The average lifespan that a cat live is longer than ever. Nutritional supplements, immunizations, and other veterinary medical advancements have contributed to cats living at least 15 years of age and even 20 years in certain cases. A significant element that affects life expectancy is whether your cat is an indoor-only cat or an outdoor cat.
Cats who spend their lives indoors might expect to see 12-18 years pass. Many of them may reach their early 20s in good health. Creme Puff, the oldest known cat, lived for approximately 38 years.
Due to increased exposure to dangers, including car accidents and dog attacks, the average lifespan of an outdoor cat is significantly lower. Several fatal infections, such as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia, are more commonly disseminated among outdoor cats due to increased opportunities for fighting.
How Many Human Years Do Cats Live?
A cat’s age can be determined in human years and cat years, as its life phases are generally equivalent to human years, just as they are for dogs. But this is tricky because a cat’s first human year equals several years in development. Similar to how human aging gradually slows down over time. The table below provides a rough conversion of cat years to human years for some common ages.
After only three years, your cat is the equivalent of a human at age 28. After this point, every cat year amounts to about four human years. A cat’s 11 years are equivalent to a human’s 60.
Do cats that live indoors and outdoors age similarly?
Whether a cat is an indoor-only cat or an outdoor cat may also affect its aging process. The American Heart Association (AAHA) acknowledges the controversy surrounding this issue, noting that there is reasonable justification for both sides of the debate. The AAHA suggests that domestic or house cat lifespan may be longer because they are protected from injuries and infectious infections. However, indoor cats may be more susceptible to sickness because of their confined surroundings.
The opposite is correct for cats living outside. Outdoor cats have access to a more natural and interesting environment but also face a considerably higher danger of being injured or infected. Eventually, it’s up to each cat parent to pick which lifestyle alternatives work best for their cat; nevertheless, it’s important to remember that your choice may affect how your cat ages.
Exposed outdoor cats are more likely to be injured or killed by vehicles, other cats, or other hazards. However, as they have more room to roam, they are also more likely to engage in physical activity, which benefits their health. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough proof yet to say whether an indoor or outdoor lifestyle greatly increases a cat lifespan. If you choose to keep your cat inside, make sure to provide it with lots of opportunities for activity, such as interactive toys that encourage running and jumping. Other dangers might affect indoor cats, so keeping them healthy for as long as possible will require regular supervision.
Which breed of cats live the longest?
While the lifespan of any given cat can never be predicted with certainty, some breeds tend to outlive the average. Some examples of such breeds include the Siamese, Burmese, and Ragdoll. You can help your cat live a long and happy life by ensuring it gets plenty of exercises, a nutritious diet, and other normal care.
World’s Longest Living Cat, confirmed at about 27 years old.
A cat in Britain has been officially deemed the oldest living cat, days before her 27th birthday. Don’t be fooled by her youthful appearance; Flossie is, in fact, quite the senior lady. Despite being severely impaired in both senses of hearing and vision, the record-setting creature is in good health at the ripe old age of 26 years 316 days (approximately 120 human years).
Throughout her long life, Flossie, a lovely brown and black feline with a loving personality and a love of cuddles and food, has lived in a number of different homes. Her current owner Vicki reports that despite her blindness and deafness, the dog is still active and curious and easily adjusts to new situations.
Every day, Flossie can be seen either cuddling up in her favorite yellow blanket or paws in a beautiful, big dish of food, purring and snoozing by her owner. In August of 2022, Flossie was sent to Cats Protection, the premier cat protection organization in the United Kingdom, and thus began her quest to verify her record.