Cat Lifespan - Your Online Vet

Posted by Cindy Guerra on December 18th, 2019

You may have lived with your cat but you don’t know how old the cat is. This is common because most pet owners don’t care about the life expectancy of cats. You may see their size and confuse their life expectancy thinking they live for a very short time. As a matter of fact, cats live longer than most pets including dogs. The oldest cat in records hit the 30 years mark. This is not a joke because the cat is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, and Oh! The cat was 38 years old.  So, what is the cat’s life expectancy and what affects cat lifespan?

Cat’s life expectancy

Although it’s very easy to see cats growing as old as 20 years, their average life span is 15 years. Don’t be surprised to hear someone saying his cat is over 20 years old. If it’s an indoor cat and has good health, it can surpass the recorded average lifespan.

With the improvements in Nutrition and veterinary medicines, we have seen some improvements in the lifespan of dogs and cats. Though, their life expectancy will depend on two things: whether the cat is an indoor or an outdoor animal.

Indoor cats live for about 18 years and there are some records of some getting as old as 20 years. The main reasons why these cats are going to live this old is because they are living safely and healthy. Unlike outdoor cats that will live for a shorter time because they are exposed to additional health dangers.

What other factors affecting cat’s lifespan?

Besides the fact that where the cat lives-outdoor and indoors can affect a cat lifespan, there are many other factors that will also play a role. Some of them include:

• Breeding and genetics
• Nutrition
• Exercise and physical fitness
• Environmental factors
• Emotional connections with the owner
• Health care and appropriate veterinary care

How to help your cat live longer

There are many things you can do to help your cat live longer. I guess you want to see your cat for a long time. To make that a reality, do the following:

Observation-You have to keep on observing your cat and if there are any small changes on the behavior, please contact your vet immediately. Observe the cat’s water intake, breathing patterns, coat quality, physical activeness, bathroom habits, bumps and many other things.

Never let your cat scavenge-Cats will get most infections from garbage. If you want your cat to live longer, then make sure you are not letting the cat scavenge or consume leftovers.

• Always maintain a healthy diet
• Help the cat to manage stress and also put the cat in a stress-free environment.
• Take on regular vet visits.
• Routine vaccinations.

Now that you want your cat to live longer, play safe by taking good care of cats. Also save outdoor cats from any risks and give them food if possible. You can take them to a cat care center for additional care.

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