Everyone wants their cats could stay with them always and provide them with everlasting joy and love. Sadly, a cat’s expected lifespan is far less than a human’s. This should not discourage new cat parents. Four-legged pals could live absolutely wonderful and healthy lives if given the proper care.
How long do most indoor cats live? With proper nutrition and attention, the average feline parent may anticipate their house cat to thrive for 12-15 years. Some cat owners have watched their cats survive for more than twenty years, providing endless love.
There are always a lot of uncertainties when it comes to predicting how long a feline would live. This article covers how long cats live and everything you can do to boost your pet’s health and happiness.
History of Domesticated Cats
Felines have been loved as pets for hundreds of years. They are native to the Eastern Mediterranean and were trained from feral felines to assist in managing rat infestations. These felines were popular as pets everywhere in the globe, and humans ultimately began carefully breeding them for specific characteristics, resulting in several breeds.
Felines from 4 different locations were used to create the main feline breeds: the Arabian Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean, South Asia, and Western Europe. Felines from these 4 locations have various specific genes depending on their location or ethnicity.
Average Cat Lifespan
A feline’s lifespan is determined by a variety of variables. A feline’s life expectancy is low if it solely spends time outside. It is because of their exposure to wildlife, canines, automobiles, harmful chemicals, the weather, and other factors. On the other hand, a domestic feline can happily live up to 20 years old.
In reality, if felines are kept mostly inside, and their well-being is managed properly, they can survive till their early twenties. Domestic felines have an average lifetime of 13 to 17 years. A cat living outside has a lifetime of fewer than five years. A domestic/stray feline’s average lifetime is somewhat in the middle.
The following are some of the reasons that contribute to this excellent lifetime range:
- Strictly indoors or allowed outdoors
- External weather
- Hereditary flaws
- Breed
- Genetics
- Nutrition
- Toxicological exposure
- Veterinary treatment
- Medical disorders that are causing the problem
- Vaccinations
- Protection against parasites
Your feline’s life expectancy is heavily influenced by her lifestyle and precautionary treatment. For providing your feline with the best quality of life, you cannot emphasize the significance of staying indoors combined with health checkups and nutrition.
Cat Breeds and Lifespan
Although it’s hard to predict how much a feline would live, certain breeds have a history of living longer than most others. The Siamese and Manx feline breeds are the ones that have been known to outlast their feline counterparts, but then other kinds have been known to survive through their 20s and sometimes even 30s. Felines, whether purebred or household mixed-breed, possess the ability to live longer than the average feline breed.
Cat Nutrition and Lifespan
Since felines predominantly consume meat, they are classified as habitual carnivores, so the diet you serve must complement this. Since many studies have gone into determining the nutritional requirements of a domestic feline, pet parents have various food choices.
However, not every food item is the same. Senior felines cannot absorb substantial quantities of carbs or dairy; thus, these nutrients are useless in their diet. Carbohydrates also can reduce the amount of protein absorbed, making them unhealthy for cats.
However, proteins are essential for a cat’s survival. Felines, compared to dogs, require a lot of protein because of their gastrointestinal mechanism. Senior felines should consume at least 2.7 grams of protein every day. It implies that an 8-pound feline requires at least 20 g of protein per day and sometimes considerably more.
Vital amino acids are critical for a feline’s health. These vital amino acids include taurine, homocysteine, and caseins, and in the absence of vital minerals and the correct quantity of protein, a feline’s health can suffer considerably.
Cat Health and Lifespan
A feline that does not consume a balanced meal may suffer from health problems, but pests and illnesses can also harm them. Some disorders have long-term consequences for felines and can reduce their lives.
Felines with bad genetics, immune-affected felines, and those with damaged organ systems may not survive more than healthy felines.
Cat Lifestyle and Lifespan
Some felines are purely domestic pets, while others are completely outdoor companions, yet many are indoor/outdoor animals who alternate between both situations. Since the threats that feral felines encounter regularly are far more than the ones that a house feline faces, an external feline’s lifespan is commonly reduced.
Avoiding automobile collisions, being harmed by feral creatures, consuming poisons, obtaining food, living outdoors, and being subjected to numerous infections and illnesses are all common problems for a stray or indoor/outdoor feline. Therefore more hours a feline spends outdoors, the higher the chances of damage or sickness caused by its surroundings.
Even though they are protected within a safe house, indoor felines are not subjected to several threats. Wild predators and automobiles provide very less danger to an indoor feline, and their food is often supervised, reducing chemical, insect, and virus infections, particularly if they have been vaccinated and taking precautionary meds.
Large cats such as lions, tigers, ocelots, and other feral animals are in a similar boat. These captive felines frequently live longer than their wild relatives.
Life stages
Felines will experience six life stages throughout their life, so once they enter the ‘mature’ phase at 7 years old, they are termed ‘old.’ They usually do not begin to slow down till they turn 11 years old when they enter their ‘senior’ phase. A feline’s six life steps are as follows:
Kitten (up to six months)
It’s the greatest time to engage your feline in a variety of new things, including other animals, domestic sounds, being groomed and petted, and interacting with kids.
Throughout this stage, they will experience their most significant growth surge. It’s an ideal opportunity to spay or neuter your cat to avoid an unwanted litter.
Junior (six months – two years)
In this stage, your feline has grown to maximum height and reached breeding age. Engaging properly with your cat to train them to interact with other humans is essential. It implies that you should avoid harsh plays with your feline and entertain them with other items.
Messing with your fingers might promote nibbling and clawing, which may appear adorable while they’re kittens, but keep in mind that they’ll reach adulthood, and the nibbles and claws will become more problematic.
Prime (3-6 years)
As the title indicates, your feline would be experiencing the peak of its lifespan in this stage. It’s always vital to keep your feline up with the latest vaccines and physical examinations while they’re active and strong to help avoid infections and disorders.
Mature (7 – 10 years)
Your feline will become the human version of a person in their mid to mid-40s to 50s at this time. It suggests your cat might begin to decelerate, and she is more prone to gain weight as a result.
It’s critical to keep track of their dietary intake to ensure they’re getting the correct quantity for their intensity of exercise. Please see your veterinarian if you are unclear if your feline is obese and how to reduce their food quantity.
Senior (11 – 14 years)
Your feline will have reached the human age of around 70 years, which implies they will require more cognitive activity to keep them entertained.
Enlightening your feline’s habitat must be undertaken throughout their life, particularly in their elderly years when felines prefer to rest a lot longer. Food games are an excellent method to keep your feline amused while attempting to reach their food, especially if they are a little obese.
Geriatric (15 years and older)
Some felines can continue to reach this stage without showing any symptoms of slowing or stopping (good for them!) On the other hand, some may begin to take everything casually and peacefully sleep all day on their preferred cushion.
Senior felines will require to be watched more thoroughly for any abnormalities in their personality, which might include speech patterns and urinating frequency. It’s recommended to schedule a meeting with your veterinarian if you observe anything unusual.
Helping Your Cat Live a Long Life
Would you like to see your feline live till its old age? Below are some simple rules that can enable your feline to thrive well within its adult years while also ensuring that you have lots of time around each other:
Veterinary Care
Even the most knowledgeable pet owner can’t do everything by themselves. Your vet is an animal healthcare consultant, a specialist who will provide hands-on advice from kittenhood to elderly years. They’ll show you ways to live a joyful, healthy lifestyle at home and detect alarming signals before they become significant health issues.
Felines, like humans, are prone to chronic illnesses that can reduce their lifespan and lower their quality of life. A qualified veterinarian will make absolutely sure that you’re doing all possible methods to make the most of your time around your cat while avoiding giving them any anxiety or pain.
Nutrition
Your veterinarian will be great at helping you organize your feline’s diet. An expert can assist you to guarantee you’re constantly supplying all a cat needs since their dietary demands increase as they get older. If required, your veterinarian may suggest that you boost your diet with commercialized feeds or even buy specific prescription formulations. It may also assist your feline in maintaining a proper weight.
Read also: Possible reasons why your cat is losing weight.
Lifestyle
As previously stated, domestic felines live significantly more than feral cats. While every home has its upsides and downsides, keeping felines indoors is usually seen to be extremely useful to their health. To establish a safe atmosphere, “cat-proof” the house by reducing stressors and risks. Expect things to change when your feline gets older. For an elderly feline, you’ll certainly have to make various changes than you would for a newborn.
Exercise and Engagement
Felines may appear to be lazy; however, it does not imply that they are not in need of bodily and cognitive engagement. Regular physical activity is not only necessary for keeping cats fit but also for their enjoyment! Keeping cats entertained with games and encouragement to wander helps prevent them from becoming tired and unmotivated as they age while also boosting intellectual ability.
Pet Insurance
Insurance can’t stop pet health emergencies from taking place, but the financial safety net it provides can make a big difference when it comes time to administer care. Providers offer a range of options. The simplest policies offer coverage against accidents and illnesses alone, while more comprehensive ones cover everything from routine care to end-of-life expenses.
Read also: Reasons why your cats refuse to eat and drink.
The Oldest Cat of All Time
According to the Guinness Book of world records, the eldest feline lived for 38 years and 3 days. Crème Puff used to be a purebred shorthair feline who was given unusual foods, including broccoli, eggs, and thick cream on occasion. She was brought into the world in 1967 in Austin, Texas, and passed away in 2005. It’s unclear how Crème Puff managed to survive for so long, but, likely, a mix of treatment and love, strong genetics, and a secure atmosphere had a significant contribution.
Final Thought
Every pet parent wishes for their kitties to live up to 20 years. Because they can’t, it’s comforting to know that your felines might live a prolonged and healthy life with proper maintenance and veterinary medication.
Although you may never have perfect authority over your feline’s lives, you can ensure that they live much longer by providing them with a secure, nutritious diet and friendly atmosphere.