Cat Health And Lifespan
Of course, a cat that doesnt eat a healthy diet may develop health issues, but parasites and diseases can also affect their health. Some diseases have long term effects on cats and may also shorten their lifespan.
Poor genetics, immune-compromised cats, and cats that have compromised organ functions might not live as long as healthy cats.
Which Cat Breed Lives The Longest
They say the Manx and Siamese are the breeds that, on average, live the longest but that surely wasnt the breed of the oldest cat on record. Below is a cat breed lifespan chart from PetCareRX:
| Breeds |
| 12-17 |
Having a pet carries a big responsibility.
Certainly, giving her the best life is a top priority. Keeping your cat indoors is the best way to ensure she has a good quality of life.
As long as he has plenty of stimulation and opportunities to exercise, it is the wisest choice.
And with a little creativity and flexibility, you can help almost any cat live a longer, happier, healthier life.
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.
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How Old Is Your Cat
- 0 to 1 month: 1 human year
- 2 to 3 months: 2 to 4 human years
- 4 months: 6 to 8 human years
- 6 months: 10 human years
- 7 months: 12 human years
- 12 months: 15 human years
- 18 months: 21 human years
- 2 years: 24 human years
- 3 years: 28 human years
- 4 years: 32 human years
- 5 years: 36 human years
- 10 years: 56 human years
- 15 years: 76 human years
- 20 years: 96 human years
The average life expectancy of a cat suggests that many live the equivalent of a full human life. In 2019, the United Nations estimated that the average global life expectancy is 72.9 years. Thatâs a little more than 14 cat years.
Aging Gracefully: How Long Do Cats Live
A cats longevity depends on a number of variables, such as whether the cat is allowed outdoors or stays indoors, whether the cat is spayed or neutered, whether the cat is male or female, and whether the cat visits the vet regularly or only when sick or not at all. Female cats on average live slightly longer than males, and indoor cats live quite a bit longer than outdoor cats.
How long do cats live? Outdoor cats survive for an average of only 2 to 5 years. Although many people feel that not allowing a cat to roam outside is cruel, deciding whether a cat will be an indoor or outdoor cat is one of the most important decisions a cat owner will make. The longest life recorded for a domestic cat was twenty-eight years, but most indoor cats live for between twelve and sixteen years.
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Talk With Your Veterinarian Before Letting Indoor Cats Have Outdoor Time
If a cat spends any amount of time outdoors, no matter how limited or infrequent, the cat owner should mention it to their veterinarian so they can adequately discuss health risks to ensure the cat is properly protected from diseases, parasites and more, says Nora Grant, DVM, veterinary services manager, Ceva Animal Health, Red Oaks, Texas. I encourage cat owners to be as frank as possible about how the pet spends its time. By asking these questions, a veterinarian simply wants to understand what a cat may encounter to ensure the cats health and well-being.
Thats true whether you allow your cat to roam free, walk on a leash or even use a catio.
Dr. Mosoriak and Dr. Levy have a host of favorite products that take care of fleas on cats and other parasites. Favorites for flea and tick prevention include Advantage Multi flea treatment, Revolution and Seresto flea and tick collars for cats. For helping your indoor cat feel at home, or for help transitioning your outdoor cat into an indoor cat, they recommend trying cat calming products, such as the Comfort Zone with Feliway cat diffuser and Solliquin supplements for cats.
And, of course, cats should be spayed, neutered and microchipped.
Annual exams, vaccinations, deworming, spaying and neutering are always important, says Dr. Mosoriak. Administering monthly internal and external parasite control is especially important for outdoor cats.
Image via Claudia Paulussen/Shutterstock
The Longest Living Cat
The cat who has lived the longest life on record so far was a cat named Creme Puff who landed herself a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for her impressive lifespan of 38 years and 3 days. Her owner credits her longevity to their interesting diet of dry cat food given in addition to broccoli, turkey bacon, eggs, and coffee with cream.
Creme Puffs owner even claimed to give her an eyedropper full of red wine once per week to help her circulation. It may not sound like your typical cat diet, but there must be some merit to it. Although, you definitely should consult your vet before adding coffee or wine into your cats diet.
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If Your Cat Stays Mostly Indoors Or Also Goes Outdoors
An indoor cat has a higher chance to live for up to 20 years or more because she is secure inside your home. Cats that mostly live outdoors or even if they live with pet parents but can go out unsupervised, live on average much shorter lives. This is because their lives are endangered mostly due to speeding cars, dogs, or by getting into fights with feral cats.
To ensure that your tabby cats live a full and happy life, try to keep them indoors as much as possible. However, a little outdoor adventure now and then wont hurt so long as theres a safe cat enclosure or secured catio for your pets.
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
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Average Lifespan Of A Cat
As weve mentioned, the average lifespan of a cat is a rather broad notion. Essentially the range has been narrowed down to approximately 9 to 15 years. The biggest factor that influences the lifespan of a cat, even more so than genetics, is whether your cat is an indoor or an outdoor cat. If you keep your cat indoors for the duration of its life, its liable to exceed 20 years. Conversely, if your cat roams freely, or is even an indoor/outdoor cat, the average life span decreases by 2.5 times, or basically drops to about 5 years. There are a great deal of diverse threats to your cats well-being, which, statistically speaking, vastly reduce the expected lifespan of your outdoor cat.
How Long Do Outdoor Cats Live
Over 90% of domestic cats in the UK are free to roam outdoors every day and these outdoor cats generally live shorter lives than cats that are kept indoors all the time. This is because they are exposed to dangers such as road traffic accidents or attacks by other animals.
A study using Vets Now data found that autumn is the worst season for cat road traffic accidents, with young, male and crossbred cats most at risk.
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How Long Do Indoor Cats Live: Typical Life Expectancy
Cats are generally stubborn sorts of creatures, even when it comes to growing old. A cats longevity can be influenced by a number of factors. As a cat owner, you want to believe that your cat will live out a long healthy life of many years with you. There are certain steps you can take to help promote a long and healthy life for your feline companion.
How Is A Cat’s Age Determined
You may be wondering how exactly a cat’s approximate age is determined. Perhaps you have taken in a stray cat that you have been feeding for several weeks, and are curious how old the cat is and what to look for. While looking at a cat’s teeth is often a good indicator, it is not a foolproof method. For that reason, veterinarians prefer to examine the whole cat. In addition to looking for wear along the teeth, veterinarians will examine for any signs of cloudiness to the lenses of the eyes. They will also check for signs of grooming issues as older cats can be less thorough due to dental issues or weight gain. Labwork can show changes in organ function that are more common with age . Keep in mind your veterinarian is making an educated guess as to your cat’s age – there isn’t one specific way of determining a specific age unless the birthday is known.
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How Long Do Cats Live
Pet parents want to know how long they can expect their cats to live. The information helps with practical planning and emotional readiness. And while nobody can tell you exactly how long an individuals lifespan will be, statistics do allow us to answer the question How long do cats live? in a general way.
The feline life expectancy that is quoted in reference texts varies, but a good, average figure is 10 to 15 years.Another statistic that veterinarians commonly use in practice is the following:
Cats who spend significant unsupervised time outdoors tend to survive to be about 7 years old, while indoor-only cats can be expected to live to around 14 years of age.
These numbers may seem low, but they represent an average of the lifespans of ancient, well-cared-for kitties unfortunate individuals who died early from disease or accident and everybody in between.
Heres an example using a rather typical litter of four. The senior citizen of the group makes it to 18 years old, with another sibling dying from an age-related disease at a very respectable 15. So far, so good. However, one littermate succumbed to an infectious disease as a kitten and the fourth cat was killed by a car at the relatively young age of 10. If you look at the litter as a whole, they fall on the low end of that 10- to 15-year life expectancy range, despite the longevity of two of the cats.
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Age of Cat |
Cats Live Very Happy Fulfilling Lives Indoors
With spring comes kitten season.
Many households will be adding a kitten or a cat to their family over the coming months. Even though life began in the great outdoors for many kittens, they can live very happy, fulfilling lives as an indoor-only cat.
On average, indoor cats live longer and healthier lives than outdoor cats and even indoor/outdoor cats.
Cats were domesticated by humans around 4,000 years ago. Their domestication is very different from that of a dog so some would argue that they arent truly domesticated. Cats can still hunt and they are better at surviving in the wild, unlike most modern breeds of dogs.
Even though cats are less dependent on humans, they have a higher quality of life when living inside as a companion pet. And, even though cats are more adept at living outside, there are many dangers that they face and they have a drastically shorter lifespan compared to an indoor cat.
According to the ASPCA, indoor cats have a lifespan of 13 to 17 years compared to their outdoor counterparts with a life expectancy of 2 to 5 years.
The dangers that outdoor or indoor/outdoor cats face include predation, dog attacks, traffic, fighting and injuries from other outdoor cats, increased risk of infectious diseases, poison by toxins such as antifreeze or rat poison, increased parasite load, becoming lost, or unintentionally ending up as a stray in a shelter.
They help educate their clients on keeping our bird populations safe while being a wonderful pet owner.
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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.
Keeping Your Cat Occupied
Without the adventures that await them outside, indoor cats can become bored and develop behavioural problems.
It is important to allow your cat the opportunity to exhibit normal hunting behaviour – whether that means playing with a fishing rod toy or using feeding enrichment toys. Take a look at our video for more tips on keeping your cat entertained.
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Whats The Average Cat Lifespan
Before we can answer this question, we have to ask one of our own: Will the cat live their life indoors or outdoors?
This simple fact will have a tremendous effect on the cats lifespan. The simple fact is that outdoor cats dont live nearly as long as indoor ones in fact, they live half as long on average. Indoor cats often live to be about 14 years old, while those that spend time outside only live 2 to 5 years.
There are simply too many things in the big world outside your door that can kill your cat, from cars and predators to eating something that they shouldnt. If you want your cat to live as long as possible, then you should never let them go outside.
Thats not to say that every indoor cat will give you 14 years, of course. Your cats lifespan will depend on their breed, how well theyre taken care of, and their genetic history.
Likewise, you may have a tough old cat thats stayed outdoors and lived to the ripe old age of 20. There are no guarantees in this, but there are probabilities at work, and its probable that your indoor cat will long outlive their outdoor counterparts.
Indoor Or Outdoor Long Life Or Short
Cats that are allowed to roam outdoors live short lives and come home with unpleasant surprises or simply disappear. Some people have good luck with outdoor cats and would never confine a cat to a house. Others, having experienced some of what cats experience when they are allowed to roam, have changed their opinions.
Outdoor cats navigate traffic, other animal predators, and become exposed to all kinds of diseases, some preventable and some not preventable. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Feline Leukemia are serious and often fatal cat diseases that are spread by fighting or contact with infected outdoor cats. Cats allowed to roam outdoors should be vaccinated yearly, and they still can bring home new forms of feline flu and other respiratory problems.
Allowing an outdoor cat the free expression of his or her sexuality can profoundly shorten that cats life. Male cats fight whether they have been neutered or not, and neutered male cats get torn up badly in such fights. Female cats, if not spayed, will have litter after litter of kittens, often starting before they are fully grown.
Anyone who has ever rushed a male cat post-fight to a vets office knows how ugly catfights can get. The 2 to 5-year life span of an outdoor cat is not one filled with wonderful, fun adventures so much as it is a grueling competition for sex and attention that exhausts the cats life force in short order.
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