How to tell cat's age

Can any of you who breed tell me how I can tell my young cat's age? IF he did belong to the owner who said I could keep him (long story) he would be over 2 years old, BUT he looked like he was under a year when I got him and still, 4 months later, acts like my Ben did before he hit two years.

Here he is on my computer desk shortly after I adopted him and then now!


Panther on computer desk watching me compute



Panther just about to Pounce on Ben who is on his back in the back yard

Ben is my Tabby and he is 2 1/2 years and not that big but cobby!

Once they are a year or 2 its kinda hard to tell. I know when we took our first cat (full grown neutered male) to the vet he had to estimate his age between 2-3 yrs old. The vet can kinda go by the teeth; maybe size or how many to estimate the age.

You can't go by how a cat acts (for age) because each has his own personality. I adopted a red tabby kitten (4/5 months old) from the shelter and he acted more like an adult cat - very laid back. We think he was a reincarnation of my first cat - lots of similarities and would sorta explain the lack of acting like a 4/5 month old kitten.

BTW the kitten was very healthy - just laid back and more "grownup" then normal. And my 14 yr old rex sometimes gets a "burst of energy" and races around the house like he's 3 yrs old!

From those pictures and of the stories you have shared about him he does look quite young. 2-3 years I'm guessing.