What Is The Life Expectancy Of Cats
As with people over the years and advances in medicine, cats have almost doubled their life expectancy. Now each cat is different and your health, care, and nutrition will be essential to determine the years you will live.
Another important factor is whether it is a domestic cat or a cat that lives on the street. The more exposed you are to the dangers of the street the less life expectancy you will have.
In general, a stray cat can live for 2-3 years without castrating and about 5-6 if it is neutered. But their conditions and health will be fundamental to their life expectancy. In the case of domestic cats the average life is 15 to 21 years.
Read Also:;How long do cats live?;
A Guide To Feline Aging
- Pin
It’s a known fact cats develop and age rapidly. While we may wish our kittens and adult cats could live as long as we do, cats develop differently than humans. For example, by 1 year of age, kittens are as mature as a 15-year-old human child, while a four year old cat is in the prime of their life as the equivalent of a 32-year-old in human.
While the rapid maturity of cats may be shocking, even relatively long-lived cats do not live as long as we would like them to. On the plus side, the relative age of cats can depends on factors including genetics, diet, lifestyle, and veterinary care. Although cat owners cannot control much when it comes to heredity, we can make positive choices for our pets when it comes to the other factors.
How Long Do Cats Live
The lifespan of a cat depends on a variety of factors.
In the wild, domestic cats average a lifespan between four to five years. Dangers like cars, predators, being captured and euthanized by animal control, and lack of food and shelter often lead to a shorter lifespan for feral cats.
For cats not living in the wild who dont have any serious health afflictions, the average lifespan is between 12 and 15 years.
Of course, regular vet visits, a healthy diet, and an active lifestyle for your kitty will help them live as long and as happily as they can.
Also Check: What Kind Of Worms Can Cats Get
How Do I Calculate My Cats Age In Human Years
So, if youre asking How old is my cat in human years? the calculation is fairly simple. Compared to dogs, which have greater variation based on size and breed, the method to calculate a cats age is pretty standard.
According to the American Animal Hospital Association , these age guidelines have been created and agreed upon by the AAHA, the Feline Advisory Bureau , and the American Association of Feline Practitioners :
- The first year of a cats life is equal to approximately 15 human years.
- The second year of a cats life is equal to an additional nine years.
- After the second year of a cats life, each additional year is equal to about four human years.;
So, how old is your cat in human years? You can use our cat age to human years chart below to find out!
Indoor Vs Outdoor Cats
Balinese cat sitting on a cherry tree in a green garden.
It may sound strange but where your pet stays indoors, outdoors, or dabbles in both can play a role in how they age. While its a debatable topic in the animal kingdom, there is reportedly reliable rationale data on both sides of the argument.
Animals that remain indoors dont expose themselves to the trauma or infectious diseases that can result from running around outdoors. That may result in longer lifespans. But the other side argues indoor felines are at greater risk of illness to environmental limitations.
The exact opposite applies to outdoor felines. They may have stronger immune systems by engaging in stimulating, natural, new environments. But they also increase the potential for stress, trauma, and disease as they explore the unknown.
Owners, knowing the signs of aging and their cats lifestyle, will be able to better decide how to manage their pet as they age.
Recommended Reading: How Much To Feed 10 Lb Cat
How Old Is My Cat In Cat Years How Do I Calculate My Cats Age
The image above is an approximate calculation of how many years a cat would be if it were human.One of the important issues to keep in mind are the life stages of the kittens. During the first two years, cats become adults, so their first two years would be like our 24 years.
From there, the most common equivalence is to think that each year of the cat equals 4 human years. With this you can get the answer for your question how old is my cat. And also you will get the;cat years chart too.
How Long Does The Average Cat Live
A cat’s lifespan varies with lifestyle and genetics. With optimal health and good genes, a well-nourished and well-exercised indoor-only cat will typically live longer than indoor-outdoor cats. According to a college of veterinary medicine, the average lifespan for indoor only cats is 10-15 years. With that said, indoor-outdoor cats usually live longer than strays and ferals. While this is simply the average, there are always exceptions to every rule.;
Recommended Reading: Is Lavender Plant Safe For Cats
Cat To Human Age Chart
When creating a warrior, it is important to know what their age is. In real life, free-roaming cats like the warrior Clans in Erin Hunter’s books are expected to live to only three years. Now this cannot work in Erin’s books because then we wouldn’t have any elders, and the Clans have amazing healthcare. This is where we have have sex to bend the facts of reality a bit to fit in with the books. In real life the average house cat lives from 15 to 18 years. So what I did to get a reasonable life expectancy for the cats in the books is I subtracted 3 from 15 and got 12. So we will say that in the Warriors series, the average cat can live to be 10 years. Why ten? Because these warriors are also going through battles, leaf-bare, green-cough, etc. The extra 2 can be if they retire to the elders den and don’t catch green-cough, etc.
Loners and Rogues apply more to the Real Life expectancy of 3 years but for the sake of the books, we will say they can live to 6 years. Clan cats can live longer since they work together to survive, and they have nice healthcare. Strength in numbers. Strength with doctors. Kittypets will most likely apply to the real life expectancy of 18 yearsMrrowWhen comparing human age to cat age, we know a cat’s top age can be 12. And a human’s top age can be 100. Thus we have the formula:
100 = 12.
To calculate cat age, you simply place the human age over 100 and create a formula like this:
Then Solve for x.
Thus the result is 2.4 years.
| Human Years |
|---|
Indicators Of A Cats Age
If youve taken in a stray cat or adopted a cat whose age is unknown, there are some ways to determine her age in cat years. Here are some things vets check to get a general sense of how old a cat is:
You May Like: What To Do If My Cat Is Constipated
Find Out Your Cats Real Age Now
We recently shared an article on Facebook about how to work out the age of your Dog and it was hugely popular.
We were asked by all our feline loving friends if we could provide one for cats. It seems many dont know the human equivalent.
via Visualistan;
via Visualistan
We thought it would be helpful to share this Cat Breeds Infographic from Visualistan. It gives information on popular personalities.
Some have developed naturally and some through selective breeding. Check the look and behavior and see which one resembles yours.
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.
Also Check: How To Calm Cat In Car
Assessing Your Cats Age
Cats obviously mature much more rapidly than people, but once they are fully developed physically and behaviourally from about 3 years of age for many years their outward appearance changes very little. They usually still appear very youthful, and it can actually be very difficult to tell the age of an adult cat.
Despite the youthful outward appearance, inside the cat will be getting older. It is much easier to understand how to manage our cats lives, health and behaviour if we can associate their age with an equivalent of our own human years. It has often been suggested that we simply need to multiply a cats age by 7 to get a comparative human age. However, this is very crude and does not take into account a number of aspects of how cats mature and age. A much more appropriate method is to take the;end of the first year of the cats life to be equivalent to 15 human years, the end of the second year to be approximately equivalent to a 24-year-old person, and;thereafter to consider each year of a cats life to equate;to approximately 4 human years.
The chart we have provided can be used to easily determine approximately how old your cat is in human terms. It should be remembered that this is just an estimate though as each cat, just like each human, is an individual and rates of maturation and ageing will vary.
Select your cats life stage;below to find out more about your cat and the preventative;healthcare it should be receiving.
What Is The Average Life Expectancy Of My Cat
The true answer is that it depends, but indoor cats usually live longer than outdoor cats. On average, indoor cats live 16 to 18 years and some even reach the venerable age of 20.
Life expectancy in cats also varies depending on the breed, as some cat breeds will naturally live longer than others. For example, Siamese and Manx breeds are said to live the longest, so could reach a ripe age in human years!
Did you know that according to some sources, the worlds oldest cat lived to be 34? Thats 153 in human years! Read more fascinating cat facts here.
Cats life expectancies have increased dramatically in the last few decades. Although its never enough, were spending more and more time together with our feline friends and that can only be a great thing.
Don’t Miss: How Much Is A Norwegian Forest Cat
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.
Is Knowing Your Cats Age Important
Felines live longer than dogs. On average, your kitty can live between 20 and 25 years.
Knowing if your pet is approaching its senior years is critical to knowing how to care for it. We consider canines to be mature or senior at seven years while cats are mature middle-aged between seven to 10. The cat becomes senior in its 11th year. Theyre senior until they turn 15, after which theyre categorized as geriatric.
The animals age greatly influences their weight and diet as well as how often they should get regular check-ups. The vet will be instrumental in ensuring the best chances of your kitty living a healthy life.
It might make sense to get pet insurance before your cat gets too old. Like humans, older cats will get expected illnesses or have unexpected accidents.
You May Like: Are You A Cat Or A Dog
Caring For Your Golden Girl
You can also take some easy steps at home to improve your cat’s quality of life in her senior years:
- Choose a high-quality food made for senior cats:Youthful Vitality 7+ Cat Food, for instance, is specially formulated to support brain function, energy and vitality, healthy kidneys and bladder, healthy digestive system and luxiurious fur.
- Give her a warm place to rest: Especially if she suffers from arthritis, she’ll appreciate you moving her bed from a drafty area.
- Think easy access: Give her a litter box, water bowl, and food bowl on every floor of your house. If she seems to be having trouble climbing into the litter box, find one with lower sides or even try an old cookie sheet.
- Help her groom: Many people rarely brush their cats because they are such good self-groomers. But as your cat ages, brushing your cat serves a dual-purpose of acting as a bonding activity and keeping her coat healthy when she can no longer do it alone.
- Continue to Exercise Her: Here are some easy ways to keep your senior cat moving.
How To Tell Your Cats Age In Human Years
07th March 2019
For their size, cats live quite a long time. Generally, an animals longevity is proportional to its size .
A tiny mouse has a short lifespan, a rabbit somewhat longer and a dog between 7 and 20 years depending on its breed or size, its activity, or both. Cats arent much bigger than rabbits, but whereas the rabbit may live about 8 years, a cat will live on average about 1214 years, and its not unusual for cats to reach their late teens or even their early 20s.
Recommended Reading: How To Take A Tick Off A Cat
How To Tell How Old A Cat Is If You Dont Know When They Were Born
Even if you canât be sure when your cat was born, itâs still possible to determine their age with relative accuracy. The state of your catâs teeth, coat, muscle tone, and eyes all offer insight into their age.
Using the tips below, you can work to identify your catâs life stage and then make an educated guess as to exactly how old your cat is.;
Cat Years Calculator Principles
It’s a common misconception that one year in the life of a cat is equivalent to seven human years. In reality, the cat years calculation is a bit more complicated. Kittens grow fast while they’re still young, but the older they are, the slower the aging process becomes. It means that after one year, your cat is as old as a seven-year-old human child, but for older cats, each year is equivalent to only four human years.
Naturally, not all cats age alike. A cat that lives outdoors will generally have a shorter life than an indoor cat. Additionally, while typical felines live about 10-15 years, certain breeds age slower or faster. Still, this cat age calculator should give you a good idea of the seniority of your cat.
Would you like to find out even more about cats? Try one of our handy tools!
Also Check: How To Get Matts Out Of Cat Hair
Cat Years To Human Years: How Old Is My Cat
When you adopt a cat from a shelter or take in a stray, its usually impossible to know the exact age of your newest family member. Sure, theres a clear difference between a kitten and a senior cat-izen but to the untrained eye, the years in between might look a lot alike. Youll likely bring her to a veterinarian, who will conduct a physical exam and maybe run some tests to help determine your kittys approximate age. But what exactly do doctors look at? And how precise are their estimates?
To learn more, we caught up with Dr. Erick Mears, the medical director for BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Florida, and Dr. Rachel Barrack of Animal Acupuncture in New York City to find out how the experts determine a cats age.