Small Kittens

belongstoevie

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Ok, I know the X-Pack was tiny. I know they should have been 2 lbs, and they are only about 1 lb 4 oz, at 8 wks old. But I talked to the rescue lady again, who has them now, and she makes it sound like it's really terrible they're that small.

I read around on here, and kittens I know grow in spurts. These guys have always worried me, as did their mom, about their weights. Mommy's always been really tiny and didn't eat much (you may remember a thread on that!), and so were the kitties. So I was worried, but after reading on here and talking to some people who work with kittens a lot (not the vet), I was under the impression that as long as they were eating plenty (and they sure were!), gaining weight (even if just a little) and had energy (non stop!) they were fine. I know there's a chance of worms, but since they were still putting on weight, just slowly, I was just going to let them wait until their appointment to be dewormed.

Any thoughts? Do I deserve to be scolded because they're that small and I didn't take them to a vet? Or are they just smaller than normal but still ok?

Thanks guys.
 

mrblanche

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Mama was small?

Here's a quote from my mother, who was 4'11", when someone asked why my brother and I were short.

"You can't expect mice to have elephants."

'Nuff said.
 

goldenkitty45

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If mom was a smaller cat, the kittens usually are small too. The pound per month of age is only an average. My rex kittens were probably about that weight at 2 months old - the adults are only 5-7 lbs max when grown.

Maine coons/Ragdolls are bigger cats, so they probably would weigh more then a pound per month.

As long as the kittens are eating well and playing, etc., I would not worry.
 

mews2much

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My Meeko was 1 pound at 3 Months old but she was sick. My Oreo was the runt and was the size of your Kittens maybe smaller and she is about 7 pounds now and is a small cat. It depends on the parents how big they get.
 
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belongstoevie

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Thanks guys! That's what I had figured, because yeah, mommy was small, too. And they ate plenty, but were by no means starving! They were little pigs, but never acted like they were starving. Even with food of all sorts down, they'd spend most of the time playing with me.

The rescue lady is just upset because she had scheduled their spay / neuter today, but they are too tiny! I don't blame her for being upset, but she should have checked with us first, I would have told her they're too small... Ah well!

I feel much better with your insight that they can be just naturally small.
 

goldenkitty45

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I used to be against early spay/neuter and would recommend them being done at 6-8 months old; however, since kittens are breeding at younger ages (4-5 months old), then I can see having them done at 3-4 months old.

I'm still leary of doing it before 3 months old....I cannot imagine my rex kittens being done at 2 or 3 months old when they are nursing still. If I was breeding now, I'd get them done at 4 months old - just before they went to new homes.
 
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belongstoevie

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I used to be against early spay/neuter and would recommend them being done at 6-8 months old; however, since kittens are breeding at younger ages (4-5 months old), then I can see having them done at 3-4 months old.

I'm still leary of doing it before 3 months old....I cannot imagine my rex kittens being done at 2 or 3 months old when they are nursing still. If I was breeding now, I'd get them done at 4 months old - just before they went to new homes.
I agree completely! These guys are so tiny, they're still babies! They'd still be nursing if mommy would let them... The boys' little testicles haven't even hardly dropped yet!

But she is the rescue lady, she's the boss. What can I do? I guess I am happy for my tiny guys that they are so small- now they will be older when they are fixed so that will be better!
See, things happen for a reason.
 
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