By 6 months, your kitten is moving into adolescence - they’ll still be growing but will look more like an adult cat. This guide will take you through the changes your kitten goes through at this stage as they head towards becoming a fully-fledged adult cat!

Kitty Behaviour

From 6 months up to 1 year, your cat is considered to be junior, adolescent or going through their teenage years! Continue to use positive reinforcement and reward acceptable behaviours with small treats, toys or playtime.

Your cat needs to learn where they can climb and scratch. Gently remove them from places you’re not happy for them to climb and provide them with a cat tower or climbing tree instead. A scratching post will save your lovely furniture from being damaged.

Various toys including food puzzle toys are a great way of keeping them busy and entertained and your belongings safe. If you find your kitten is becoming naughty or even a bit destructive, ask your vet for advice on the best way to deal with this behaviour.

Cats at this stage will be more independent and may want to put their hunting skills that they’ve been practicing into use. Hunting is part of a cat’s normal behaviour. It not only keeps your cat physically fit but also provides mental stimulation.

If your cat goes outdoors and you don’t want them to terrorise the birds and other wildlife in your garden, try putting a bell on their collar. And don’t be surprised if they bring their catch back indoors. The only way to stop this is by keeping your cat indoors.

If you choose to keep your cat indoors they’ll turn to you for their fun and games. So, take the time to play with them a couple of times a day to keep them entertained and out of mischief.

Kitten Feeding

You may now be thinking about changing your kitten’s diet to a junior diet. Changing their food should be done gradually by mixing the new cat food in with the old kitten food over 10 days to 2 weeks. Start with 75% old food to 25% new and then adjust slowly until they’re being fed 100% new food. Making this transition gradually means there’s less chance of your cat having an upset tummy and also means they’re more likely to accept the new diet.

If you’re concerned about your cat’s weight, check the portion size on the packaging and weigh out the correct amount. Your vet or vet nurse can check their growth rate and advise you as needed.

By 12 months, most cats are ready to go onto adult food.

Grooming and Dental Care

By 6 months, your cat should have all their 30 adult teeth. Keep up the toothbrushing at least three times a week to help prevent dental problems, especially as they get older.

Cats should be used to their regular grooming sessions by now, and if they need their eyes cleaned, you can do this with a damp, clean, soft cloth. Check their teeth, claws, skin and coat when you groom your cat. If you have any worries, ask your vet for advice.

Housetraining

If your cat has become stubborn about using their litterbox, perhaps something is putting them off. Try moving the tray to somewhere quieter and more private or change the brand of litter. Cats prefer not to share a litter tray with other cats and like the tray to be kept very clean. There should be a litterbox for each cat in the household plus one extra.

Cat Neutering

Most cats will have been neutered by now – if not, make an appointment with your vet who will be happy to discuss the procedure with you and the effects of neutering on your cat’s health and welfare. It’s never too late for your cat to be neutered and it will stop your female cat having unwanted pregnancies and can prevent your male Tom roaming the neighbourhood, getting into fights!

Socialisation and Training

Continue to give positive reinforcement for good behaviour. Praise them and reward them with playtime together or small treats when they do something you want them to do. Ignore any unwanted behaviour and never shout or punish them.

Cats can be allowed outside now and can be trained to use a cat flap. If they’re wary of using one, try enticing them through with some tasty treats or their favourite toy. If you want to leave them outdoors unsupervised, make sure they’ve been microchipped, neutered, and vaccinated.

Provide your cat with a collar with their name and address - a quick release collar is best so that if the collar gets snagged on something, the clasp releases and they can escape without injury. Practice calling them in when it’s their mealtime and praise them when they do.

If you think your cat will enjoy learning tricks such as ‘sit’ or 'fetch’, short training sessions are best. Reward them with high value treats – whatever appeals the most to your cat. Some cats respond to food, others to toys or play. However, some cats will just not be interested and will just walk away!

Cat Healthcare

Cats should have had their second vaccinations by now, but booster injections will be needed when they’re one years old. This will all be detailed on their vaccination record. And your vet practice may send out email reminders, so you don’t forget.

If you don’t know the vaccination status of your cat, don’t worry. A course of vaccinations can be started again to make sure they’re fully protected from any nasty diseases.

You should still be continuing with worming treatment every 3 months. And your vet will advise on the best flea treatment for your cat. Never be afraid to talk to your vet about any health concerns you may have, even if you think they’re minor issues. Your vet will always be happy to help and advise you.

By 12 months, your cat is now considered to be an adult and reached their full size. Unless of course they’re a large, slow-growing breed like the Maine Coon. They can take a few years before they’re fully grown.

Most cats will have made the transition to adult food. And, with the social skills learnt along the way, they’ll have developed into a friendly, easy-going member of the family. Time to celebrate this milestone!

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Felis – https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.