How Long Will My Cat Live?
Posted: Thursday, March 09, 2006
by Larry Chamberlain
http://www.best-cat-art.com
The answer to that depends upon several factors.
The care that you give your cat, the quality of the food that your cat eats the kind of lifestyle that your cat lives. All these things play their part in the chances of your cat enjoying a long life.
Veterinary medicine has made some great advances in recent years, and this is one of the reasons the average age of domestic cats is increasing. A well cared for cat that is kept indoors and is fed a good nutritional diet, would be expected to live for about 15 years.
The genetic make up of a cat can be a factor in determining its life span. Some breeds of cat appear to be more resilient than others. Selective breeding can have the effect that some breeds are genetically prone to ailments which shorten their life expectancy. Mixed breeds, the typical moggie or mouser, is usually more vigorous in its genetic make up and may expect to live slightly longer than a pure breed cat.
Cats that are kept strictly as indoor only cats stand a better chance of living to a ripe old age than cats that are allowed outside. The reasons for this are many. Outdoor cats face danger from traffic, from being attacked by other cats or by other animals. They run increased risk of being accidentally poisoned by
pesticides or deliberately poisoned by malicious humans. Outdoor cats are also at risk from catching feline diseases particularly from the feral cat population.
The are many things to consider in deciding to keep your cat as an indoor only cat or an outdoor-indoor cat, life expectancy is only one of them.
Overfeeding your cat is a good way to shorten its life. An overfed cat stands more chance of health problems than a cat that is weight controlled. Diabetes, arthritis, breathing difficulties, heart and liver disease can all result as a consequence of overfeeding. All of these conditions may mean your little pet not living a long and healthy feline life. Your veterinarian can advise on the best diet for your cat.
Exercise too, is important for your cat's health and in maintaining its weight. Healthy cats mostly exercise themselves of course, but the playtime you enjoy with your cat can contribute to keeping kitty healthy. Elderly cats particularly benefit from gentle play-exercise.
Regular visits to the vets for routine checks will give your cat the best chance to live a long life, and to live that life healthily. Many life shortening problems can be tackled successfully if detected early.
Neutered or spayed cats often enjoy a slightly longer life than unaltered felines. This is particularly so for male cats as an unaltered male will often receive injuries defending his territory. There are many other good reasons for spaying and neutering of course, aside from extending the life of your cat.
Larry Chamberlain lives in London, England, and has had a lifelong fascination with domestic cats. His website www.best-cat-art.com provides information about all that is best in cat art. Also pages about cat and kitten care and information on cat breeds and types.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)I have a cat that is 16 years old and she is still full of spunk and seems so much younger than her years. She has been mostly an indoor cat but does venture out infrequently. What is the best way to make sure she lives as long and healthy as possible from this point on?
Hi Beth, Sounds like you have a great cat there. You must already be giving your cat great care so likely she will stay young and healthy for some time yet. As cats get older they often become less active so their dietary requirements may change. Older cats do benefit from a little gentle play exercise though. All the best, Larry.
see my cat is vry curious iv had him for three yeas but idk how old he is in cat years. ca you help me?Hi Scorpio, Some folks calculate that the first two years of a cats life equal twenty five of human years. After that each addition year is equal to four human years. On that basis your cat is around twenty nine years old :-) But . . . all cats are different, and they are living longer, so who knows. The important thing is if he is healthy and happy, and if you give him your love, he will be. All the best, Larry.
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