Often, owners of cats wonder how old their pet would be if it were a human. Is it possible to translate feline age into human? The table “Cat age by human standards” will let you know at what stage the animal is growing up and will help to better understand it.
How to determine a cat's age
Not always the owners of the cat know her exact age. Often the animal gets to new owners from the shelter or from the street. If you are a kid or teenager, even a layman can determine the approximate age. But most often, such questions arise when a fully matured animal enters the house.
Up to a year old, an adult cat can be determined by an experienced breeder or veterinarian. To do this, you need to study the teeth of the animal. In a monthly kitten, teeth only appear; in a six-month-old, dairy are replaced by indigenous ones. Next, look at the erasure of the incisors of the upper and lower jaw, fangs. The more severely worn teeth, the older the animal.
How to draw analogies
How to determine the age correspondence between a cat and a person? The intelligence of a person and an animal cannot be compared; according to physiological development, they are also very different. Therefore, when comparing ages, they primarily take into account emotional and social characteristics.
For example, both a feline and a human baby are a helpless creature that is entirely dependent on the mother. The teenager is active, but has little experience. And the old man gradually loses interest in life, becomes passive, loses the sharpness of his senses.
According to this principle, scientists have compiled a comparative table "The age of a cat by human standards." There are several different age transfer systems. The simplest is to multiply the age of the animal by 7. It is easy to verify the futility of this method. Is it possible to compare a one-year-old, already mature and independent cat with a seven-year-old child?
Therefore, the table "Cat age by human standards" has been improved. In it, a one-year-old cat is compared with a fifteen-year-old teenager, and an animal of two years old is compared with a 24-year-old man. In the future, for each feline year, 4 people are given.
According to another system, until a cat reaches the age of five, each year it is considered to be seven human, up to twelve - for four, and after - for three. The most accurate system uses a number of complex coefficients. In order to better understand the development of the animal and compare it with a person, we will consider the stages of growing up a cat.
Infancy
A cat develops and matures much faster than a human. The period of infancy in a kitten lasts only a few weeks, while the baby takes a big step in its development. A cat child is born completely helpless, deaf and blind.
Within a week after birth, the film that protects the baby’s delicate ears disappears. Eyes open on the 5-10th day after birth, but vision is formed gradually, and a kitten will normally begin to see the world around it only after a few weeks.
In two-week-old kittens, teeth begin to cut. For comparison: in human children, this stage occurs only at the age of 6-8 months. Already monthly kittens are running, actively studying the surrounding space. Children behave this way at 1-1.5 years. The table “Cat age by human standards” indicates that a one-month-old kitten is developed as a six-month-old baby, two feline months are equal to ten human, and a three-month-old animal can be compared to a two-year-old baby.
Childhood
Young cats develop so rapidly that during this period it is most difficult to compare their age with the age of children. After three months of age, the kitten actively communicates with its brothers and sisters, establishes contact with the owners. Recognizes friends and foes. He can take care of himself, brush his coat, learn certain rules of behavior, focusing on his mother. The kid feeds on his own, knows where the bowls, sleeper, and tray are. He already has an idea of what to play with, and what items should not be touched.
The cat’s age by human standards (a table for months is presented in the article) indicates that in the first year of its life, the animal goes through stages that a person will go through for 18 years.
In comparison with humans, cats grow up for several years in a short period of two to three months. If a three-month-old kitten is compared with a 2-3-year-old baby, then a six-month-old kitten looks like a fourteen-year-old. Therefore, it is important not to miss this short period and actively engage in raising a pet. Right now, he is mastering the rules of behavior that he will use throughout his life.
Teenage years
Inexperienced owners can treat kittens as little three-year-olds. They forgive them pranks, aggression, puddles, spoiling things and expect that with age, bad habits will disappear by themselves.
The table “Cat age by human standards” shows that in fact a five to six month old kitten is comparable to a developed teenager. Serious changes appear in the character of the animal. He becomes active, playful and sometimes really resembles a teenager in puberty.
A fluffy kitten looks cute and his bad behavior is often forgiven. However, a young animal in adolescence experiences the limits of what is permitted. The owner must be firm and suppress rebellion.
At this age, cats begin puberty. The cats begin to “flirt” at the age of 5-7 months, their first estrus begins. Cats are also able to mate. Pregnancy may occur. However, such young animals are not yet ready for parenthood, therefore mating should not be allowed.
So, the cat's age by human standards (a table up to a year is given below) will look like this.
Youth
The table “Cat age by human standards” shows that a one-year-old animal can be compared to an 18-year-old man. This age corresponds to psychological and physical development. The cat seems already adult and serious, but often behaves like a child, plays a lot, hides, etc.
The cat has already grown to an adult size, has lost its baby furry coat, its movements no longer seem ridiculous and awkward, grace, predation appears.
The speed of maturation depends on the breed of the cat. For example, eastern rocks are formed early and fully developed as early as a year. But large breeds can reach maturity only in 1.5-2 years.
Youth
How to calculate the age of a cat by human standards? The table indicates that the cat at 18 months (1.5 years) corresponds to a 20-year-old man. Youth comes, the very heyday of cat's life. It lasts up to 5 years, which corresponds to 36-40 years by human standards.
During this period, the cat is stronger than ever, agile and tireless. It is animals of this age that most often become exhibition winners; they are optimally suited for breeding. At 7 years old thoroughbred pets are already being bred, as the risks to the mother and offspring increase.
Maturity
When does a cat come of age by human standards? The table states that the maturity period is 6–10 years, which corresponds to the age of 40–56 years in humans. An adult animal can also play and fool around, but most of the time it behaves respectably and sedately.
The activity and playfulness of a cat depends on its origin. There are breeds that behave like kittens to a very old age. But regardless of activity in adulthood, flaws in the content begin to manifest themselves, the first bells of chronic diseases appear. Failures in the work of the kidneys, liver, and gastrointestinal tract begin. Animals that have not been sterilized suffer from hormonal disorders.
Old age
Veterinarians consider an animal aged 10-12 years old. However, venerable age does not mean the approach of death. Much depends on the conditions of detention and heredity. Cats living on the street usually do not even reach 10 years old. But pets often step over a 16-year milestone. Many cats live up to 20 years, which corresponds to the 100th anniversary of humans.
Therefore, do not be afraid of old age, equal to the age of a cat by human standards. Photos show that even twenty-year-old pets look and feel great. Old cats require special care. Do not expose the animal to unnecessary stress, change the position of the bowl, litter, tray. Keep your pet safe when it gets awkward.
It will help determine the age of a cat by human standards table by years. Photos of fluffy handsome men will prove to you that they look charming at any age.
Long-lived cats
It has been documented that a cat can live up to 29 years. However, there are long-livers whose age was determined by the evidence of their owners. These are purebred pets who did not receive documents at birth. So, the fluffy cat from Texas lived 38 years, and Lucy, a resident of Misty Albion, celebrated its 40th anniversary.
It is always interesting to know how old a pet would be if it were a man. Such a comparison allows owners to better understand a tailed friend and provide age-appropriate care.