When do cats "mellow out"?

I know kittens are all fun and games, and then they eventually "grow up" and aren't as interested in playing. I'm wondering when that happens. Willow mellowed out when she was... hmm... Well, she never really played (what a meanie she was! lol) but she mellowed out to some degree when she was about 6-9 months. Our previous cat, Grizzly, was with us for 8 years (11 years this year) so i don't remember when he "mellowed out."

Why do I ask? Well, just curiousity, plus Buffy, who turned 1 year old last month, is as feisty as she's ever been. Just earlier today, she was attacking my toes like you wouldn't believe, and then did a "zoomie" around the room, did a "batman" jump on Willow, did another zoomie, and went back to attacking my toes. She's always ready to play, no matter what she's doing, and she always drops what she's doing if you jingle her little mousie (the one thats attached to the string thats attached to a wand). So... Surely there are alot of cats who're still kittens at 12 1/2 months, right? lol! How about cats who gained energy when they were spayed (or neutered)? Buffy is so strange... (but I wouldn't trade her for anything, lol)

Yup... Just another random question that comes up...

I've never had kittens, so can't answer when it typically happens. But one of my furbabies still has what I've always considered kitten-like behavior at about eight years. He tears up and down the hall and up over my bed at 4:30 am, chases his tail (yes, sometimes that is on top of my bed during the night, too) and chases the laser light up and down the stairs. He tries to engage Red Cat in play, whether a wrestling match or a game of tag. Red Cat is about the same age, but rarely engages in any play any more, except for a chase with Purdy a few times a week. I'm not sure which is more typical of that age cat. My guess is that these two are at close to the extremes for their age.

Rosie who recently turned two can still run around like she did as a kitten but not as bad, but now i have another kitten who is only 8 weeks old and it's as if Rosie has a surge of 'extra' energy!!

Axl is 12 and he still has his moments, he only has to see a pen and he goes nuts, he likes to roll them and chase them over the wooden floor.

ah, speaking of pens... Both cats, especially Buffy, take pleasure in pushing them over the edge of the dresser or desk they may be sitting on. If they see a pen, they'll start pushing it from side to side with their paws, and the pen eventually plunges to its death when it gets too close to the edge... RIP...

Thanks for the replies!

Which reminds me...once about a year ago I missed paying a VISA bill because one of my cats apparently threw the bill in the waste basket! The next month when I received the late payment notice and penalty, I assumed that I must have just misplaced the bill, as I did remember having seen it. But when it never did show up again and I found my hand-held calculator in the wastebasket, I reached the conclusion that one of my furbabies must have dumped the bill over the side of the desk and into the waste basket, and it got discarded unnoticed! Needless to say, I no longer keep the waste basket beside my desk. It is now under it!

Muddy was born mellow. Stumpy is still going strong at age 9. I think it's all in the personality!

All the books I have read say something like "kittens love playing and play fighting enjoy the fun while you can, it doesn't last long once they are 6 months old it stops". Fortunately for them and us they can't read. All my cats still play fight the oldest are just over a year old and they roll on the floor together like the younger ones. Tara (1 year old) also has a special dance she does. And they all tear about the house chasing after each other, it's like a non-stop payground until they suddenly all collapse and go to sleep. I love it.

It also depends on the breed in my opinion. I have heard that Miikka will probably not settle down because she is my little acrobatic siamese

aaww Miikka - what great fun.

My cats have definately mellowed out...they sleep a majority of the time now...of course they are almost 6 years old. I would say they started "mellowing" out after 5.

Katie