My cat is tiny but healthy. Should I be concerned about her size?

She doesn't seem very small to me from looking at the pictures, but pictures can be misleading, so I'd have to see her in-person to really tell. Stunted growth essentially happens for four different reasons: 1) Hormone deficiency - would be a very small cat (almost kitten-sized). 2) Genetics 3) Disease - such a liver shunt, or high parasite load 4) Lack of proper nutrition at a young age In the pictures, Diamond Nilo appears to be well proportioned, has a good coat and is generally not sickly appearing. This information actually goes a long way to saying that it's likely just genetics -- she is just a smaller breed. If she had any of the other conditions, then it would be more obvious by now, because she would have deformities, or continually showing signs of illness. Without knowing her whole history, it's difficult to know how healthy she is, but if you are not noticing any other problems with her, then I would not worry about getting bad news at the vet's office. I hope that helps and all is well with Diamond Nilo.

What a cutie! She looks healthy but being so small is a concern. I do recommend a veterinary exam when she’s due for vaccinations and checking a fecal sample for intestinal parasites. Some kittens grow at a slower rate so I’m not overly concerned about it yet, but if she doesn’t grow then she may have a medical problem that should be addressed. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tobi.

Poor Shadow! This could just be her normal. Cats can actually have multiple dads from the same litter so it is possible that her dad was a more petite cat. There is also the possibility that she has a genetic issue that prevents her from growing normally like poor absorption of nutrients or a liver shunt. If she is completely normal, then I wouldn’t be overly concerned. If you are concerned or if she doesn’t act like the others, then I would talk to your vet. Your vet can do some blood work, fecal and possibly even X-rays, an ultrasound and specific GI bloodwork if needed to see what could be causing the poor growth. I hope this helps!

Noushmc might just be a small cat! If she eats a correct portion of food for her weight and age and if she continues to grow, even if slowly, if her appetite is good, the urination and defecation is normal and she is happy and playful, I wouldn't be worried at the moment. I recommend to record her weight every week to monitor the increase. Please post again on the forum if you would like to discuss it further. I hope my answer was helpful.

Sometimes kittens are born as dwarf and will not grow much. This is a rare congenital disorder. More often kittens that do not thrive or grow normally have a congenital heart defect or a liver shunt. I suggest you have Foxy examined by a vet to rule out the latter problems, as there will be healt implications for her future life. Here is some information on those conditions: https://www2.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/portosystemic-shunt https://www2.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/congenital-heart-disorders

If Silver is almost three years old now, she should be completely finished growing - so I would not expect her to get any bigger. Some cats do stay very petite in size; this isn't necessarily abnormal, as long as she seems healthy otherwise. If she is eating and drinking fine, active, and not overly skinny then I wouldn't worry - she may just be a small kitty :)

Some cats are naturally smaller than others, and it's due to their genetics. I have a Persian male cat who is quite small as well, and he doesn't weigh very much. It could also be due to a deficiency with digesting nutrients, and it would be recommended to have a health check done on Allee to be sure she is healthy.