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This is why it is said that each year of a man’s life is equivalent to 7 years of a feline’s life. In reality, this is not quite true, but perhaps it can help us understand the cycle of a cat’s life. Genetics can affect lifespan by a few years, so you might want to avoid the Sphynx or Manx breeds (8-14 years) and instead give your heart to an American Shorthair (15-20). Most breeds fall within the year range.[1][2] But, if you’re like most of us, you aren’t shopping around. Instead, you already have a cat and want to know how to help your cat live his or her longest, healthiest life. With proper nutrition, regular visits to the vet, and loving care, you can do wonders.
Why Do Outdoor Cats Live Shorter Lives?
Your cat’s environment can affect how long your feline lives. Indoor cats tend to live an average of three times longer than outdoor cats. This is mainly because indoor cats typically face much less risk of disease from parasites and dangers such as getting hit by a car or being attacked by other animals.
How to Increase Your Cat’s Life Expectancy
According to the Blue Cross, domestic cats can live up to 20 years if they are well taken care of. We strongly urge you to keep your cat indoors, mainly for the animal’s safety. Outdoor and indoor-outdoor pets take an estimated 2.4 billion birds yearly.3 They have even hastened the extinction of many threatened and endangered species. Cats benefit greatly from yearly checkups with their veterinarian, vaccines, parasite prevention and routine blood work.
Cat Life Expectancy Factors:
Carbohydrates can even decrease how much protein is digested, so they are, in fact, harmful to a cat. Cats require a large amount of protein when compared to a dog, due to their unique digestive system. Adult cats should receive at least 5.5 g/kg of protein a day.
Breed-Specific Lifespans: Which Cats Live the Longest?
This means the average eight-pound cat needs to consume at least 20 grams of protein each day and often much more. This can make it a little confusing to attempt to calculate your cat’s age in human years. This human years to cat years calculator will help you get an idea of how your cat’s age compares to that of a human’s.
Creme Puff’s 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 cat’s diet. While we provide information resources and canine education, the content here is not a substitute for veterinary guidance. CBD, or cannabidiol, is a natural compound sourced from the hemp version of the cannabis plant. Cannabidiol is safe to use daily in cats of all ages and sizes.
Average Lifespan of Popular Cat Breeds
How long do cats live? Average lifespan and how to keep pets healthy. - USA TODAY
How long do cats live? Average lifespan and how to keep pets healthy..
Posted: Wed, 15 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]
While the average household includes its fair share of dangers, keeping cats indoors is generally considered a benefit to their longevity. Make sure to “cat-proof” your home, removing variables and hazards to create a safe environment. You’ll probably need to make different adjustments for a senior cat than you’d make for a kitten. Cat owners often wonder – how long will my feline friend be with me? While it’s impossible to predict any individual cat’s lifespan, understanding the average cat life expectancy can help set realistic expectations. Most domestic cats live between years, with plenty of variation above and below that typical range.
Senior (10 years+)
When you know what symptoms to look for, you’ll know when you should take your pet to the vet for evaluation and treatment. It’s important to feed your cat a diet of quality food with balanced nutrients. Like humans, a diet high in appropriate nutrients will help your cat stay healthy and live a longer life. Check with your vet to find out if your cat needs any special type of cat food. The type of food you should be feeding them can vary based on their life stage and any type of medical condition.
Indoor cats cared for by attentive owners tend to reach the higher end of that range. Breeds with shorter average lifespans of years include the Sphynx, Ragdoll, and Scottish Fold. Still, any well-cared for cat can beat the odds and live a long life by avoiding obesity, inheriting lucky genes, and having diligent preventative healthcare. If your goal is to get the most quality time with your cat, consider choosing a mixed breed (or “moggy,” also known as a Domestic Shorthair or Domestic Longhair). Your cat’s life expectancy may not be the most fun topic to contemplate, but it’s important to consider what may happen to them in the future—and when.
A long lifespan with an excellent quality of life is the end game. Understanding your responsibility is at the crux, and it’s essential to know what it entails before getting a cat. We spoke to Ashley Callihan, a vet technician with DodoVet, for more insight into a cat’s longevity and if some cat breeds live longer than others. If you’re in an area where there may be predators roaming around, letting your cat outside can be dangerous. The same goes for letting your cat roam the city streets that are filled with cars and other hazards. Untreated cat anxiety can make life even more difficult for indoor-outdoor cats because of all the people and noises outside.
Give them food according to their needs, clean water in the drinking fountain every day, periodic deworming, a complete vaccination plan, and flea removal are part of basic care. These problems can range from rickets to obesity, and other problems caused by nutritional deficiencies. That is why it is very important to choose suitable and quality food. A domestic cat is less exposed to cars or larger animals than a stray cat. Outdoor cats may experience incidents such as being hit by a vehicle, bumping into a trap, getting stuck in a shed or a culvert, or being attacked by a dog or even other cats.
While cats live between 13 to 17 years of age on average, their lifespan is affected by several factors, including genetics. For example, the lifespan of a Maine Coon is 10 to 13 years, while a Savannah cat is known to live up to 20 years. Outdoor cats also have to handle severe weather, threats from wildlife and other predators, and even periods of starvation or lack of clean water sources. Because of all of these factors, outdoor cats have a much more limited lifespan of 3 to 10 years, with the average being 5.6 total years. They are more at risk of disease from fleas and ticks, have more interactions with other cats causing bites and scratches, and have more accidents and traumas than indoor cats.
Cat trees that provide your cat with multiple levels to jump, climbing holes, and scratch pads are ideal. Creme Puff, a tabby mix out of Austin, Texas, lived to be 38 in a happy, long life! Today, the oldest cat is Flossie, whose 27th birthday was celebrated by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2022. Indoor cats encounter fewer hazards, with no cars to avoid and no territory to fight over, among other things. To reduce these risks, try to keep your adventurous feline indoors at higher risk times, such as after dark.
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