Do you ever wonder what cat years are like compared to human years, or how long cats live on average? These are the kind of questions that we ask ourselves late at night when we are laying in bed, but they are also the ones that we always want answers to. Well, in this article, we are going to be looking at cat years in relation to human years, and what the average lifespan of a cat is. So, if you are interested in finding out more, keep reading down below.
There is no scientific way to determine how to convert cat years into human years. It is not an exact art, and there’s no way to know if scientists are actually right. However, having said that, it is generally agreed that the first two cat years equate to around twenty-five human years. After this, every year is roughly four years to a cat, meaning that they age a lot faster than we do. Of course, this is known because they do not live as long as humans, but they age rapidly compared to the way that we do.
The Average Lifespan Of A Cat
Indoor cats and outdoor cats have different lifespans, with indoor cats generally living longer. On average, an indoor cat will live to between the ages of sixteen to eighteen, with some even going further and making it to twenty. However, this is not very common. It will also depend on the breed of cat and a number of other elements, so it’s not entirely possible to know how long your cat is going to live, and you can’t guess either.
Some people say that the oldest cat in the world lived until they were 34. That is practically unheard of. Cats life expectancy has also increased quite substantially in the last couple of years, so you get more time with your furry little friend now than you would have in the last couple of decades.
How To Determine A Cat’s Age
You can use their teeth, their eyes, their coat and the muscles or bones to determine the age of a cat. For example, fine, soft fur tends to mean that your cat is younger. As they age, they get coarser and thicker hair that has grey patches on it. As for teeth, their permanent teeth come in around four months old. Missing teeth tend to mean that your cat is a senior, and there are plenty of milestones in the middle to look out for. With teeth, it cannot tell you exactly how old your cat is, but you can get a good idea.
A smooth iris indicates a younger cat, where a crackly one indicates an older one. Once cats get past twelve years old, their eyes start to cloud, so this is a good indication of how old your cat is as well.
Hopefully, you have found this article helpful and now understand more about cat age such as cat to human years, and the average lifespan of a cat.