    
    Nat
787.8Lineage, etc.MKOTS1::COOPERMon Sep 19 1994 16:3820
    It has been three months since Anastacia delivered her six kittens. 
    She is not that large and the fathers, her brothers, were solid cats.
    
    All six grew differently, and the girls were bigger than the boys.  Now
    it appears, only three left, that one of the boys is bigger than
    anything.
    
    I think it depends on how many males the female was impregnated by, and
    the lineage of each.  Cats can have litters from littermates and not
    have problems, due to their genetic make up.  So it would only make
    sense that there would be different growth rates with each kitten.
    
    In addition to the illnesses felines are able to catch.
    
    I've raised over twenty cats, and four of them from abandonment.  The
    four never looked like they would live till the next day, but they
    are alive and well.
    
    Don't fret call the vet