When is my cat old in human years?
Cats mature and age at quite a different rate than we do, but it is fun to try to compare our ages. Cats are considered to have entered their golden years at about age 9. Some cats are now living until their early to mid-twenties thanks to modern husbandry and veterinary care. This would be the equivalent of a geriatric human of about 90+ years of age!
A typical cat now lives 15-17 years. Note that the average cat lifespan took a HUGE leap upward once we transitioned most cats to an indoor lifestyle, and modern medicine entered the scene.
In their first year, cats go from tiny kitten to mature adult (except in a few slow maturing breeds like Maine Coon, and Persian-type cats that take closer to two years to become fully grown and mature). This means a typical 1-year old cat is about the equivalent to a 16-17 year old teenager.
Quite a lot of change in one year—I think you’d agree!
Between 2 and 9, each year the cat’s advance in their lifespan is the equivalent of about 5-6 human years, so they skip through their lifespan pretty quickly. This is an important reason why your veterinarian encourages you to present a healthy adult cat 1-2 times per year for a wellness checkup even if they are not due for their booster. They know that a lot will happen to a cat even in that short time.
Senior cats will be seen by the veterinary professional every 6 months or as needed so that as problems arise, these can be picked up and managed as soon as possible.
This table is only a rough approximation. It compares years in the normal lifespan, with green representing young adulthood, blue mature adulthood, and grey the senior years. You will note that for most of the lifespan, the modern long-lived cat is living in the golden years.
Disclaimer: This website is not intended to replace professional consultation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed veterinarian. If you require any veterinary related advice, contact your veterinarian promptly. Information at Cathealth.com is exclusively of a general reference nature. Do not disregard veterinary advice or delay treatment as a result of accessing information at this site.
See these links for related topics:
<table style="background-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td><table style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1"> <tbody><tr> <td style="text-align: center;" width="20%">Kitten Care </td> <td style="text-align: center;" width="20%">Golden Years</td> <td style="text-align: center;" width="20%">Introductions to Other Pets </td> <td style="text-align: center;" width="20%">Keeping Senior Cats Contented</td> <td style="text-align: center;" width="20%">Time to say Goodbye</td> </tr> </tbody></table></td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
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