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Cats/Cat maturity??

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Expert: - 7/4/2011


Question
I am fascinated with cat maturity. I'm just wondering if cats change from the time they are adolescents to the time they are adults?? I was told that cats undergo a change from kitten to adult and I wanted to know when it occurs. Why types of changes occur? Also, are these drastic changes, or do they take time?

Answer
James,

Yes cats do change from adolescence into adulthood.  Depending on the breed and body confirmation, cats cam mature as young as 18 months or as old as 5 years of age.  Once they hit about 10 years, they should be considered geriatric.  The average indoors domestic feline lives about 12 - 15 years, some younger, some much older.  Like people, it depends on the individual, its genes and whether or not it encounters disease or accidents along the way.  None of the chnages (except disease or accidents) are drastic but take time.  All this is part of the natural aging process just like in humans.

The biggest problems in geriatric cats will be some arthritis and kidney issues. Again, these are gradual and not obvious until symptoms are rather pronounced.

Best regards... NOrm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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