Birth weight does not indicate
the kitten's sex or future development. Many 
times the smallest kitten at birth "catches up". As a
breeder I can only tell the color and pattern of the kitten a few hours
after its birth. Before the kitten begins nursing I check the nose to make
certain it is straight because once it has begun nursing the nose gets
"crunched" into what I call a "nipple nose". It is
also the best time to try to determine the sex of the kitten (my ability
in this category is about 60% accurate). If I miss being able to sex the
kitten at birth I need to wait until it is 3-4 weeks old before I know
for certain. Other than these indicators, birthing time is a time for the
kitten to eat, sleep, eat, sleep. The kittens change greatly from day to
day, and the Norwegian Forest Cat Dams are very attentive and protective.
The Dams gradually put their kittens on a nursing schedule beginning from
constant nursing to more regulated nursing periods. Dams go into heat about
10 days from birth, then again in 30 days and then right back into their
cycles. I prevent my Dams from any opportunity to breed during these times.
At the age of about 3 months the kittens have developed into little
furballs with fat tummies. At this age there are considerable differences
in weight of the kittens. Male kittens may not have yet outgrown their
sisters, and usually there is one of the kittens who still thinks his mother's
milk is the best food in the world. At this age the kittens usually look
in balance or harmonious and well proportioned, but this is not to remain
so. Somewhere between 4-6 months old the kitten body suddenly beings to
grow but not in unison. The body may grow long or the legs get their spurt
of growth. The ears may look like they belong on a bat instead of a cat.
One glorious morning the lengthening tail may reach all the way to the
nose. It is a time of rapid growth of the various parts and often results
in humorous looking kittens. It is only a stage of kitten development.
At
about 10-12 months the kitten body once more becomes proportioned in its
parts. It is now possible to form an idea of what the adult cat is going
to look like. From this period up to adulthood the changes become much
more gradual and subtle. The Wegie is not fully matured until it is about
4-5 years old, females maturing a bit earlier. Not until mature will the
cat reach its maximum adult weight. The Wegie is one of the breed which
has the greatest difference in size between male and female. The females
are often elegant creatures of 8-11 pounds whereas a fully grown male usually
weighs between 12-17 pounds. Neutered cats will get a little bigger and
carry a bit more weight.
There are some who say that a Wegie should not be neutered because it
will not grow to the right size or develop the correct coat. The fact of
the matter is that neutered Wegies often become larger than their fertile
counterparts. Moreover, the neutered Wegie gets a thicker and more beautiful
coat. There are many relatively new statistics indicating early spaying
or neutering does not damage the cats'; growth. I suggest you discuss this
with your veterinarian and weigh the pluses and minuses. Suffice to say
that females and males need to spayed or neutered when they reach sexual
maturity. In the Norwegian Forest Cat breed that time can be anywhere between
10 months to 2 years, depending upon the lines the kittens are coming from.
It is a slow developing breed most usually. Again you should discuss this
with your vet and breeder as the breeder knows the bloodlines.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me; either by
phone or via E mail address. VanirCats@aol.com
