Nutrition of the Scottish cat breed, diet for small and adult cats

Scottish cats are one of the most popular pet breeds. They are chosen for their famous ear shape, beautiful coloration and easy-going nature. In order for a kitten to grow healthy, it is necessary to monitor its weight, size and feed it properly.

Parameters of kittens and adult cats of the Scottish Fold breed: average weight and height

Scottish cats are medium-sized with a round, well-filled body.
With large, round, wide-set eyes. with a soft curve in the profile in the transition from the forehead to the nose. The short-haired variation has a soft coat with a pronounced undercoat, the long-haired variation is silky, not prone to matting, and longer on the frill and “pants.” The range of colors is very diverse and includes all possible color combinations. Animals of this breed come in two types: with hanging ears (folded ears) and straight, “normal” ears (straight).

Kittens of this breed are born with normal straight ears. At three to four weeks of age, their ears flatten or remain erect. By twelve weeks it is already possible to determine the quality of the kitten - show, breed or pet (show, breeding or home). Only cats with well-fitting ears are show dogs, so getting such kittens is every breeder’s dream. Straight-eared Scots are allowed to exhibit, but Champion classes are not open to all felinological systems. It is quite difficult to get a show and top class fold kitten, so they are still quite rare and, accordingly, are expensive.

When purchasing, pay attention to the flexibility of the tail and paws. Paws should not have rough or sloping toes

When running your hand along the tail, the movement should be gentle and not cause any discomfort to the kitten.

(You just need to do this very carefully!). Svetlana Zhabrovets,

Svetlana Zhabrovets

,

Based on materials from TheCatSite.com

Additional Information:

Cat scalesObesity in catsObesity treatmentFrequently asked questions about cat weight

Cats, just like humans, can experience weight problems. The most common diet-related disease is obesity. Domestic cats living in apartments lead a quiet lifestyle. Such cats often suffer from excess of normal weight, as they are limited in movement and do not lack food.

Excess fat can have a negative impact on your cat's overall health. Cats that are overweight are usually in poor shape and are prone to heart disease, arthritis and other health problems.

Dimensions of an adult animal

At the age of 2 years, a pet can weigh about 4 kilograms with a body length of 55 centimeters (without tail). Unlike the giant Maine Coons, Scots grow into medium-sized cats. The height of an adult cat at the withers reaches 30 centimeters.

If the pet belongs to the show class, you need to take into account the volume and size of its paws and tail. If the tail is bent along the body, it should reach the shoulder blades, and the paws should not be too short or thick.

The Scots are characterized by rounded body lines and a wide chest. These are cats with long whiskers and a round muzzle.

Chart of animal weight gain from birth to 2 years

The period of puberty is important. At this time, growth slows down. If cats come into heat 1-2 times a month, then growth may stop altogether

If you have sterilized a cat, then at first its body weight will increase slowly, but later there is a threat of obesity due to the fact that its immunity increases.

A kitten's weight is a very important aspect of its development. The baby's weight needs to be monitored for several reasons. For example, by the age of one month, a kitten can weigh up to 500 grams. If his weight differs from this indicator in the direction of decrease, this may be caused by the following reasons:

• diseases, congenital or acquired;
• numerous litters;
• the mother’s lack of a complete diet that can provide nutrition for both the cat herself and her babies.

An underweight kitten may indicate that the baby is malnourished. He becomes lethargic, sleeps a lot, and apart from the general mass of kittens. In this case, you need to increase the amount of food for the nursing cat and monitor how long the weak baby stays at her breast.

Sometimes he still managed to get comfortable, but he quickly got tired and soon fell asleep without having eaten enough. Since I closely followed the adaptation of foundlings, I immediately noticed this (literally within 24 hours). The baby had to be fed separately. I gave him a special mixture, but also tried to get him to latch on to the cat’s breast more often (the more lively 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 by about a year.

If a kitten is diagnosed with any disease, then to correctly calculate the medicinal suspension you will also need to know the exact weight of the animal. Therefore, a conscientious owner always monitors this indicator.

Every caring owner should keep a kitten's weight diary. This must be done regardless of whether the kitten grows up alone or with its mother cat and brothers. It is necessary to record all weight indicators in the diary, which can later help track whether the baby is developing normally.

The weight diary can be kept in any form, as convenient for the owner. This is an ordinary notebook for me. In it I write down the date of birth of the kittens, the names I gave them, as well as everything related to caring for them. This is not only their weight, but also the dates of treatment for fleas and worms, as well as the dosage of drugs (which, by the way, depends on weight).

There are several internal and external factors influencing the growth processes of a Scottish Fold cat kitten. Internal factors are presented:

• characteristics of the breed;
• gender;
• genotype of parents;
• individual genetic characteristics;
• hormonal characteristics.

External factors affecting the growth of an animal include keeping kittens during the neonatal and suckling periods, as well as the number of individuals in the litter, quality of sleep and dietary features of a nursing cat. Animals must be provided with a completely calm, stress-free environment, good and nutritious food, as well as high-quality hygienic care.

You can feed your Scottish Fold cat both natural products and ready-made dry or wet food. The second option, according to many breeders and veterinarians, is more preferable for normal growth and development, therefore it is recommended to purchase the following ready-made diets for feeding your pet:

• AATU;
• Asana;
• Applaws;
• Canagan;
• Сarnilove;
• Farmina N{amp}amp;D;
• Gather;
• Gina Elite;
• Go Natural;
• Grandorf;
• Nature;
• Now Fresh;
• Nutram;
• Orijen;
• Pronature Nolistis;
• Savara;
• Wellness CORE.

What should the owners be wary of?

Newborn kittens are very vulnerable, so owners should closely monitor their development. Kittens may die suddenly or decline gradually over several days. Unfortunately, the clinical signs of many diseases affecting newborn kittens are very similar and vague. It is worth paying attention to the behavior of kittens and cats to identify sick babies.

Monitor the behavior of cats and kittens to avoid pet health problems

The kitten’s body is not able to maintain body temperature, which makes it dependent on the cat and the temperature in the room. Healthy kittens tend to huddle together and sleep between feedings, while sick kittens often lie separately, are more restless, often squeak and suck milk poorly. Due to the fact that the kitten sleeps separately from its nursing mother and other kittens, it may experience hypothermia.

Newborn kittens need a lot of energy, but they have no reserves to save it, because they are completely dependent on their mother's milk. Sick kittens may not consume the required amount of milk, leading to low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). This can manifest itself in weakness, squeaking, difficulty breathing, decreased body temperature, and convulsions. If there is a lack of milk or increased loss of moisture due to overheating or diarrhea, dehydration may also occur.

Any weight loss, or lack of weight gain, should be cause for concern. To monitor, kittens should be weighed immediately after birth and weighed daily during the first week and twice a week from the second week of life. Normal indicators must meet the following parameters:

• In the first day, the kitten can lose no more than 10% of its weight;
• From the second day, the kitten should gain 10-15 grams per day;
• After 1-2 weeks, the kitten's weight should double.

It is important to monitor the weight and development of newborn kittens; in the first weeks of life, it will become clear whether there are any deviations. If a cat does not produce enough milk, the kittens need additional nutrition.

The health and proper development of kittens largely depends on the person.

What are the dangers of obesity?

You can tell that a cat is obese by its sagging belly. Because the fat layer is too thick, the costal and vertebral bones cannot be felt. An obese animal moves slowly and ignores active activities.

ATTENTION! An obese cat should be examined at a veterinary clinic for prevention, as there is a high probability of developing heart and vascular diseases, as well as inflammation of the joints.

Excess weight greatly affects the health of a British pet. The most common pathologies:

• increased blood pressure, development of atherosclerosis;
• lethargy, powerlessness, drowsiness;
• hormonal disbalance;
• blurred vision due to increased intraocular pressure;
• development of diabetes;
• the appearance of gout, osteoarthritis;
• disruption of the digestive tract;
• hard breath;
• thirst;
• deterioration of metabolism;
• weakening of the immune system.

What affects a cat's growth?

The intensity of an animal’s development and its growth parameters depend on a combination of factors, including:

breed of animal. It determines the appearance and size of an adult cat. The desire of the owners to raise a giant from a representative of a small breed leads to the fact that the animal begins to be fattened. Extra pounds negatively affect the health, abilities and well-being of the cat;

• hereditary factor. Simply put, to find out what a kitten will be like, you should take a closer look at its parents. The offspring are rarely larger than the ancestors, although there are exceptions to the rule;
• age. In the first years of life, the body develops intensively. Young cats are rarely well-fed because everything is growing. At the age of puberty, they begin to mature, that is, to increase in volume, acquiring the features and parameters of an adult animal;
• floor. Female cats are smaller than their male counterparts. They are shorter and grow less heavy, but with good nutrition they can be quite weighty.

Health status also matters, in particular:

hormonal status. Improper functioning of the internal secretion organs affects the condition of the body. Hormonal problems in cats, like in humans, can lead to both obesity and underweight. A separate topic is castration (sterilization). A timely and correctly performed operation does not worsen the animal’s health, and in some cases even saves life. At the same time, an animal that has lost the ability to reproduce gains weight faster. This is due to the fact that the cat becomes calmer, sleeps more and moves less;

early onset of sexual activity and frequent lambing. Veterinarians and felinologists have come to the conclusion that mating should begin no earlier than the age of physiological maturation (not to be confused with puberty!), otherwise this may negatively affect the growth rate of the animal. Frequent cat births also become an unbearable burden for the body. The female does not have time to recover, the body wears out. Young cats that give birth often appear emaciated and grow poorly;

In addition to the above, the following circumstances affect the growth of a cat:

regularity of nutrition, . The first two indicators directly depend on the age of the animal. A cat that eats plenty several times a day will grow well. As for the quality of the feed, the nutritional system should be taken into account. When an animal “sits” on a natural diet, the diet must be balanced, taking into account the characteristics of the cat’s body and satisfying its needs for proteins, vitamins and other important microelements. It is not easy to provide an animal with such a diet without resorting to additional vitamin and mineral supplements.

If your animal consumes ready-made food, it is important to choose premium products. Such products have an ideal composition and fully meet the cat's needs.

We should not forget that the animal must consume a sufficient amount of water;

habitat and external conditions. Animals that roam freely on the street, sleep little, are overheated or hypothermic, and are under constant stress do not grow well. It may seem that we are talking about stray cats, but animals that are considered masters, but in fact spend most of their lives on the street, suffer no less, and therefore are almost no different from strays. They are rarely well-fed and healthy, so they do not grow to their full potential.

How to weigh a kitten correctly

If the kitten is very small, then in order to weigh it, you can use a regular kitchen scale and a small box. To prevent the kitten from turning weighing into a game, the best time for the process is immediately after sleep. If the baby starts spinning and jumping, the indicators will be inaccurate. Trying to hold a playful baby with your hand can also get a distorted result.

To get the most accurate figure for the baby’s weight, you can follow two methods:

• First, weigh the box, then put the kitten in it and record the result again. Subtract the difference.
• Place the box on the scales, and only then turn them on.
  They will show zeros. After this, we put the baby in a box and get the figure for his body weight. It is more convenient to weigh mobile kittens in small containers or boxes to get a more accurate result.

This way the owner will receive an exact figure in grams, which can be entered into the animal’s weight diary.

3-6 months

You can determine how much your pet weighs using kitchen scales and later floor scales. By the age of four months, Scots weigh about 2 kilos. These are independent, active animals that need sufficient calories and vitamins. They are actively growing.

What weight category a pet occupies depends on its genetic predisposition and quality of nutrition. The owner needs to decide whether to give the baby ready-made food or prefer natural food from products that should be prepared separately for the pet without salt and spices.

Appearance of Scottish Folds

There are developed and approved standards for the appearance of Scottish Folds. Based on them, you can distinguish a purebred Scottish Fold from an individual of mixed blood. The main breed standards are:

• massive body structure;
• large shoulders and back of the animal;
• large round head;
• straight nose with a characteristic depression in the forehead area;
• pronounced chin;
• characteristic shape of the ears.

There are also certain standards for the body of an animal:

• shortened neck;
• short legs;
• thick, plush-like fur;
• average height 27-32 cm;
• short tail.

Scottish fold kitten.

The head of a real fold-eared cat is round in shape with a high forehead and thick cheeks. As adults, some individuals may experience sagging cheeks. The ears are small in size and set far apart. They have a distinctive feature - hanging forward and down. There are three degrees of lop ears:

• single – only the tips of the ears are bent;
• double - the entire auricle is bent, there is a gap between the head and ears;
• triple - the illusion of no ears is created, they are pressed so tightly to the skull.

From birth, a kitten's ears may be straight, but by the age of five they acquire their distinctive shape, that is, they bend downwards. The eyes of fold-eared cats are round and large. The color depends directly on the color. To determine eye color, there are tables of correspondence between the color of an animal and its eyes. The tail is inactive and short. The base is thick, gradually tapering towards the end. A table of eye color and coat color matches for Scottish Fold cats is presented below.

Table of correspondence between eye color and coat color of Scottish cats.

Weight and dimensions

The weight and dimensions of the Scottish Fold depend on heredity and the number of kittens in the litter. There is a rule - the more kittens, the less their weight. The difference in weight evens out over time by six months. In the first month, a kitten gains weight by 10-20 grams per day. For proper development, a balanced diet with all the necessary substances is required. Adults are average in size for all cats. Females weigh less than males, their weight can reach 4-5 kg. The maximum weight of a cat is 8-10 kg. The average weight is 4-6 kilograms, and the height at the withers is 27-32 cm.

Tabby color Scottish fold

How old do Scottish cats grow?

As for how Scottish kittens are born, it depends not only on the genetics of the parents, but also on the number of kittens in the litter: the more there are, the less weight each will have. However, kittens born with different weights can eventually level off with age: every day they will gain 10-20 grams until 1 month, and at the age of 1 to 6 months - up to 100 grams per day.

Kittens require a balanced diet to grow. Calcium is important for the formation of the skeletal system, but calcium without phosphorus leads to an excess, which is fraught with negative consequences. In addition, calcium cannot be absorbed without vitamin D. Therefore, all microelements supplied through food must be in harmony. A very small kitten receives everything it needs from its mother through milk for 1 month and, if the mother eats a balanced diet, the kittens grow stronger. And if the mother does not receive enough microelements, the children can get, for example, hyperparathyroidism. Read about how to feed kittens weaned from their mother's breast here.

As can be seen from our table, Scottish kittens grow intensively until about 8 months, then growth slows down, but changes are still noticeable until 1 year. Further, from 1 year to 2 years, the Scottish cat still grows a little, but this is not significant: during this time, the maximum she can gain is about 0.5-0.7 kg, unless, of course, some nutritional disruptions occur and the cat , for example, does not become obese.

With cats, these numbers shift: intensive growth occurs up to 1 year, and then a Scottish cat can grow up to 2.5 years, but this is no longer significant.

Starting from 4 months, your pet is already a teenager. Theoretically, if a cat lived outside and went into heat, adult cats would perceive her as a sexually mature female and could come into contact with her. Similarly, other cats could fight with a large six-month-old male, perceiving him as an equal.

At six months, a teenage kitten has already gained 70% of its body weight, so in the future it should, at most, gain the missing 30%.

Possible reasons why a kitten’s weight does not correspond to age standards

Determining a kitten's weight is an excellent way to assess its development. If a kitten is unable to grow and develop, this may be an indicator of serious health problems.

Scottish Fold cats, like straight-eared ones, become teenagers at 4-6 months. By this time, the females begin to estrus, and the males become eligible bachelors. At the age of more than a year, an adult gains no more than 500-700 grams up to 2.5 years.

How long your pet will gain weight is determined by its health, tendency to overeat, and mobility. But when answering the question, to what age do cats grow, we can answer unequivocally that at 2.5 years growth stops.

The main reasons for a kitten’s weight not meeting age standards are:

• Lack of nutrition. The first months of life, kittens may suffer from a lack of milk. This may be due to an unbalanced diet of the cat or a large number of brothers and sisters of the baby.
• Unbalanced regime and diet of the kitten. In particularly advanced cases, the baby’s development stops.
• Deviations associated with genetics or heredity. This applies to a greater extent to purebred kittens. It is necessary to find out what diseases can be passed on to the baby from mom and dad. If a kitten is suffering from underweight, you should check with the breeder what parameters its parents had at the same age.
• Infectious diseases and viruses. Diseases can affect the kitten’s gastrointestinal tract, which affects the absorption of food. The absorption of beneficial elements deteriorates, so the baby may not gain weight.
• Worms. At any age, helminthic infestations are dangerous for an animal, and even more so during the formation of a young organism. If a kitten is infected with worms, it will not grow well.

In the last three cases, the owner must immediately contact a veterinarian to prevent possible death of the animal or the development of diseases and transition to chronic forms.

In order for the kitten to develop normally, it is necessary to consult a specialist and follow feeding recommendations. In addition, if some deviations in the baby’s development are noticed, immediate action must be taken. The delicate body of a kitten does not yet have the immunity of an adult animal, and many infections can seriously harm it.

Scottish Fold kittens over the age of two months must already have full compliance with all breed standards. It is these pets that have the highest chances of winning in exhibition shows in the future, so you need to carefully monitor external data, as well as clearly monitor the correspondence of the animal’s height to its body weight. To determine body weight gain, it is recommended to weigh the kitten every day, strictly at the same time.

Tips for keeping your kitten healthy

Veterinarians recommend the following ways to maintain the health of a kitten:

1. Study the movements and reactions of the kitten to immediately understand if he suddenly gets sick and immediately contact a veterinarian;
2. Provide your kitten with proper nutrition by choosing a balanced diet appropriate for the animal’s age;
3. Kittens need to sleep a lot, so provide your pet with a quiet and comfortable place to rest;
4. Never wake a sleeping kitten;
5. Take time to play with the kitten, as it needs communication and physical activity;
6. Always stick to your vaccination schedule.

The first months of a kitten’s life are a time of intensive growth and development. By taking care of your pet's health at this stage, you can lay the foundation for a healthy kitten life in the future.

Possible reasons why a kitten’s weight does not correspond to age standards

Determining a kitten's weight is an excellent way to assess its development. If a kitten is unable to grow and develop, this may be an indicator of serious health problems.

Scottish Fold cats, like straight-eared ones, become teenagers at 4-6 months. By this time, the females begin to estrus, and the males become eligible bachelors. At the age of more than a year, an adult gains no more than 500-700 grams up to 2.5 years.

How long your pet will gain weight is determined by its health, tendency to overeat, and mobility. But when answering the question, to what age do cats grow, we can answer unequivocally that at 2.5 years growth stops.

The main reasons for a kitten’s weight not meeting age standards are:

• Lack of nutrition. The first months of life, kittens may suffer from a lack of milk. This may be due to an unbalanced diet of the cat or a large number of brothers and sisters of the baby.
• Unbalanced regime and diet of the kitten. In particularly advanced cases, the baby’s development stops.
• Deviations associated with genetics or heredity. This applies to a greater extent to purebred kittens. It is necessary to find out what diseases can be passed on to the baby from mom and dad. If a kitten is suffering from underweight, you should check with the breeder what parameters its parents had at the same age.
• Infectious diseases and viruses. Diseases can affect the kitten’s gastrointestinal tract, which affects the absorption of food. The absorption of beneficial elements deteriorates, so the baby may not gain weight.
• Worms. At any age, helminthic infestations are dangerous for an animal, and even more so during the formation of a young organism. If a kitten is infected with worms, it will not grow well.

In the last three cases, the owner must immediately contact a veterinarian to prevent possible death of the animal or the development of diseases and transition to chronic forms.

In order for the kitten to develop normally, it is necessary to consult a specialist and follow feeding recommendations. In addition, if some deviations in the baby’s development are noticed, immediate action must be taken. The delicate body of a kitten does not yet have the immunity of an adult animal, and many infections can seriously harm it.

Scottish Fold kittens over the age of two months must already have full compliance with all breed standards. It is these pets that have the highest chances of winning in exhibition shows in the future, so you need to carefully monitor external data, as well as clearly monitor the correspondence of the animal’s height to its body weight. To determine body weight gain, it is recommended to weigh the kitten every day, strictly at the same time.

Scottish cat in the house: how much should a baby weigh?

Content

While the kitten is growing, it is important to monitor its weight gain. This will allow you not to miss possible deviations in the baby’s development or health problems with his mother.

A table that shows the development norms of this breed depending on the age and gender of the pet will help you control the weight of a Scottish kitten by month.

Deviations from the norm

The first six months of a kitten's life are the most active in terms of growth. Accordingly, if the baby is healthy and develops normally, he will regularly gain weight:

Before the baby turns 1 month old, he rapidly gains weight - about 15 g per day. At the same time, by the end of the 1st week, the kitten should double its birth weight. Weigh him daily during this period. From 1 to 2 months, weight gain occurs systematically, on average 100–150 g per week. Weigh the baby once every 3 days. After 2 months, weight gain varies from person to person. It depends on the breed and nutrition of the animal. He is weighed weekly for up to 6 months, then once a month for up to a year.

It is important that there is weight gain. If it is absent, you should contact your veterinarian to find out the reasons.

The basic physical parameters of representatives of the Scottish Fold breed, including body weight, the size of the animal as a whole, as well as the size and appearance of individual parts of the body, must fully correspond to the age of the pet. The presence of serious deviations from the norm most often indicates pathological changes and malfunctions in the body.

Sometimes animals between seven and nine months of age also stop gaining weight or noticeably reduce the weight they have gained. This situation is usually associated with the process of puberty and hormonal changes in the body. Adult cats often do not gain weight for a similar reason.

It is important to remember that early matings have very serious consequences, which have an extremely negative impact on the fragile body of a purebred Scottish Fold cat, and also provoke a stop in the growth and development of the pet. Deviations from the norm can also manifest themselves in the form of obesity, overweight in a cat

Most often, such problems arise due to overfeeding of a pet or non-compliance with the feeding regime. It is especially important to monitor weight in castrated cats and sterilized Scottish Fold cats.

Deviations from the norm can also manifest themselves in the form of obesity, overweight in a cat or cat. Most often, such problems arise due to overfeeding of the pet or non-compliance with the feeding regime.

It is especially important to monitor weight in castrated cats and sterilized Scottish Fold cats.

Development of Scottish kittens by month

If you are reading this guide, then you have probably decided to become the proud owner of a Scottish cat or have already become one.
If you are still an inexperienced cat breeder, every day you have many questions related to keeping a pet. How to bathe for the first time? How to comb wool? What to feed? How to prevent health problems? And much more. These are very important questions, the answers to which are on our website for Scottish cats called “MURKOTICS”. Breeders, veterinarians and ordinary cat owners have been preparing useful information for you for a long time and ideally, of course, you need to read all the articles. You will do this over time. But you have to start somewhere. Therefore, we have prepared a guide that will help you take the first steps - from the moment you choose a kitten until he is a year and a half old. These are the basics that are very important to know for those who want to raise and properly raise a tailed family member.

KITTEN IS NOT GAINING WEIGHT. WHAT TO DO?

Compare the weight and age of the kitten using the table. With proper care of the kitten, weight indicators should be normal. Although the development of kittens of each breed, and each animal can be individual.

If your kitten is not gaining weight, there may be several reasons. Firstly, there are many kittens in a litter, for example 5-6 or more, and then, perhaps, the baby simply does not have enough milk or a free nipple. Make sure he eats, put him close to his mother cat more often.

If there are really a lot of kittens, it is necessary to feed the kittens with special milk for kittens (can be bought at a pet store) from a pipette or pacifier.

If even after this the kitten does not gain weight, it is most likely sick and you should urgently contact a veterinarian.

After switching to dry food, kittens from a large litter most often reach average weight.

ADULT ANIMALS. HOW TO GAIN WEIGHT FOR A CAT?

It happens that kittens at 7-9 months stop gaining weight or even lose it altogether. This is most likely due to the fact that at this time they go through puberty and hormonal changes.

An adult cat does not gain weight for the same reason. If your cat's estrus is long and frequent, be sure to give sedatives, but do not breed animals before a year (only on the recommendation of a veterinarian). Early matings have serious consequences. See the table for the normal weight of a cat. With proper care and maintenance, the weight should correspond to age and breed.

Kitten weight table by month

The weight of the kitten by month is indicated separately for the cat and for the cat.

1. weight and age of the kitten by month
2. maine coon cat weight
3. maine coon cat weight
4. british cat weight
5. british cat weight
6. Scottish cat weight
7. Scottish cat weight

We will also consider and compare the weight of cats of different popular breeds: Bengal cat, Siberian cat, Abyssinian cat, Russian Blue cat, Bobtail, Norwegian forest cat, Siamese cat and many others.

Track your pet's weight and make sure he grows up healthy!

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• How to accustom a kitten to a scratching post

Features of kitten growth

Representatives of both the Scottish and British breeds are distinguished by their large and muscular physique. Adult straight-eared and lop-eared individuals weigh between 5–7 kg.

Weight gain is especially noticeable in the first year of an animal’s life. Therefore, at this time the kitten should receive the optimal amount of nutrients and supplements (minerals, vitamins). A balanced diet will allow the kitten not only to develop properly, but also to maintain health at a high level.

Knowing how much a Scottish cat weighs at a given age can help you avoid a lot of problems. Therefore, it is important to track this indicator during the first year of your furry pet's life.

Video “Care for Scottish cats”

From this video you will learn about the breed characteristics of Scottish Fold kittens, about care and proper nutrition.

In the first days after birth

The weight of newborn babies of this breed is directly dependent on the size of the litter. The fewer cubs are born, the greater their mass.

A newborn kitten usually weighs in the range from 60 to 140 g. If this parameter goes beyond the limits, this is already a deviation. Although it is necessary to take into account the number of babies in the litter.

Also, the weight of babies depends on the well-being of the mother. If during pregnancy she ate properly, rested well and slept a lot, then the kittens will be healthy and well-fed.

Up to a month

During the first 14 days, babies gain weight very well. Every day they become heavier by 10–20 g. During this period, it is important to monitor the mother’s nutrition, since the kittens feed on her milk. Therefore, her diet should be as balanced as possible. On such mother's milk, the cubs begin to grow very quickly.

How to weigh

Determining the weight of a kitten at first glance seems somewhat complicated. However, everything is quite simple.

Methods:

1. The first method is the most common, weighing on an electronic kitchen scale. Such scales show the result quite accurately, making weighing kittens from 0 months old very easy and simple.
2. The second method also has the right to life. Here it is suggested to use commercial hand scales with a hook. To measure mass this way, you will need a bag or some other container to place the cat in. The container is pre-weighed separately. This method of measurement is far from the most accurate.
3. The third method is more likely for adult animals whose weight is from 1 kg. You need floor scales on which you weigh yourself and then weigh yourself with your pet. The difference between the first and second weighing will be equal to the weight of the cat.
4. The surest, but not the most convenient way, is to weigh the kitten in a veterinary clinic on special scales.

What to feed a kitten

The simplest solution is to accustom your pet to balanced premium food from childhood. They start with liquid canned food, pate, and by 2 months the animal is switched to dry food. A veterinarian will help you decide on the brand of product and portion sizes for a particular kitten.

There is also a more complex diet option - natural food. The owner adheres to only one regime - either food or regular products. Mixing is not suitable - it will lead to persistent digestive disorders in your pet.

Natural kitten nutrition consists of the following items:

• Lean meat – chicken fillet, beef. The product must be crushed into small cubes or passed through a meat grinder. The meat is doused with boiling water or boiled.
• By-products – liver, heart, brain, ventricles. The food must be washed and cleaned, after which it is crumbled into small squares and boiled without spices or salt.
• Boiled yolk - chicken or quail.
• Boiled fish is a source of phosphorus, which is so necessary for the animal, whose skeleton is actively forming.
• Chicken necks are a source of calcium needed by bones.
• Fermented milk products with a fat content of no more than 10%: kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, natural yogurt. Products must be free of sweeteners, flavors and preservatives.
• Porridge – buckwheat, oatmeal, rice, millet, barley. The dish is offered together with meat and fish: mixed 1:4 respectively.
• Greens, boiled vegetables (except potatoes).

Under no circumstances should you offer your baby:

• Beef, chicken bones, cartilage, tripe.
• Sausages, smoked products - sausage, frankfurters, ham, small sausages, smoked fish, etc.
• Fish that has not been deboned. Raw river fish is dangerous for animals - it can “teem” with pathogenic bacteria and parasites. You should not offer sea fish in large quantities, so as not to provoke urolithiasis.
• Potatoes – the starch contained in the product is poorly digested by the cat’s body.
• Food containing corn flour, legumes.

With any type of nutrition, the animal should always have a bowl of clean water - chilled, boiled or filtered - freely available. The average feeding rate for a growing organism is 200 g of food per kilogram of body weight per day. This daily volume is divided into 5-6 servings.

What are the norms for weight gain for kittens?

The first six months of a kitten's life are the most active in terms of growth. Accordingly, if the baby is healthy and develops normally, he will regularly gain weight:

Before the baby turns 1 month old, he rapidly gains weight - about 15 g per day. At the same time, by the end of the 1st week, the kitten should double its birth weight. Weigh him daily during this period. From 1 to 2 months, weight gain occurs systematically, on average 100–150 g per week. Weigh the baby once every 3 days. After 2 months, weight gain varies from person to person. It depends on the breed and nutrition of the animal. He is weighed weekly for up to 6 months, then once a month for up to a year.

It is important that there is weight gain. If it is absent, you should contact your veterinarian to find out the reasons.

Since there are no exact indicators of body weight gain (much depends on the individual characteristics of the animal, its living conditions and diet), the owner should focus on the average weight standards for kittens.

Table: average body weight of kittens in the first 6 months of life

Short-term stabilization of weight in a kitten

The phenomenon of short-term weight stabilization often occurs. There is no need to panic if the kitten’s weight gain “frozen” for several days, and then continues in the same progression.

Such an anomaly can manifest itself at any time stage of the baby’s life. It often occurs when there is a transition from breastfeeding to regular food (dry food or natural food). This is due to the fact that the baby’s body goes through a period of adaptation to receiving new nutrients.

However, you should worry if there are no changes for more than a few days (for example, a week). This may mean that the kitten is malnourished or sick or infected with parasites. You should visit a veterinarian as soon as possible if, after weight stagnation, body weight begins to decrease rather than increase.

Table: kitten weights by month (values ​​for popular breeds)

How to determine weight standards for a mongrel kitten

When it is not possible to determine what breed a kitten is, it is necessary to use average indicators. The size of the baby will change in accordance with its development. There are a number of factors that allow you to predict a kitten’s weight gain. For example, when he switches from breast milk to a normal diet, the weight may decrease slightly.

After the 6th month of life, weight gain is not of decisive importance. If the cat is active, eats well, and has no problems visiting the litter box, then there is no need to worry too much. The veterinarian should be observed on a schedule determined by the doctor (basically it coincides with the vaccination schedule).

Having mongrel cats and a dog adopted from the street, I regularly visit the veterinarian. All my animals have veterinary passports, are vaccinated and sterilized. This way I protect not only them, but also my family. After all, some diseases (and at least the same worms) can be transmitted to humans. Since my children play with animals, I have a strict order in this matter.

Weight in the first months of life

By the end of the first month of life, kittens will gain an average of 0.5 kg of weight. By 2 months the weight approaches or exceeds a kilogram. After the 3rd month, weight is set at 1.5 kg or more. 4 months after birth, each kitten will become “heavier” to an average of 2.8 kg.

The rate of weight gain is nonlinear - by the end of the first year of life, growth slows down until it stops (adult male or female “Scots”). From the 5th month, body weight gain begins to slow down, and the kitten reaches 3.2 kg. When tracking the dynamics of weight gain, approximately 20% of the situation is predetermined by the genetic data of both parents. A six-month-old kitten weighs on average about 2 kg.

Weight and size standards

The weight table shows the maximum and minimum values ​​for males and females:

First days

Thanks to mother's milk, babies grow very quickly.

British kittens, compared to other cat breeds, are born large, with a healthy newborn weighing from 60 to 140 grams. The first days after birth are very important for a kitten, which means it must receive the required amount of vitamins through its mother's milk. If a kitten was born with too little weight or, conversely, too much weight, this means that there are disruptions in the development of the body, the presence of some kind of disease. In this case, you need to contact a veterinarian. Healthy pets gain weight very well in the first seven days; they become 1.5 times heavier.

Second week

The weight of a British cat during this period reaches 210 grams, and large ones can reach a maximum weight of 400 grams. Up to a month, kittens become more mobile, and the most active, early ones, can open their eyes. Starting from 3-4 weeks, you can start giving complementary foods, depending on the development and growth rate of the baby. By the first month, the Briton gains another 250 grams, and large ones grow during this time and can weigh about half a kilogram.

1-2 months

By two months, babies can eat special food that will help them develop further.

At one month old, the babies have already opened their eyes and become active and mobile.

During this period, it is important to monitor the balanced and proper nutrition of the British; you need to observe how he eats and what his reaction is to food. If you feed with food, then you need to choose a very good one, since unsuitable food can cause urolithiasis. By the end of the first month, the average weight of a kitten should reach 600 grams, within a week it gains another 100 grams, by the second month it should weigh from 700 grams to 1.5 kilograms

By the end of the first month, the average weight of a kitten should reach 600 grams, within a week it gains another 100 grams, and by the second month it should weigh from 700 grams to 1.5 kilograms.

3-4 months

At this age, the body weight of kittens depends on gender, the British female grows up to 1.5 kg, and the male up to 2 kilograms. With a diet enriched with vitamins, kittens grow 100 grams daily. At the 4th month of their life, they look like adult pets, the body becomes prominent and the structure is more muscular, the average weight of a female ranges from 1.7 to 2.4 kg, a male 2.1-3.9. The weight of a British kitten at 4 months depends not only on nutrition, but also on heredity, so from this age its size varies up to 2 kilograms. If the kitten's weight reaches 4 kilograms at 4 months, you need to consult a veterinarian.

Up to six months

A six-month-old pet becomes quite large and weighty.

At 5 months, the kitten increases its weight by 1.5-2 times, this is half the body weight of this breed. The norm during this period for females is 2.2-2.9 kg, for males 2.6-4.5 kilograms. In six months, a cat gains from 3 kg to 5.4 kg, and the weight of a British cat is 2.3-3.6 kilograms. Pets of this breed are quite large pets, the main thing is not to overfeed them, this has a bad effect on their development.

UK sizes per year

During this period, the cat reaches a size of 4.5-8 kg, and cats - 2.5-5.5 kg. The maximum weight that cats of this breed can reach at 1 year is 7 kilograms. The weight of a castrated male at this age is 4.5-9.5 kg, and a sterilized female is from 2.5 to 6 kg. Pets should be weighed at the same time; normally, they should gain 100 g daily, the average weight of an adult cat reaches 8 kilograms, cats - 5.5 kilograms.

Recommendations for introducing complementary foods

For meat products, it is recommended to give preference to boiled or pre-frozen beef.

1. Initially, you can put small pieces directly into the kitten’s mouth, and then gradually begin to accustom him to the plate. At 2.5 months, the pet should already be able to eat on its own.
2. It is not recommended to give several different foods at once - this can lead to constipation. Also, if an animal develops an allergy, it will be difficult to determine what exactly. You can detect an allergic reaction by lifting the kitten's tail - there will be yellowish stains under it.
3. The best source of calcium is cream with 10-15% fat content - it can be given 2 times a week in small portions from 4 weeks.

You should not feed your kitten canned food, purees, pasta or minced meat - these products have a negative effect on the digestive tract and can cause diarrhea.

At 1 year of age, you can stop monitoring your pet’s weight every month—after that, there won’t be much noticeable changes in your pet’s size or weight.

If the weight of a fold-eared cat is significantly lower than the specified minimum values, and tests do not reveal problems in the digestive tract, the doctor will help balance the diet and prescribe a vitamin complex.

Kitten at birth

Newborn “Scots” do not see, do not hear, and cannot regulate the temperature of their body. Babies have no undercoat - the hairs practically do not warm them. Kittens find it difficult to stand on their feet. Their bones are still very fragile, which is why it is important to treat the animal with care.

Scottish cats sleep all day, and during short periods of wakefulness they suck milk. Sleep is very important for them - at this time the nervous system continues to form. Babies cannot defecate - this process is stimulated by the mother cat, who cleans the “nest” of children’s excrement.

Kittens that have just been born already have a fairly developed sense of smell and touch - they quickly find their mother by smell and feel her nipples with their paws. Along with milk, the cat produces colostrum, which is rich in substances necessary for the formation of stable immunity in babies.

Human concern lies in two aspects: arranging a cozy corner for the cat family, balanced feeding of the mother. The owner changes the bedding and, if necessary, installs a heater or heating pad. Next to the “nest” he places bowls with water and food for the mother, her tray.

In the photo, video - a newborn Scottish:

This is interesting: Names for Scottish cats for girls

Feeding in the first year of life

Like kittens of other breeds, Scottish kittens consume only mother's milk up to 3 weeks. If an accident occurs, for example, a Scottish cat died during childbirth, from a malignant disease or due to accidental poisoning, or ran out onto the roadway, refused to feed the kittens, or other accidents, then orphaned kittens will benefit from milk formulas that are extremely close in composition to cat milk.

Good products are produced, for example, by Royal Canin, which specializes mainly in dog and cat food. Manufacturers of such products ensure that the fat content does not exceed 10%, and the vitamin content of the compositions is sufficient for the growing body of dogs and cats.

If there is no specialized store or veterinary hospital with a mini-store nearby where you can choose food for any kittens and puppies, act independently. To reduce the fat content, village (farm) milk is diluted in half with boiled water or cleared of cream and given to a newborn kitten to taste. They begin to feed it off, gradually reducing the number of meals per day from day to day, but increasing the volume of each complementary food.

You can take the nutrition of any average outbred kitten as a basis - all kittens consume approximately the same amount of milk. A specific breed - the same Scottish cats - requires its own amount of food in the first days and weeks of life, but you can save the life of your ward and let him grow up, adhering to the norm of “street” kittens.

The main thing is not to overfeed, not to underfeed, and not to forget about feeding regularly, otherwise the kitten will be late in gaining weight and will not develop properly, which will lead to illness and premature death later.

What can I do to make my cat get better?

First of all, understand the reasons for thinness

If the animal is healthy, you should pay attention to the diet

On natural food

You should not feed your pet fatty foods. It will contribute to the increase in adipose tissue, which will make the cat bigger and heavier, but will be a colossal burden on the liver. A pet will gain weight faster and without risk to health when there is a lot of meat in its diet, and feeding will be carried out in small portions, several times a day.

To build muscle mass, you need proteins - animal and vegetable. For this purpose, it is recommended to give the cat:

beef and offal

It is important that the meat is pre-frozen. Before feeding the pet, the product is allowed to thaw to room temperature;

It is recommended to include lean meat (beef) in your cat’s diet.

• cartilage broth;
• chicken meat, preferably breast. Despite all the benefits of chicken, you should not get carried away with it, so as not to provoke an allergy in your cat;
• eggs, preferably quail;
• bran and oatmeal in the form of porridge;
• boiled sea fish, boneless and in moderation;
• cream with less than 10% fat content;
• fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese), which are also a source of calcium and also contribute to better digestion of food.

On the finished core

In this case, everything is much simpler. As a rule, cats that eat premium food look healthy and well-fed. This is explained by the fact that the compositions are perfectly balanced and contain the entire complex of elements necessary for normal nutrition of the cat. Each manufacturer's line includes products for animals that take into account their age, health status and other characteristics.

It’s not easy to navigate the assortment. To do this, you need to know everything about your pet, down to its taste preferences, which will greatly simplify the task. Each food package contains detailed information about the composition of the product, as well as which cats and in what quantity it is best to give the product.

As for economy segment feeds, they contain practically no meat. Cats that consume such food for a long time receive insufficient nutrition, which may have adverse effects on their health. Those who believe that the problem can be solved by feeding their pet chicken or cutlets are mistaken:

• firstly, food familiar to people is not always suitable for cats;
• secondly, you should strictly adhere to the chosen nutrition system. That is, you cannot feed the animal both “dry” and “natural” at the same time.

A cat's digestive system adapts to process certain types of food. Thus, dry food is digested easily and quickly, while natural food takes longer to digest. The combination of elements of both nutritional systems threatens serious eating disorders.

How to feed little Scots

As mentioned above, the first feeding of Scots begins at three weeks of age. In order for a Scot to be healthy and gain the required weight, he needs to be well fed. The Scot will consume breast milk for up to 2-3 months, after which he must finally switch to a diet independent of the mother.

How and what to feed your Scottish baby:

• Starting from 3 weeks, you can give finely chopped (scraped) frozen or boiled beef. It must be placed in the baby’s mouth, it is better to start with once a day and gradually increase to three times. Around the end of the 4th week, they will be able to cope on their own without your help.
• You cannot give several new products at once (in one day). This will help track the moment if the kids develop allergies.
• Canned food, purees and minced meat should also be excluded. No matter how strange it may sound, in this form the products are not accepted by the stomach, so the nutrients will not reach their target. Moreover, the baby may have loose stools.
• You can start giving cream with 10% fat as early as a month. In order for the baby to drink them himself, you will have to help him. Dip your finger in the cream and touch it to your pet's nose. If he likes the taste, you can slightly push his face towards the saucer.
• Carry out regular inspection of your pets, namely, look under their tail. If there are yellow or brown stains on the fur, this indicates that the kitten is having an allergic reaction to something.
• Raw yolk is also a suitable complementary food. It should be given according to the principle of cream.
• If you want to feed your babies with specialized industrially produced food in the future, then it is best to start giving them from the age of one month. Naturally, in this case you do not give them natural food. Initially, the food will have to be soaked in warm water and lubricated with it on the baby's palate . So they will try it. After that, it is necessary to reduce the moisture content of the feed. Gradually, the kids will get used to it and will consume it in dry form.
• By 10 weeks, all babies should be able to eat and drink on their own. You should start taking care of your mother cat.

How to maintain body weight

To ensure the kitten’s full development and weight gain according to the established norms, it is necessary to take care of proper complementary feeding. It is recommended to introduce it from about 3 weeks.

From this point on, the cat's breast milk cannot fully provide a sufficient amount of calories, so the active growth of the animal may stop.

To maintain your pet's weight, new foods must be introduced correctly, following these guidelines:

• As the first “adult” food, a kitten can be given lean meat. Preference should be given to beef. The meat must be boiled or pre-frozen. First, you can put it in small pieces directly into the animal’s mouth. Gradually, the kitten needs to be taught to eat from a bowl. By 10 weeks the cat should be able to eat on his own.
• It is recommended to introduce new products one at a time. You cannot give 2 new ingredients at once on the same day. The digestive system will have a hard time coping with this. In addition, if an allergic reaction occurs, it will be difficult to understand which product triggered it.
• For normal growth of the kitten, calcium must be administered. Its source can be 10% fat cream. They can be given from the age of 1 month.
• During the period of introducing complementary foods, you need to carefully monitor the condition of your pet. Experts recommend periodically looking under the kitten’s tail. If yellow or brown streaks appear on the fur, this indicates the presence of an allergic reaction.
• You should not give your kitten canned food, minced meat or puree. They negatively affect the state of the digestive system. Many people believe that pureed foods are better accepted by the body. But such food can cause prolonged diarrhea. It is better to give harder food so that teeth develop faster.

A sudden change in diet can affect your pet's growth and development. Therefore, the owner of the kitten must choose in advance what he will feed it: natural products or commercial food.

Industrial products need to be selected according to the age of the kitten. It is important to purchase only high-quality feed that contains all the necessary vitamins and mineral elements that ensure the active growth and development of the animal.

To maintain body weight, muscle development, and growth, the kitten must be provided with sufficient physical activity. Regular games with your pet will help strengthen the musculoskeletal system and the proper development of internal organs.

If the cat’s weight begins to change up or down, this is a reason to immediately contact a veterinarian.

The first days of a kitten

In the first weeks, the young fluffy eats only mother's milk, and per day gains from 10 to 20 grams. So, if the weight after birth is known, then in the coming days you can estimate it with a certain accuracy without weighing.

At this time, babies are still blind, so they move little, staying close to the cat’s nipples. This circumstance contributes to the accumulation of mass, since the cub receives calories, but almost does not consume them. In addition, young creatures mainly sleep, so that by the time they are half-mooned they often weigh about 250 grams.

In order for the kittens to develop properly, the owner must be attentive to the optimality of the menu and the quality of the products that the mother cat eats. So you should purchase specially formulated food for her, and you should not set food restrictions for her.

By the half-month of life, babies have eyes. It is during this period that young fluffies begin to master movement on their own little paws. By this time, the baby’s weight can reach 420 grams. Just at this time, when kittens learn to walk, play and have fun, their appetite increases, so that their weight gain accelerates.

From the end of the third week, it is allowed to begin introducing the kittens to complementary foods a little at a time. But you should be aware that from the very beginning of complementary feeding this should be done using high-quality products.

The best choice would be specialized bagged food and canned food for kittens. It is not advisable to purchase cheap food, since it provokes the appearance of all kinds of diseases, for example, kidney stones.