Slowly Maturing Breeds

I have a question on the growth patterns of slowly maturing breeds.

Smudge, as you may know, is a Ragdoll and we hear he will reach his full growth at about 4 years. He will be 2 on Sunday.

So recently, he hasn't really seemed to gain any weight (maybe even lost a 1/2 or 1 pound???) but he seems to be getting really leggy. I know my kids sorta do this - grow out, then UP. Do cats grow in that same pattern? (He's incredibly hyper, so I think that may account for losing a bit of weight.)

Thanks!

I think so, with Charlie his legs got longer and he's working on filling out the body now - will be 2 yrs in August. Oci's can take up to 2 yrs to fully mature.

Between the ages of 9 months and 14 months he was "out of it" - still finalled but as he ages, he's getting more finals and doing better in the shows.

I know some of my cats went through a "gangly" stage, but even more than that my dog, Chewbacca, did!

He was a very cute fluffy puppy, then one day he was this tall, skinny, oh-my-goodness-what-did-I-adopt thing.



He eventually did fill out and now tops the scales over 100 pounds.

I love your Smudge... one day I would like to be owned by a Ragamuffin (or Ragdoll). One day :bluewink:

Thanks for the reassurance - I just realized I've only had a kitten once before, and she was a petite little thing. I was a little worried about the weight loss since that was first Smudge's initial symptom of FIP.

Maybe you should take him to the vet then? Just to make sure everything is okay.

I think that as a whole, Long-hairs mature more slowly than short-hairs. I imagine much of it has to do with growing their coats