How Long Do Cats Live On Average
Pet guardians need to know how long they can anticipate that their cats should live. The data assists with down-to-earth arranging and passionate status. And keeping in mind that no one can let you know precisely how long a singulars life expectancy will be, insights do permit us to respond to the inquiry How long do felines live? by and large.
The catlike future that is cited in reference texts changes, yet a decent, normal figure is 10 to 15 years. Another measurement that veterinarians usually use practically speaking is the accompanying:
Felines who invest critical solo energy outside will, in general, get by to be around 7 years of age, while indoor-no one but felines can be anticipated to live to around 14 years old.
These numbers might appear to be low, yet they address a normal of the life expectancies of old, all around focused on kitties appalling people who kicked the bucket right on time from sickness or mishap and everyone in the middle.
Top 10 Cat Breeds That Live The Longest
For cat lovers, cats can ended up more than being a pet. They could become our loyal friends or even family. We definitely want them to stay with us as long as they can. Though most domestic cats dont usually live long, some breeds tend to have longer life span compared to the others. If you are looking for an especially long-lived cat breed and want to enjoy its company for a long time to come, you can consider to keep the following breeds.
How Long Can Cats Live
I can hear you saying, But my cat These numbers are all averages. My cat, Klesko, has always been an outdoor cat and shes 15 years old. There are always outliers that defy averages when it comes to answering How long do cats live?
The Guinness Book of World Records lists the oldest recorded cat age was attained by Creme Puff, a cat who passed away in Austin, Texas, at 38 years and three days old, a truly grand, almost incomprehensible age. The age of the current oldest living cat is much more variable because that information can go out of date at any given moment.
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Reviewing the last several years worth of information, Ive seen the current oldest cat have ages ranging from 23 to 36. In the last decade, the average oldest living cat is 29.857 years old. Who is the current record holder? Rather than risk our own obsolescence, we suggest that you check with the Guinness site. Its page on Oldest Cat Living wisely and expressly states that the current record holder is a flexible and changeable position.
Tell us: How long have your cats lived? We want to hear how old your cats are! What is the longest-lived cat youve ever owned, heard of, or seen? Share your stories and memories in the comments!
This post was originally published in 2017.
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What Is The Difference Between A Sick Cat And An Old Cat
As your cat ages it will experience changes in behaviour, appearance and in its physical health. Cats should retain their ability play and jump when they age even if it is slightly reduced. Cats should also be able to maintain a healthy weight as they age. There should be no significant changes to muscle mass or body fat.
From a behavioural point of view your cats sleep patterns may change, their meows and other vocalisations may change and they may become less tolerant. In terms of appearance their nails may thicken, pupils can become cloudy and teeth may become slightly yellow or off white due to the thickening of dental walls.
There may be changes in your cats daily routines, a decline in vision and mobility and declines in their sense of smell and hearing.
A good way to keep an eye on your older cats health is by using the acronym DISHA to watch our for signs of cognitive decline:
- Disorientation getting lost in familiar areas or not recognising family members
- Interaction Changes they may become more clinging or irritable
- Sleep Disturbances changes in their sleep patterns
- House Soiling going to the toilet in places where they shouldnt
- Changes in Activity less interest in play or excessive licking
The most common causes of death in cats overall are:
- Trauma 12.2%
Most common causes of death in cats under 5 years:
- Trauma: 47.3%
Most common causes of death in cats over 5 years:
- Kidney Disease: 13.6%
- Cancer: 12.3%
Longest Living Pets: Meet The Oldest Cat In The World
Sometimes, some kitties do get nine lives. There is an incredible list of feline friends whove made their owners proud, by winning the Guinness World Book of Records for the Worlds Oldest Cat!
So, who are these famous cats that were able to live for so long?
Today, Rubble is considered the Worlds Oldest Cat alive. Rubble the cat is currently 31 years old!
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Indoor Cats Versus Outdoor Cats
Whether your cat resides completely indoors or goes in and out throughout the day can have more of an impact on their lifespan than some cat owners may realize. There are some more obvious reasons why indoor cats live longer lives than their outdoor counterparts. Some that you may already be able to guess.
Most obviously, indoor cats have easier access to food and freshwater than outdoor cats do more often than not. Whether your cat is an indoor or outdoor cat, you probably still take them for their needed cat vaccinations.
Even with proper vaccines, outdoor cats are exposed to far more dangers than indoor cats lives are. Dangers that vaccines and other medicines cannot protect them from. A few of the lifespan threatening dangers that outdoor cats may encounter include ticks, cars, other animals, and many other stressful encounters that can shorten a cats lifespan.
Indoor Cats Life Expectancy
Cats that spend time indoors only, will have a longer life. Indoor cats are less exposed to bacteria, diseases, traffic accidents or the danger of chewing on toxic plants. Indoor cats may live between 12 and 15 years of average. However, the record age of an indoors cat is 25. This is the official record cat age that appears in the Guinness book of records, however, unofficially, some say that the record age is close to 36 years.
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Calculating A Cats Age
Youve probably heard that its not as easy to calculate a cats age in human years compared to dogs. But it turns out, thats not the case at all. Different breeds of dogs age differently, and their size also plays a role. Working out a cats age, on the other hand, is a pretty straight forward formula.
To work out your felines age in human years, all you need to know is that a two-year-old cat is the equivalent of a 24-year-old human. Every year after that counts as four human years. In other words, a cat that is 15 years old would be around 76 in human years, while a 20-year-old cat is equivalent to a 96-year-old person.
Typical Indoor Cat Lifespan
If a cat resides indoors exclusively, the typical lifespan ranges somewhere between 13 and 17 years, according to the ASPCA. However, it isn’t uncommon for indoor cats to live to at least 20.
The lifespan always depends on the individual cat. Some cats pass away well before 13, while others live long past 17. A lot of factors go into how long a cat will live.
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What Is The Average Lifespan Of A Cat
One of the toughest parts of loving a cat is acknowledging the fact that the average lifespan of a cat is much shorter than the average lifespan of a human. This, unfortunately, means that your kitty will most likely pass away before you do. The comparatively short average lifespan of a cat can be difficult to accept. My beloved gray tabby, Bubba Lee Kinsey, passed away from cancer last summer, and I still miss his naptime snuggles, persistent headbutts and delicate meow, which always sounded too sweet and meek to come from such a handsome and robust predator. Still, I feel lucky to say that Bubba was my best friend and companion for 17 years, which is actually a fairly long cat lifespan .
When it comes to determining the average lifespan of a cat, several factors play significant roles. While genetic factors do influence the average lifespan of a cat, many other lifestyle variations are even more important which is actually good news, as it means you can do a lot to make sure your kitty lives a long and happy life.
What If Theyre Indoor Cats
When it comes to the question How long do cats live? all the research weve done overwhelmingly suggests that indoor cats live nearly three times as long as outdoor cats. How long do cats live if theyre indoor cats? Indoor cats are typically sterilized, vaccinated and removed from the stresses, risks and dangers of the outside world. They are fed regularly and have easy access to water that is fresh and clean.
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They require more attention, more distractions, and must be encouraged to get sufficient exercise to avoid obesity. Fortunately, attentive cat owners provide all of those things. The numbers varied widely among all the sites we visited, ranging from 14 to 20 years. Based on the numbers we chronicled, the average lifespan of an indoor cat is 16.875 years.
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Indoor Cats Vs Outdoor Cats: Making The Decision
The consensus among veterinarians and organizations such as the American Veterinary Medical Association is to keep cats confined, whether indoors or outdoors. Outdoor enclosures or leash walking for cats that are comfortable with it can keep them stimulated and safe while protecting humans, wildlife, and the environment.
Indoor cats tend to live longer than their outdoor counterparts, typically reaching 10 to 15 years of age. Cats who spend their lives exclusively outdoors live an average of just 2 to 5 years.
Gina Gentilozzi never thought twice about keeping her three cats indoors, particularly because she has some unpleasant memories about her own childhood pets. When I was little, I had indoor-outdoor cats and they all had fleas, she recalls. And outdoor cats bring you home dead things and I dont like that either.
McWhorter is well aware that Hobbes and his sister, Calvin, lead a riskier life than her two indoor cats, Lucy and Ricky, but she inherited them from her homes previous owner and was afraid it would be hard for them to make the transition from outdoor to indoor cats. I really didnt want four cats in the house, and they were accustomed to being outside, she says.
Continued
What Age What Stage
Cats can live for an amazingly long time considering their small size. In general, smaller mammals have shorter lifespans, but cats are a little different. For example, although cats are smaller than most dogs, they generally live longer. Also, they are only slightly larger than rabbits, yet again live a great deal longer. The average lifespan for a pet cat is probably around 13 to 14 years. However, although their lifespan varies, a well cared for cat may commonly live to 15 or beyond, some make it to 18 or 20 and a few extraordinary felines even pass 25 or 30 years of age.
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Do Female Calico Cats Live Longer
Gender does play a part in how long a calico will live. Female calicos live longer than male calicos.
The calico color is gender-linked, the cat must have XX chromosomes to achieve those brilliant patches. Unlike a normal male with an XY chromosome, the male calico has XXY chromosomes. Therefore, they inherit the calico color pattern. Unfortunately, along with it, the male calico will most likely to inherit bad health.
Male calicos are doomed to have a shorter lifespan. This is due to Klinefelters Syndrome. Symptoms include:
- SterilityReduced bone mineral content
- Insulin resistance
- Increased body fat mass
- Cognitive impairments
If you want a calico with the propensity to live a long healthy life, you might want to stick with a female.
Average Lifespan Of A Cat The Basics
In the wild, the average lifespan of a cat is anywhere from 2 to 16 years. A house cat has a longer average lifespan of 12 to 18 years, though its not uncommon for domestic kitties to live into their 20s. According to Guinness World Records, the oldest cat ever, named Creme Puff, lived to be 38 years old. Keeping in mind that cats are considered seniors when theyre approximately 7 years old, the average lifespan of a cat contains a whole lot of golden years.
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Indoor Vs Outdoor Cat Life Expectancy: Sum Up
Sad to say, but inside/outside cats live an average of only two to five years.
There are dangers and environmental factors outdoors that can severely shorten the life of your cat.
You may think your cat is happier spending time outside, but if you want them to live the longest, healthiest life, then keeping them safely indoors is the best thing.
With creativity and toys, they can satisfy their needs to hunt and stalk indoors and be happy healthy indoor cats.
Outdoors, they face such dangers as fights with dogs or other cats, cars, poisoning , predators, illnesses from other animals, or being picked up by animal control and subsequently euthanized.
Yes, for a cat, being outside also means being in danger.
The shortest lifespan of all is that of an outside-only cat.
These poor guys live an average of just two years.
They face all of the above dangers, with the addition of starvation.
The life of stray or feral cats is short, starving, and scary.
This is why it is important to make sure you spay and neuter your cats, because there are so many homeless ones, and to find good homes for any you come across who dont have one.
Even feral cats can have longer, healthier lives as barn cats horse owners are happy to have cats to keep down on rodents in the feed, and the feral cats have a safe barn for shelter, food, and water.
These Are The Signs That Your Cat Will Probably Live A Long Life
We all want our cats to live forever , and while feline immortality is still out of our grasp, its not that unusual for cats to live into their 20s – a solid effort for such little guys.
But how can you tell if your cat has a good shot at making it to 21 – the feline equivalent of 100 – and can you change its fate?
Two major studies have brought together knowledge from a team of veterinary experts from around the world on the common changes experienced by ageing cats, looking at everything from musculoskeletal system wear and tear to cognitive and behavioural health.
The aim was to establish the signs of healthy ageing in cats, because while it’s generally accepted that there’s a lot that owners and vets can do to ensure the physical and mental health of older adults, that’s not much help if you don’t know what signs to look out for.
This is especially pertinent now, with roughly 20 percent of cats in the US estimated to be 11 years or older.
Anyone with a cat in their life will know that they’re probably going to stick around for a while, with the average lifespan of indoor house cats these days hitting an impressive 12 to 15 years.
This has increased dramatically over the past few decades, with the average cat living to just seven years in the early 1980s, and just over nine years in 1995.
High fives, Creme Puff, you were awesome.
Fur might start thinning, whiskers could turn black, and the skin might go scaly with reduced cleaning.
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Longevity Benefits Of Indoor Cats
The “normal” life expectancy for an indoor cat is significantly longer than that of felines who live outside full-time or part-time. A cat who stays inside all the time is protected from a lot of dangers.
For example, she won’t be run over by a car. She won’t get into a fight with a neighborhood cat. Hazardous weather won’t imperil her. She won’t be snatched up by a stranger. She probably won’t catch an infectious disease — such as rabies or the feline leukemia virus — from a stray or feral cat.
Cat Breeds And Lifespan
While it is impossible to know exactly how long a cat will live, some breeds of cats are known to often live longer than others. The Siamese and Manx cat breeds are two that often outlive their cat competition, but other breeds have been recorded as living into their 20s and even 30s. Both purebred and domestic mixed-breed cats have the potential to surpass the average lifespan of the species.
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The Oldest Cat Of All Time
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, an Austin, Texas cat named Creme Puff lived longer than any pet cat in history. Born in 1967, the American Shorthair was a devoted family companion for more than three decades, living to a whopping 38 years of age. The elderly catâs doting family reported feeding him an unusual diet including such items as asparagus and heavy cream.
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