As veterinary care and pet food nutrition has improved, we’ve seen an increase in the lifespan of our furry friends. This includes cats, who are living for longer than ever!
In this article, we’ll discuss how long cats live on average, factors that impact their lifespan, and how you can help your cat live a long, fulfilling life.
How Long Do Cats Live?
The average cat lifespan is around 12-15 years, though of course it varies depending on the cat, their genetics, and their lifestyle. Some lucky cats live well into their twenties, while others unfortunately don’t make it past kittenhood.
Indoor vs Outdoor Cat Lifespans
Though we don’t have a lot of studies on cat lifespan, we do know that outdoor cats are at greater risk due to predators, cars, transmittable disease, ill-intentioned humans, and other dangers. This is true whether they’re fully outdoors or indoor-outdoor, though it does seem that strays and ferals without a caretaker live the shortest lives on average.
We also know that kittens born outside have much lower odds of survival compared to those born indoors.
Outdoor cats also tend to have more traumatic deaths, compared to indoor cats who tend to face fewer physical hazards. An indoor cat is more likely to die of illness caused by genetics or old age.
Do Male or Female Cats Live Longer?
According to a 2015 study on cats in the United Kingdom, female cats live around two years longer than males. The median lifespan of female cats in the study was 15 years, while for males it was 13 years.
This study also found that spayed or neutered cats lived longer than intact cats by around four years.
How to Help Your Cat Live Longer
Annual Vet Visits
Annual check-ups at the vet can help to find health problems early so that you can begin treatment before your cat begins to show symptoms. This not only saves your cat discomfort and pain, but can increase their life expectancy.
For instance, kidney disease is extremely common in cats. When found early, your veterinarian can come up with a treatment plan to slow the advancement of the disease.
Catching an illness early can also save you money compared to costly emergency care if the disease isn’t found until your cat is showing critical symptoms.
Weight Management
Keeping your cat at a healthy weight is another way to reduce their risk of health problems and significantly increase their lifespan. You can do this by feeding them a proper diet and making sure that they get daily playtime.
Most pet food labels recommend feeding your cat more than they should actually be eating, so it’s important for you and your vet to monitor your cat’s weight. This can help you determine how much to feed them.
When it comes to playtime, the general suggestion is two to three sessions a day that last for around 10-15 minutes each. However, young and hyperactive cats may need more frequent play sessions.
Dental Hygiene
Did you know that a cat’s dental health also impacts their heart, liver, and kidney health? Taking care of your cat’s teeth can go a long way toward keeping them healthy.
Ideally, this means brushing your cat’s teeth daily. There are also alternatives such as powder that you can mix into their food or dental sprays, which reduce plaque and tartar. While these alternatives aren’t as effective, they’re better than nothing!
Professional cleanings are also important, as your veterinarian can clean your cat’s teeth more thoroughly while they’re under anesthesia. This also allows them to address any dental issues that may already be present.
Keeping Your Cat Indoors
There’s a lot of debate around indoor vs outdoor cats, but we recommend keeping your cat indoors unless you’re directly supervising them outside. This can be done by taking them on leashed walks, building a catio (cat patio) or simply hanging out with them in the backyard if they’ll stay nearby.
Unsupervised outdoor time is dangerous and unnecessary. It also greatly increases your cat’s risk of dying young, and also harms the local wildlife population as cats are an invasive species in most areas of the world.
Spaying or Neutering
Spaying or neutering your cat prevents them from developing certain health issues, such as reproductive cancers. It also makes outdoor cats, especially males, less likely to roam far from home. Indoor cats are less likely to try to escape in search of a mate, as well.
For all of these reasons, spayed and neutered cats tend to live longer lives.
Monitoring for Health Issues
Many health issues can be caught early by a watchful cat parent who knows their cat well and knows what to look for. One of the first signs of illness is often a change in temperament, such as a normally cuddly cat avoiding people or a rambunctious cat acting quiet and withdrawn.
Other concerning symptoms include changes in appetite, pooping or peeing outside of the litter box, and changes in weight.
While there’s a myth that vomiting is normal for cats, you should also be concerned if your cat throws up on a regular basis. This may indicate health or grooming issues.
What is the Most Common Cause of Death in Cats?
Leading causes of death in cats include:
Physical Trauma
For young outdoor cats, one of the leading causes of death is physical trauma. This includes being hit by a car or attacked by another animal.
Kidney Disease
There is currently a lot of research into chronic kidney disease in cats as scientists try to reduce its prevalence. Right now, an estimated 30% of cats over the age of ten have chronic kidney disease.
There is no cure for chronic kidney disease. However, veterinarians can slow its progression when it’s caught early. This is one reason that annual blood work is so important for cats!
Cats can also develop acute kidney disease, which is when kidney failure happens rapidly–typically due to poisoning. Acute kidney disease has a high mortality rate, but cats who are hospitalized with aggressive treatment can sometimes see a full recovery.
Cancer
Cancer is another leading killer in cats, with lymphoma being the most common. Lymphoma affects a cat’s white blood cells, and is most often found in the digestive tract, kidneys, or lymph nodes.
Heart Disease
Heart disease often causes sudden death in cats. While all cats can die of heart disease, it’s most commonly seen in seniors.
The most common form of heart disease in cats is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is caused by thickening of the heart muscle.
Conclusion
While our cats’ life spans are largely out of our control, improving their health and safety can help them live longer, happier lives. Remember to keep up with your cat’s healthcare, help them maintain a healthy weight, and supervise them closely if they go outdoors.