Why The 4-Month-Old Mark is Significant for a Kitten

kitten

After adopting a cat, it is essential to know the consequences of its natural tendencies to be able to provide it with the best care. The following is a guide on why the 4-month-old mark is significant for a kitten and what to expect.

Typically, a 4-month-old kitten has spent much time with its mum and breeder in the home. Various changes take place when a cat attains this age. They include the following.

Physical development

The size of a kitten at 4 months depends on various factors such as its breed, how well it has been nursing from the mum and whether it is male or female. Generally, males are usually larger than females.

This difference is usually present from birth but is difficult to see in the beginning because it is just a matter of grams. At the age of 4 months, female kittens from a small breed, such as the Singapura, might have only gained their first kilo. On the other hand, a male Maine Coon cat may have already weighed 2.5 kilograms.

Behavior changes

At the age of 4 months, kittens are amazingly resourceful and curious hunters of enjoyable things to eat and do. However, some of those things are dangerous. It is almost inevitable that you will find your kitten acting in a weird manner like trying to escape each time a door is opened and climbing walls. According to vetstreet.com, 4-month-old kittens are about to get a large surge of teenage hormones.

To prevent unwanted parenthood, you can neuter or spay the kitten. For males, neutering can help eliminate the risks associated with roving around their neighborhood in search of available female cats and fighting with other male cats.

For females, spaying can prevent unwanted pregnancies and unpleasant vocalizations linked with being in heat. Furthermore, spaying can minimize the risk of certain cancers, including ovarian, mammary, and uterine cancer. Neutering can reduce the chances of male cats developing testicular cancer and the likelihood of spraying.

Appearance

Three-month-old kittens usually appear distinctly kittenish, but 4-month-old kittens start to appear much more like adult cats. Their limbs begin to get longer in proportion to their bodies, and their features begin to get more refined. They usually have their soft and fluffy baby coat, which is replaced by an adult coat at around 5 to 6 months old. An adult coat is glossier and thicker.

Diet

Whether you choose to feed your kitten wet food, dry food, raw food, or home-cooked meals, it is essential to ensure that the diet you select for it at each stage of growth is nutritionally-balanced and complete.

Cats require at least a third of their diet to come from protein from animal sources. However, even kittens that eat a raw meat diet entirely may suffer nutritional deficiencies. At the age of 4 months, kittens still require their diet to contain more phosphorous and calcium than is available in most adult cat foods.

Therefore, if the range of food you select has separate products for adults and kittens, opt for the kitten version for now. It is also essential to feed your kitten based on the feeding guide on the packaging of their food, that is if a veterinarian has not advised you otherwise.

If you use treats during the day to reward your cat for good behavior or create positive associations with activities such as wearing a harness or grooming, deduct a little bit from its diner to prevent it from gaining weight too fast. In the opinion of thehappycatsite.com, the treats should account for ten percent of the cat’s daily calories.

Teething

After your kitten attains the age of 4 months, you might notice that its adult teeth are coming through. This process usually begins shortly after kittens attain the age of 3 months and continues until they are around six months old.

The front teeth come through first, and their molars usually follow them. It is even possible to find that some of their baby teeth drop on their bed or floor. Kittens also swallow a few teeth, but you do not need to worry because the teeth are tiny.

Kittens at four months old might also get chewy due to discomfort resulting from the eruption of their adult teeth. It is advisable to buy some robust teething toys and redirect your kitten to them anytime it chews on something it should not.

Play

By the age of 4 months, you might feel that you are getting to know the personality of your kitten. Hopefully, you are celebrating his quirks and reveling in discovering everything that makes him unique.

At four months, kittens enjoy a varied and rich repertoire of games. The favorite games of kittens might include play hunting toys, and they probably get more coordinated at it. It is adorable to watch a kitten play, and you can buy your pet interactive cat toys.

Scratching

Scratching is a hard-wired and in-born behavior in kittens. It serves various essential functions such as marking territory, grooming, stretching, and emotional release. Cats scratch instinctively in places that people pass by regularly, such as doorways. Kittens need to scratch, and if you do not want them to scratch your furniture and carpets, you should provide them with a better alternative.

Toilet training

You might be struggling to train your 4month old kitten to use the litter box reliably. If that is the case, you can seek help. In the opinion of sciencedirect.com, soiling is the commonest reason why people surrender cats to animal shelters.

You do not need to struggle with this alone until you get to the point where you feel that the only viable option is to give up your cat. Request your veterinarian to rule out underlying physical problems like a urinary tract infection.

If that is not the issue, consult with a behaviorist to understand why your cat is not toileting appropriately. Some reasons why your kitten might soil your home include a covered litter box or being uncomfortable with the litter box’s location. The other reason could be that the litter box is already soiled.

Vaccinations

Generally, the antibodies that kittens receive from their mother’s milk protect them against infection, and their effects wear off when they attain the age of 4 months. Therefore, it is vital to ensure that your kitten undergoes the vaccinations it needs at four months.

These vaccines include final booster shots for rabies, feline calicivirus, viral rhinotracheitis, and panleukopenia. Many kittens also obtain a booster shot against the feline leukemia virus simultaneously, but it is not regarded as one of the main vaccines.

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