Indoor cats generally live from 12-18 years of age. Many may live to be in their early 20s. The oldest reported cat, Creme Puff lived to be an amazing 38 years old. Outdoor cats generally live shorter lives due to being more likely to be involved in traumas such as motor vehicle accidents or dog attacks.
On average, indoor cats live to be about 10 to 15 years old, but can reach ages of up to 20 years old. Because indoor cats don't have to deal with predators and some of the other potential risks that come with living outdoors, they tend to live a bit longer.
Cats tend to live around 15 years, on average. As in humans, female cats tend to live for longer than male cats. Neutered cats are also likely to live for longer than intact ones, and pure breed cats are less likely to live as long as crossbreeds.
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.
Some cats have lived longer than the expected 15 years, as well. Take Crème Puff, a cat who was born in 1967: She lived well into her golden years at the age of 38 and crossed over the rainbow bridge in 2005. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, she is the longest living cat on record.
How old is an 18 year old cat in human years? An 18 year old cat is the equivalent to 88 human years old.
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.
Another study, conducted by Banfield Pet Hospitals on a database of 2.2 million dogs and 460,000 cats reflected similar findings, concluding that neutered male dogs lived 18% longer and spayed female dogs lived 23% longer. Spayed female cats in the study lived 39% longer and neutered male cats lived 62% longer.
Increase Longevity
Among male and female cats, life expectancy was longer for sterilized than intact cats. Life expectancy for spayed females was 13.1 years and for intact females, 9.5 years. Life expectancy for neutered males was 11.8 years and for intact males, 7.5 years.
In recent years, feline ages and life-stages have been redefined, cats are considered to be elderly once they reach 11 years with senior cats defined as those aged between 11-14 years and super-senior cats 15 years and upwards. When caring for older cats it sometimes helps to appreciate their age in human terms.
The best way to determine a cat's age is to consult a trusted veterinarian who can determine an approximate age of the cat by examining its teeth, eyes, fur, and overall maturity. Still, be aware that your vet cannot pinpoint an exact age, just provide an educated guess as to how old your cat is.
After that point, one "cat year" is equal to roughly four human years (for example, a 10-year-old cat = 53-year-old human; a 12-year-old cat = 61-year-old human; a 15-year-old cat = 73-year-old human, etc.) You'll be the proud owner of a senior cat by the time it hit about 11 years old.
Well-recognized causes of weight loss in old cats include chronic renal disease, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and dental problems, to name a few.
As cats age, they're prone to developing an overactive thyroid and kidney disease, and either one may result in excessive meowing. Before you try to curb your cat's excessive vocalizing, you need to determine the cause. Look at the circumstances around her meowing and make note of what seems to get her to stop.
Cats' two color-detecting cones let them see blue-violet and yellow-green wavelengths of light, but not red-orange. So, similar to dogs, cats mainly see things in shades of yellow, gray, and blue tinges, but some researchers think that cats may also notice some shades of green.
Older cats may vocalize excessively for a number of reasons, including disorientation, loss of hearing and pain due to one or more medical conditions.
According to PetMD, most cats live 13-17 years, but this isn't set in stone. The length of your pet's life depends on a number of factors, including healthcare, diet, and environment. According to the Blue Cross, domestic cats can live up to 20 years if they are well taken care of.
Cats that come in pairs tend to be healthier and live longer than single cats because they often get more exercise, which keeps their hearts healthy and reduces their stress. Additionally, exercise lessens the risk of having an overweight pet, and can add years to their life.
Two cats offer each other exercise and playtime. Veterinary studies show that cats living together are healthier and live longer. Adopting two cats often comes with a discount.
Small cat breeds that stay small
It's quite hard to define specific small cat breeds, as even the larger breeds will sometimes have the odd small kitty, but there are some which are naturally smaller in stature. Singapuras, munchkins and Siamese cats are cats that stay small but we have even more to show you.