How old do cats get?
A purely indoor cat usually lives longer than an outdoor cat. If you want to know how old cats get, you will probably also be interested in how to convert cat years into human years.
We will show you how to determine the age of your cat and provide you with important information about the average age of cats. We also give you tips on how to protect your cat in the best possible way in old age - regular check-ups with the vet are indispensable. While you take care of the well-being of your house cat, we can take away the financial worries of treatment with cat health insurance.
Life expectancy of cats – How old can cats really get?
The oldest cat in the world to date was an incredible 38 years old. However, this is rather the exception. How old a cat gets depends on numerous factors. The individual hereditary disposition plays a decisive role in this.
In addition, when it comes to the question of life expectancy, a distinction must be made between outdoor cats and domestic cats. While indoor cats can even live to be over 15 years old, cats with free range have a significantly lower average life expectancy of 10 years. The average age of a cat that lives exclusively outdoors – i.e. a stray – is even lower. In addition, some pedigree cats can be burdened with hereditary diseases that can reduce life expectancy.
If you decide on a particular cat breed, make sure you have a responsible breeder.
Life expectancy of cats at a glance:
- Domestic cats: 15 – 18 years
- Outdoor cat: 8 – 12 years
- Stray: 6 – 8 years
- Purebred cats in general: 10 – 12 years
Which cat breed has the highest life expectancy?
Some cat breeds have a higher life expectancy than others. This is partly due to the fact that some breeds are more prone to certain diseases or carry hereditary diseases. The most popular breeds in Germany include Maine Coon cats, Bengal cats, Siamese cats, British shorthair cats and Ragdoll cats.
| Some long-lived cat breeds with their average lifespan: | |
|---|---|
| Balinese | 18 to 22 years old |
| European Shorthair | 15 to 22 years |
| Siam | 15 to 20 years |
| Ragdoll | 12 to 17 years old |
| Persian | 10 to 17 years |
| Bengal | 12 to 16 years |
| Maine Coon | 12 to 15 years |
| British Shorthair | 12 to 14 years |
Why do domestic cats have a higher life expectancy than outdoor cats?
As a rule, domestic cats live longer than outdoor cats. This is mainly due to the fact that cats are exposed to several dangers outdoors. Many dangers lurk in road traffic. Disputes with conspecifics also threaten the outdoor cats. If cats come into contact with others, the risk of infection with cat diseases also increases.
Indoor cats are usually confronted with significantly fewer dangers. As a consequence, their life expectancy is significantly higher on average.
Easily convert cat years to human years
It is important to convert cat years into human years so that the cat owner can better adjust to the age of the cat. As the cat gets older, its behavior also changes. The animals often become sluggish – and the performance of their sensory organs becomes significantly weaker. To ensure that your four-legged friend is well cared for, you should know the needs of the old cat in particular and respond to them. To make sure that a change in behaviour is not a disease, you should first discuss the relevant symptoms with your veterinarian.
| Here's how cat years are converted to human years: | |
|---|---|
| Cat years | Human years |
| 1 year | 15 years |
| 2 years | 21 years old |
| 3 years | 27 years |
| 4 years | 31 years |
| 5 years | 35 years |
| 6 years | 39 years |
| 7 years | 43 years |
| 8 years | 47 years |
| 9 years | 51 years |
| 10 years | 55 years |
How to tell your cat's advancing age
Cats are referred to as seniors from the age of 11. Just like in humans, there are typical signs of a biological aging process.
Examples of typical signs of aging in cats are:
- Reduction of muscle mass and muscle strength
- Movement restrictions
- Behavior
- Waning of the senses
- Memory performance is reduced
- Greater need for sleep
- Neglect of grooming
It is important to be able to distinguish typical signs of aging from feline diseases, such as cat flu. Regular veterinary checks are strongly recommended here. If your cat scratches frequently and it looks like it neglects to care for its fur, it may also be mites in the cat, for example.
Caring for cats in old age: How to increase the life expectancy of cats
As with humans, the susceptibility to diseases also increases in cats at an older age. Older cats, for example, no longer tolerate wet and cold so well and can get sick more quickly. In addition, as cats get older, their character can also change and decreasing physical activity can be observed.
For this reason, it is particularly important to be considerate of the cat. In order to support the velvet paws in old age in the best possible way, the following factors in particular should be taken into account:
- Regular vet visits: As the cat gets older, it becomes more susceptible to diseases. In order to be able to treat diseases such as kidney disorders, tumors or heart disease in time, it is important to have the cat's health checked regularly by a veterinarian - not only in old age. Also remember to have your cat vaccinated regularly.
- Prevent weight fluctuations: Due to increasing sluggishness, some cats often gain weight with age – others, on the other hand, suffer from a loss of appetite. As a cat owner, you should make sure that your cat eats enough and consumes all the nutrients it needs.
- Make sure you get enough exercise: More physical activity also helps prevent weight fluctuations. In addition, your cat stays fit, which also reduces the risk of injury.
- Support grooming: Cats are very clean animals that in most cases take care of their own grooming. With increasing age, the cat can find it increasingly difficult to clean its fur on its own due to reduced mobility. Support the cat in grooming. In this way, you can increase the well-being of your velvet paw. Cat's claws that are too long should also be cut.
- Pay attention to an age-appropriate diet: With increasing age, the nutritional requirements of cats usually change. Therefore, you should take special care to adapt the food to the needs of your animal.
We answer more questions on the topic: How old do cats get?
How old do cats get? Therefore, you should know the life expectancy of your feline paw
On average, cats live to be 10 to 15 years old. Exactly how old cats get depends on factors such as breed, husbandry and diet. Cats are already seniors from the age of 11. Older cats may require special care, and some may also rely on special food regimes.
With age, the probability of the occurrence of various clinical pictures also increases. It can be helpful to get a better sense of a cat's age by converting it into human years.
If you are considerate of the cat's age, you can increase the quality of life of your house cat enormously. A regular visit to the vet can also help to detect cat diseases more quickly and thus treat them at an early stage. If you have taken out cat health insurance with Helvetia, we will take care of the veterinary costs from now on, so that you can concentrate fully on the well-being of your four-legged friend.