'He's just so small still': Tiny adopted kitten born tiny and never grows bigger, sparking concern in the owner and prompting adorable calming responses from the online cat community

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Feb 21, 2026 10:00 AM EST

Some cats are born just a little different than others, and that doesn't mean that there's something wrong with them.

There are many things that cats have in common. Pretty much all cats love soft and fluffy blankets. And practically all cats will try to steal food off your plate when you're not looking. And essentially all cats will have zoomies in the middle of the night and run right across your face at full speed - at least once in their lives. But even though they have a lot in common, all cats are still unique in their own ways - from the way that they behave to the way that they look. 

Some cats go through all kinds of experiences that leave these cats looking unique. Other cats are born a little chunky and remain that way, no matter how much you try to change that. Some cats are born huge and don't stop growing - and they're not some special breed or something, they're just really large regular cats. And then there are tiny kittens that turn into just-as-tiny cats. That happens too. As long as your kitty is healthy, then you should have no cause for concern. You just have a forever kitten. And that's pretty cute. 

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    "My kitten is still tiny"

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    G Today 8:43 AM
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    Dumbledore is 5 months old and is still the size of like a 2/3m old kitten. He was great, doesn't have any worms or parasites, never gets sick, poops normal. He's just so small still.
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    Should I be concerned? He was a runt but so was his mom and she was way bigger by this age.
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    Desirai Our most recent cat who is now 2 years old, the vet guessed him to be about 8 weeks old when we found him. Until he started things and I took him to the vet, he was already sexually mature. He was about 4 lbs. He is now 6 lbs and very small Genetics, inbreeding, health issues, etc, all can cause small cat
    via Desirai
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    Top-Bet-3863 OP I feel like him being a runt and his mom also being a runt is playing a huge part. His mom is still small too. 7lbs. Hopefully he'll just be a lifetime kitten.
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    BlahajlsGod Double runt? If you have a scale and he's ok with it, you can weigh him every other day to keep track. That way if you're still concerned you can bring it up with the vet and show them.
    via BlahajlsGod
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    Top-Bet-3863 OP Smart. I'll do that. She had 7 kittens. 3 of them were tiny and 2 of the tiny ones unfortunately didn't make it. He was the only one of the three so I had to keep him.
    via Top-Bet-3863
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    Darthsmom What does the vet say? Mine was very underweight and didn't have the right amount of teeth for her age so they did testing and it ended up she has a congenital liver deformity. Might be worth a discussion with your vet.
    via Darthsmom
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    Top-Bet-3863 OP They did all his regular labs and checked for worms and such and there was nothing wrong. Not sure if there is further testing I should ask for?
    via Top-Bet-3863

  • That is the most important thing of all. If you have any suspicions about your cat's development or health, then the one thing that you need to do is go to the vet. Maybe have the cat under observation, coming back every once in a while to check that everything is and remains okay. And if everything is fine, then just enjoy it. the period where your cat is an itty bitty kittty is usually a short one. You might have it forever. Your cat might surprise you and suddenly start growing, and once they do, they will never be kittens again. Cherish it. 

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    amoeba_from_venus 5 months is not too old. My boy cat - the runt of the litter - stayed like that until 6 months. Then we got him neutered and boom, he exploded into a 14lb giant cat within a few months. Dumbledore may have some growth spurt left.
    via amoeba_from_venus
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    Top-Bet-3863 OP His dad is huge. Big boy like 15lbs. I was thinking that maybe when I get him fixed he'll grow a little more. (P.s mom and dad are both fixed now.)
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  • Now, that is surprising to see! Usually, you don't know anything about the dads when it comes to kittens. Knowing that the momma is a runt and this guy is itty bitty made sense to us, but seeing the dad… that throws a wrench into things. You know what? Maybe the kitty will have a slightly later growth spurt and become a little more like his dad. The only thing that tells us is that you should cherish this time of the kitty being small even more than before, because there is the potential of that changing in the blink of an eye. 

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    rowrbazzle75 He may be small, but he made my smile real big.
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    Top-Bet-3863 OP He's literally so frking cute.
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    Big-Caterpillar-1321 No matter the size you give them, BIG love.
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    Top-Bet-3863 OP He's the most cuddly kitten ever
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    mesosuchus You got a permakitten.
    via mesosuchus
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    Top-Bet-3863 OP The cutest permakitten ever
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aww wholesome cat adorable tiny kitten cute cute cats small smol Cats cute kittens
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