Weight isn’t always an accurate prediction of a kitten’s adult size, because a small chubby kitten can weigh more than a larger lean kitten at any given time.
This article is about Maine Coons, but there’s no reason why it wouldn’t apply to Ragdolls. I only recently found this article and haven’t had a chance to research it yet, but the reasoning behind it seems good. I only include the first part here, because it is an article, and has pictures and charts, etc.
http://www.keoka.com/sie.htm
“Size isn’t Everything – They Say” by David Brinicombe
first published in: Maine Coon International – Winter 1996/7
”
Maine Coons are a large but lean breed, but how do you measure them? A heavy cat may be just obese, so a measurement of length has been devised which can be used for young kittens to adults. A fascinating finding is that this measurement is remarkably consistent and can be used to predict eventual adult sizes of very young kittens.
You’ve got a box full of squeaking maggots squirming around a proud mum and want to know which are going to be worth showing or breeding from. How can you possibly tell at such a young age? Of course you can’t, but in two weeks time you can start gathering real clues about the size they may finish up as adults. What! Two weeks? Yup.
The catch phrase with Maine Coons is “choose type over size”, but I do like the biggies. A small Maine looks like another moggy, but nothing can compare with a magnificent large male. But how large is large? How do you measure a cat? Weight is easy to measure but how do you distinguish between a long skinny kitten and a small fat one? I reckon that weight is not the most fundamental way to measure size, and is not an accurate method of predicting their eventual size as adults.
I claim to be able to predict the eventual size of kittens before they are weaned, to within about an inch. This is perhaps a rather bold claim, and needs qualifying, but my system has turned up something quite remarkable about growth rates. What I do is compare the length of kittens against each other and, knowing what a similar litter did, I can make a surprisingly accurate guess at a kitten’s eventual size as an adult. Measuring What?
...”
Go to the link to continue reading: http://www.keoka.com/sie.htm
.
I have an interest in large-breed cats, particularly Maine Coons, though I have never owned one myself. And these are some (I believe) direct quotes from their owner’s site – in case you want to look for yourself, you can just put part of the sentence inside quotation marks when you search google or yahoo or whatever. It should give you more breeder websites to look at, and most welcome emailed questions.
“Our previous stud boy was a very quick grower and weighed around 5kg at 9 months old but then he seemed to come to a standstill and didn’t put on much more weight at all.”
“Our young stud boy Storm is very small at the moment – only around 3kg at 6 months old but then I know that his dad was a slow grower and stayed long and lean until he was older so I am not worried. He is growing well and maturing, judging by how he loves grabbing the girls round their necks already!!!”
.
SOME OTHER THING TO CONSIDER:
~~ If the kitten truly is substantially larger than his littermates, make sure the kitten is actual a sibling/litter mate who is the same age and that you are not being tricked!
~~ A cat as a comfort/assistance animal is unusual. Have you considered a dog? They’re more easily trained and tend to be much more people-oriented anyway.
~~ In order to increase the chance of your kitten growing to be large, both of the kitten’s parents should also be large. Even grandparents, too.
~~ Sexual dimorphism occurs in domestic cats. Male cats grow larger than female queens.
~~ I don’t entirely understand why size would matter for either an emotional assistance animal or for fetching objects for you, but be sure to consider the temperament of the kitten, too. You want to pick one that is people-oriented, not aloof. That seeks out the attention and affection of people, not plays alone or prefers other cats over people. You want a cat that is adventurous, not is afraid or change or new things; that is calm and easy going, not nervous of new situations.
Please consider educating yourself about the MYM or Meet Your Match personality assessment program. Each Cat has its own Feline-ality! The MYM assessement breaks a cat’s Feline-ality down into 9 categories. http://aspcapro.org/feline-ality
~~ Also, very important, keep in mind that the most profound window for socializing kittens is from two to fourteen weeks of age. This range is called the “critical period of socialization” and marks when your pet stops being an open-minded, impressionable kitten and starts being a close-minded adult cat. You’ll find much more reading material if you search for “how to socialize a puppy” rather than “how to socialize a kitten.”
These socialization efforts make the difference in an animal’s outlook on life. Instead of reacting fearfully to new experiences, the pet is comfortable when encountering new things, animals and people.
Socialization is introducing and familiarizing a pet to new experiences – including people, places, objects, other animals – in ways that help the animal learn how to respond to and interact with these experiences appropriately and without fear. The list of things to socialize a service animal to include umbrellas, canes, wheelchairs, bikes, keys, men with beards, people in hats, young children, passing trucks, odd sounds and sudden, loud noises and other animals. Puppy brains are most inclined to accept new experiences between 4 and 16 weeks of age. Kittens only have until they are 12 or 14 weeks old. Missing this window can socially handicap the pet. Of course, they can still learn, but it is harder. Prevention is far better than rehabilitation, so if you can work within the critical learning window, you and the pet have an immense advantage.
Good luck!!!!!
Composing members:
0
Composing members:
0
