Owning a cat in a family will bring absolute joy to your heart and your home. However, keeping a pet in your home is not an easy task, as it requires a lot of responsibility and commitments. Some of you might have been wondering about the fact that how long do cats live? To know about the lifespan of different cats, keep on reading this, click here for a simple cat years to human years converter.
The lifespan of an indoor cat
By far according to the researchers, it has been suggested that the indoor cats live about three times more than that of the outdoor cats. Indoor cats are usually sterilized, vaccinated and also protected from the dangers of the outside world. They are properly fed and have easy access to whatever they require.
The owners pay their whole attention to their cats. Cats are also encouraged by their owners to do sufficient exercise so that they don’t get obesity. Therefore, taking care of all these factors, the average lifespan of a house cat ranges between 14 to 20 years. Outdoor cats usually have to face a lot of challenges in the outside world which tends to limit their lifespan. There are various factors that can reduce the lifespan of an outdoor cat such as weather, feral or stray animals nearby, an abundance of predatory wildlife, etc.
Lifespan of an outdoor cat
Due to these factors, outdoor cats are exposed fleas, ticks and illness and other parasites. Excessive fighting puts them at risk of incurable infectious diseases such as leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Wandering for miles increases their chances of being killed on the roads. They can also engage themselves in a fight with other cats and are always in risks of meeting accidents. They don’t even get a proper diet that is required by them.
However, outdoor cats totally have the freedom to explore the world as they want. But due to all the above factors, an average life span of an outdoor cat ranges between 3 to 10 years. One of the major factors that control the average lifespan of a cat is its breed. Generally, cats with mixed breeds tend to live longer than purebreds because their genetic diversity helps to protect them from different hereditary problems. Therefore, American domestics live longer than purebreds.
Lifespan of different breeds
Some cats, like some humans, have naturally stronger constitutions than others. Different breeds also have different genetic characteristics, and some tend to live longer than others as a result. For example, the American Shorthair is a healthy, long-lived breed and can live over 20 years. The Himalayan is more prone to kidney failure than most other breeds, so may not live as long.
Among the purebreds, the Siamese and Manx are known for their good lifespan or longevity. However, despite this fact, the cats that have lived the most in the world are from neither of the two breeds. Crème puff, which is likely to be a mixed breed cat, has held the longest lifespan of about 38 years.
Now, after knowing the average lifespan of different types of cats, let us move towards knowing the factors that can affect the lifespan of a cat. Scroll down to check all of these factors that can affect the average lifespan of your little furry friend.
- NUTRITION: There is a very popular saying that “we are what we eat”. We all need the best of the nutrition to make us feel the best and same goes with our pets. Providing your pet good nutrition doesn’t only mean feeding him but to feed fresh, species-appropriate and high-quality food that makes out pets feel their best.
Pets who receive inappropriate nutrition during the period of their growth can develop various health issues. Same goes with the pets that are overfed. Obesity is one of the major and serious problems developing among young pets. So it’s very important to control the amount of nutrition.
Pets with medical conditions, very young pets, extremely active pets, and aging pets all have different requirements for nutrition. It is always suggested to take the advice of your veterinarian about the diet of your pets. Also, make sure to keep fresh water always available for your pets to them hydrated always.
- EXERCISE: Who doesn’t need exercise in their life to keep themselves healthy enough? Same goes with the cats. There are also many ways to keep your cats active. You can bring cat toys for your cats with which they can enjoy as well as can interact with them. We can also teach our cats to do agility.
If your cat is suffering from some of the health problems such as injuries, neurological issues or some other medical condition, then you must always consult with a veterinarian that which exercises are appropriate for your pet.
- ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS: Cats and even other small pets are affected by even a small amount of pollutants or toxins. They make the use of their nose even more then we do as they mostly live on the ground and are habitual to groom themselves with their tongue.
By this, they ingest and absorb various toxic elements that are present in the environment such as pesticides, fertilizers, insecticides, and other chemicals.
For the pets that live outdoors, they are exposed to prolonged stresses that are caused by the various harsh condition of the environment as heavy rain, snow, hail, and baking heat. These types of stresses are the main factor of causing aging in pets faster.
- EMOTIONAL CONNECTION AND MENTAL STIMULATION: Who doesn’t need love in their lives? Same way pets need a lot of attention and care from us which makes them feel relaxed and happier.
Mental stimulation is also very important. Letting your pet lying on the ground for the whole day will make him lazy as well as will cause him a lot of stress. To maintain the mental condition of your pet, it is important to make him do exercise or engage him in doing some activities.
- BREEDING AND GENETICS: Breed is another important factor that controls the cat’s lifespan. Some cat breeds are more prone to health issues than others. These hereditary problems can include respiratory problems, cancer, spinal issues, and heart problems.
It is believed that cats of mixed breed tend to live longer than the purebreds. The American Domestics live longer than the purebreds.
To make sure that your beloved furry friend lives a long and healthy life, you must take care of the above factors properly. Love him, take care of him, engage him in playing with you, and take him for a short walk, etc will make it feel happier and healthier like never before.
Read more: DOWN SYNDROME IN CATS
