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What are Cat Years?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

A simple formula for measuring dog years is to consider each year as equivalent to seven years of human life. This would make a dog seven at the age of one, in human years, and fourteen at the age of two. There is some dispute regarding how to calculate dog years, and most vets agree this formula is very inaccurate for cats. Cat years need to be measured by other standards, especially since some cats can live to be about twenty years of age.

One way of measuring cat years is to look at the maturity of the cat in its first year of life. Many cats reach sexual maturity at the age of six months and are able to reproduce at this time. Some people consider cats to be fifteen years old when they are six months, and about twenty-four years old at the end of their first year of life. There may be some argument regarding this too, and others suggest that a cat reaches the age of fifteen at one year old, then ages the equivalent of nine years the next and would be twenty-four in human years at the age of two.

Some cats can live to the age of 20.
Some cats can live to the age of 20.

When you look at charts regarding cat years, there does appear consensus that the aging process slows down once a cat is fully mature. If cat lifespan is compared to human life span, then cat years after the age of one or two are roughly equivalent to four human years per one year of a cat’s life. Depending on which calculation you use, this would make a twenty year old cat about ninety-six or a hundred years old.

You can see why this may be a more accurate measurement than the seven-year plan applied to dogs. Presently, no humans have lived to be one hundred forty, but under the seven-year plan, plenty of cats would reach this age. The common way of calculating dog years really wouldn’t work for measuring cat years, given the advanced age of some cats.

It may be more important to calculate the actual lifespan of your cat, rather than measuring it in cat years. Sadly some cats won’t reach old age because of choices owners make. Unaltered cats tend to have shorter lives and are more at risk for certain kinds of cancer. Cats that live exclusively indoors usually live longer, an average of fifteen years.

The unsupervised cat that lives mostly outdoors may have an average lifespan of about three years, according to the United States Humane Society. Cats with indoor/outdoor privileges may still have long lives, but this really depends upon the safety of the area in which they live and the degree of owner involvement. Sadly many cats don’t make it past the first year or two or are euthanized as kittens due to failure to spay or neuter pets at appropriate times, before they reach sexual maturity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do cat years compare to human years?

Understanding cat years in relation to human years is not a simple 1:7 ratio as often believed. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the first year of a cat's life is equivalent to approximately 15 human years. The second year adds about nine more human years, and after that, each cat year is around four human years. This means a 5-year-old cat would be approximately 36 in human years.

Why do cats age differently than humans?

Cats age differently due to their distinct metabolism, growth rate, and biological milestones. They mature quickly in their first two years, reaching the equivalent of young adulthood in humans. After this rapid development, their aging process slows down. This is why the cat-to-human age calculation is not linear and varies across their lifespan.

Can you determine a cat's health by its age in cat years?

While age can be an indicator of potential health issues, it's not a definitive measure of a cat's health. Cats, like humans, age at individual rates and their health is influenced by factors such as genetics, diet, environment, and preventive care. Regular veterinary check-ups are crucial for maintaining a cat's health at any age.

What is the average lifespan of a domestic cat in cat years?

The average lifespan of a domestic cat is typically between 13 to 17 years, though many cats live into their twenties. This translates to an approximate range of 68 to 85 human years. Indoor cats often live longer than outdoor cats due to reduced risks from accidents, diseases, and predators.

How do the stages of a cat's life correspond to human life stages?

Cats go through similar life stages to humans but at a different pace. By the end of their second year, cats are akin to humans in their mid-twenties. As they age, each cat year roughly equates to four human years, so a 10-year-old cat is similar to a person in their mid-fifties. Seniority in cats typically begins at around 11 years of age.

Does breed affect how cat years are calculated?

Breed can influence a cat's lifespan and thus affect how cat years are calculated. Some breeds, like Siamese or Manx, are known for their longevity and may live longer than the average cat, potentially skewing the cat-to-human age conversion. However, the general method for calculating cat years applies across breeds, with individual health and lifestyle being significant factors.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent AllThingsNature contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent AllThingsNature contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon133725

my cat is 19 years old. we give her the option of going outside. i have even brought her outside the gate but she just comes back indoors. we put her on the lowest branch of a tree when she was younger and she got stuck lol, but i love her so much! she is very healthy for her age and when she was about 17 the vet said she wouldn't last another year but she's still here.

anon115959

my cat went in and out as she pleased. I was thrilled that we didn't need a litter box! She lived 18 1/2 human years. Very healthy till the last few months.

gremlin

I let my cat outside and we live near a house with a lot of cats. I don't know if that would be considered safe or not, but I want my cat to live for a long time. I can't make him stay inside because he is already used to going outside everyday. Though I am happy he does not need to use the litter box, I am very sad that I may have shortened his life span.

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    • Some cats can live to the age of 20.
      By: cynoclub
      Some cats can live to the age of 20.