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+--- Thread: Weight Gain (/showthread.php?tid=236)
Weight Gain - NatsFan78 - 11-18-2019
Jaxon was 40 ounces last Monday and 41.6 ounces on Thursday. By this morning he was up to 48 ounces! Is it normal for him to be gaining so quickly? I was expecting half a pound to a pound his first month home but he is on pace to gain two pounds or just a bit over instead.
RE: Weight Gain - Smudge's Mom - 11-18-2019
It used to be 1 pound per month for the first 12 months. I don't know if that has changed.
RE: Weight Gain - NatsFan78 - 11-18-2019
Surely he will not keep gaining at this rate then. That would be 2 pounds or a bit over a month. Maybe an early growth spurt?
RE: Weight Gain - JanH - 11-19-2019
SM is right, but that is just a rough estimate and the variance at a particular time is all over the place, It is good to monitor weight since weight loss is a sign of illness. Kittens will gain fast, then plateau a while or even lose and then take off again.
It is almost never appropriate to diet a kitten. Cats are rarely like dogs, who will often eat too much if it is available. Most cats are pretty good at regulating intake. Keep him on kitten food. Do keep an eye on gains and losses, but do not act too quickly to try to "correct" him. He will probably be best at correcting himself.
I will warn that many folks who see this kind of spurt get all excited about how big their boy will be -- and then have him settle out as a peanut. So, it is interesting and fun to guess, just like about color development, but is not a very reliable sport.
It may be just a signal of how happy he is about being with you. ; )
RE: Weight Gain - NatsFan78 - 11-19-2019
I will continue to watch his weight. No matter how much he is gaining I will not change his food, I will continue to give him however much he wants. I was a little concerned that he gained so much that quickly. I feel much better now that I know it is normal. Thank you for your help.
RE: Weight Gain - Smudge's Mom - 11-19-2019
The spurts are fun to watch. Some weeks you will have a long-legged, lean boy and then lo and behold he will turned into a chubby tummied wide butt. Eventually, all the parts catch up with each other and you end up with the heavy boned, solidly muscled, soft-bellied ragdoll of your dreams.
RE: Weight Gain - JanH - 11-19-2019
And sometimes a peanut or fatty. ; )