Many pet pets wonder how old cats live. Of course, people get used to a fluffy family member quickly. Some time later, after a cat appeared in the house, the owners think about this issue. Losing pets is always difficult, so you should know how to prolong the life of a puss, how to care and how to feed.
What determines the life span of a cat?
This question is extremely important for all owners. As the famous saying goes, we are responsible for those we tamed. When introducing a cat, people should be aware that they are now responsible for its life and the conditions in which the animal will develop.
Statistics say that cats live on average twelve to fifteen years. But you should pay attention: how many years cats live, depends on other individual characteristics of the animal.
The life span of a cat is influenced by several key factors:
- Sterilization.
- Vaccination.
- The ability to tolerate certain diseases.
- Genetics.
- Accommodations.
- Individual characteristics (more relevant for purebred cats).
How many years outbred cats live depends only on the owners. With regular proper care, a balanced diet, timely necessary vaccinations, the average purebred cat at home will live about twenty years.
Feline and human age
Many owners are interested in the age of the pet and how many years a cat lives by human standards.
Feline age | Age of man | Feline age | Age of man |
| 1 month | Seven months | 2 years | 24 years |
| 3 months | 2 years | 4 years | 32 years |
| 6 months | 8 years | 6 years | 40 years |
| 8 months | 15 years | 8 years | 48 years old |
| 1 year | 18 years | 10 years | 56 years |
Proper care for any animal is extremely important, as it directly affects how many years cats live at home.
Nutrition
A balanced diet filled with all the necessary vitamins and minerals is the main factor affecting the duration and quality of life of a pet. It does not matter much whether it is natural food or food, the main thing is to approach this topic wisely, and it is even better to consult a veterinarian before choosing a nutrition system. Do not overfeed the cat, as obesity will only negatively affect the general condition of the pet.
For normal adult cat activity, the number of meals per day should be two times (morning and evening). The daily norm of food is calculated individually: depending on the weight and energy value of the food product. An adult cat should receive 50-60 kilocalories per kilogram of weight.
Also, the animal should have round-the-clock access to water. If the cat suffers from excessive thirst, this means that the feed has not come up and needs to be changed. When choosing dishes, experienced veterinarians recommend choosing a smaller plate for food and a larger one for water. It is recommended to put food for twenty minutes. After the time has passed, the food should be removed, regardless of whether the cat ate or not. A hungry animal during this time will eat the amount of food that he needs. Reluctant eating is not satisfying hunger, but overeating.
If the animal is constantly hungry, this is a sure sign that it is time to poison the parasites.
Natural food
When choosing natural food, special attention should be paid to the following products:
- lean meat and fish;
- cartilage;
- liver, heart;
- steamed or raw vegetables (at the request of the pet);
- vitamin nutritional supplements (after 1 year).
Dry food
Dry food has its pros and cons. The pluses include the fact that it is convenient for the owner, longer stored, filled with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. When choosing dry food, there is no need to purchase additional vitamin complexes. In addition, there is a prevention of tartar, due to the fact that the feed has a dense structure.
However, this type of food has its drawbacks. Quality food costs a lot of money. Cheap dry food is a sure way to reward your pet with various diseases that adversely affect the cat’s life and longevity. Dry food also contains a lot of salt. In addition, it will be extremely difficult to transfer the animal from feed to natural food, as the feed is highly addictive.
Vaccination
Regular vaccination has a strong influence on how old cats live. Every year, it is necessary to vaccinate even those animals that do not go outside. When a person arrives home, they can cause an infection that can be fatal. Timely vaccination strengthens the immune system and protects against many diseases.
Parasite prophylaxis
Once every six months, regardless of whether signs of infection are detected or not, it is recommended to poison the helminths. A convenient way is chosen by the owner: it can be tablets, suspension or drops.
External care
Care for the ears, hair and eyes should occur regularly. It will not affect how many years a cat lives, but it can protect against infectious diseases.
Sterilization
Pet owners who do not plan to breed offspring, think about sterilization. But the most basic question is how many years live sterilized cats live. All owners are afraid that this procedure will shorten the life of their pet. It is worth dispelling this myth. Sterilization has a positive effect on the vital activity of the animal. After giving birth, cats often have diseases of the reproductive system. In addition, after sterilization in a cat, estruses that irritate the animal cease. The character of the cat becomes calm. On average, such an operation extends the life of a cat by five years.
After this procedure, the cat can gain a little more weight, but diet or balanced dry food will help to cope with this.
What else do owners need to know before surgery? The postoperative period averages eight to ten days. During the rehabilitation period, the cat needs round-the-clock care. In the early days, the pet should not get up, walk, it is best to generally move less. Food and water should be brought directly to the place where the animal lies. Change food is not worth it, feed what she’s used to. Be sure to ensure that the cat does not lick the suture until it heals a little. It is recommended to wear a special veterinary collar, this will not allow the cat to reach the seam. The first seven days, the seam should be treated with an antiseptic (peroxide, chlorhexidine bigluconate and others). Sterilization can be done between the ages of eight months and a half years. Adult cats are prohibited from doing this operation.
No less important question that worries the owners: "How old are nulliparous cats?" Nulliparous and non-sterilized cats most often suffer from cancer. Representatives of the cat family are arranged so that they need to breed. And the domestic cat, which regularly has "estrus" and which is not allowed to kitten, experiences physical discomfort, which subsequently causes a lot of diseases.
The average life expectancy of cats of different breeds
Of course, how many years a cat will live depends on its breed. Some representatives are weak and difficult to tolerate even mild diseases. Genetics also play a large role: if the kitten’s mother was painful, it is likely that the cub will be exposed to diseases.
Persian cats
This breed is one of the most popular among European and American residents. It is believed that these cats originated from Iran. It was there that the first "bearless" cats appeared, which became exotic. On average, Persians live fifteen years. This breed requires careful care for hair and eyes. Diet should also be given special attention, since the gastrointestinal tract of these cats is weak.
Scottish fold cats
These cats are popular due to their baby face and funny ears. The Scottish fold character is calm and non-aggressive. They get along easily with children. The average life expectancy of this breed is seventeen years.
Siamese cats
Representatives of this breed of cats live on average for fourteen years, however, there are cases when Siamese cats survived to twenty years. They can be called rare centenarians. When choosing this breed, you need to pay attention to the fact that they are prone to diseases of the food system. When choosing food for this animal, you should be careful, but it is better to consult a veterinarian.
British cats
This breed lives up to twenty years, but subject to a balanced diet. The British are prone to overeating and further obesity. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor how much the pet eats.
In conclusion, I want to say that how many years cats live at home depends only on the person. With proper nutrition, filled with vitamins, careful care and timely vaccination, your cat can easily become a long-liver and please the owners with its love and tenderness.