How Long Do Cats Live?
June 23, 2018
It’s natural for every cat owner to wonder how long their beloved pet will live. Like anything, it all depends on your cat’s lifestyle. If your cat gets plenty of exercise, eats a nutritious diet, and has a comfortable living environment, he or she can live to 15 or longer.
Oldest Living Cat
The oldest cat on record lived to be a ripe old age of 38. His name was Creme Puff and he lived in Texas until 2005. Coincidentally, the oldest living cat right now also lives in Texas. His name is Scooter and he was born was 1986.
Average Lifespan of Cats
Cats living in the wild are said to live for an average of 4 to 5 years, whereas cats that live indoors can expect a healthy life of 15 years on average. However, cats who live indoors and outdoors, who come and go as they please, are at a higher risk of getting into fights with other cats or falling prey to predators or other factors like contaminants. Generally, they don’t live as long as indoor cats.
Keep Kitty Lean and Mean
It’s difficult for indoor cats to get enough exercise and often they fall victim to obesity. This can shorten your cat’s life by 1 to 2 ½ years. Being overweight can cause other health issues in your cat like diabetes, so make sure you keep kitty active by engaging in play with them, and giving them climbing posts and interactive food dispensers.
Regular Dental Care is Key
For healthy cats, it not uncommon for them to live to 20 years or older. One trick that cat owners swear by is regular dental care. Keeping your cat’s teeth clean can cut down on plaque and other disease-causing bacteria, and will add years to their life.
Cat Years in Human Years
It’s interesting to note that cats do most of their aging during the first two years of their life. According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), cats age 24 years in first two years of life. Here is the age of your cat compared to human years:
Life Stage
Kitten (birth to 6 months)
- 0 - 1 month = 0 - 1 human year
- 2 - 3 months = 2 - 4 human years
- 4 months = 6 - 8 human years
- 6 months = 10 human years
Junior (7 months to 2 years)
- 7 months - 12 human years
- 12 months - 15 human years
- 18 months - 21 human years
- 2 years - 24 human years
According to the AAHA chart, at middle age (7 - 10 years), your cat is considered mature and holds a human equivalent of 56 years. An average cat living to 15 years would be considered geriatric and share a human age of 76. A cat who lived to 20 would be 96 in human years, at 22 would be 104 years old and at 25 would be the ripe age of 116.
We hope your cats live a long and healthy life.