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How Long Do Cats Live? Understanding the Feline Lifespan

  • The average lifespan of a cat is around 15 years, and indoor cats have significantly longer lifespans than outdoor cats.
  • Many factors impact a cat’s lifespan, including diet, exercise, where they live, vet care and breed.
  • Cats go through various life stages. Each stage has unique characteristics, and as cats age, they may experience changes in behavior, health, and grooming habits.
  • Seeking regular veterinary care, providing a safe indoor environment, and spaying or neutering your cat can contribute to a longer and healthier life for your cat.
  • To help make vet care more affordable, we recommend taking out a pet insurance policy. You can try using a comparison tool to compare multiple providers and find the policy that best suits your budget.

From their early playful years to their later stages of life, understanding the factors that affect a cat’s lifespan is essential for providing responsible care.

In this article, we’ll cover:

  • The average cat lifespan
  • Factors that impact your cat’s life expectancy
  • The life stages of a cat
  • What happens as your cat age
  • How to extend your cat’s lifespan
  • How cat years compare to human years

Exploring these factors that mold your cat’s lifespan will enable you to elevate your cat’s general wellness and prolong your shared moments together.

What is the average cat lifespan?

The average lifespan of a cat is around 15 years.

The average cat lifespan has increased over the past four decades. In 1980, cats only lived an average of around 7 years. As pet owners have become more aware of feline needs and vet care is more common for cats of all types, those numbers have steadily increased.

How long do indoor cats live?

Indoor cats have the longest average lifespan at 13 to 17 years. Indoor-outdoor cats may also lead long lives depending on their diet and whether they receive regular veterinarian care.

How long do outdoor cats live?

Outdoor cats only live an average of 2 to 5 years, though some pet cats that are left outside may live longer.

Outdoor cats are at greater risk of many life-threatening injuries and illnesses. That includes getting injured in traffic, having parasites, ingesting harmful substances, or being attacked by another animal. Cats that live primarily outdoors are also exposed to the elements, which can shorten their lifespans.

Each breed of cat has a different median lifespan.

Here’s a look at some popular breeds and how long they live, on average, when well-cared for as indoor cats:

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Factors that impact cat life expectancy

Cat life expectancy is affected by a variety of factors, including breed, diet, exercise and general lifestyle.

Here’s a quick look at some factors that can impact your pet’s life expectancy:

What are the life stages of a cat?

Like humans, cats go through various life stages. They range from kittens to geriatric cats.

Each stage of cat life is defined below:

What happens as your cat ages?

As cats age, their bodies and brains change.

Their immune systems may be less able to ward off infections and they may be prone to more health conditions. Veterinary care may become more regular and necessary.

Some personality or behavioral changes you may notice include:

How to extend your cat’s lifespan

Whether you have a purebred or mixed-breed cat, you can help extend its life by providing adequate nutrition, opportunities for exercise and a safe home.

Here are three specific steps to take to increase your cat’s longevity:

1

Seek regular veterinary care.

By taking your cat to the vet for regular well-checks, you can keep ahead of any life-threatening illnesses. You can also get important advice from your vet on how to best care for your pet.

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2

Keep your cat indoors.

One of the biggest factors in determining a cat’s life is whether they live inside and in a safe environment.

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3

Spay or neuter your cat.

Male cats live as much as 62% longer when they have been neutered. Female cats live as much as 39% longer when they’ve been spayed. Unless you have a specific plan to breed your cat with professional assistance, taking this step is one of the best things you can do for their longevity.

See More See Less

If you do choose to seek regular vet care, as mentioned in the first step, we recommend taking out a cat insurance policy to help cover the cost.

Check out these guides to help you decide which pet insurance policy is right for you:

You can also try using an online comparison tool to compare multiple quotes and find the right policy for your cat.

How old are cats in human years?

To better understand the lifespan of a cat and appreciate age-related conditions cats may have, it can be good to compare your pet’s age to the equivalent in human years.

Each cat year is equivalent to many human years. The first 2 years of a cat’s life each account for around 12 human years. That means a cat that’s 1.5 years old is like a teenager. After the first 2 years, a year in a cat’s life is like 4 years in a human life.

Check out the table below to see how old your cat is in human years.

Cat’s actual age Human years equivalent
1 12
2 24
3 28
4 32
5 36
6 40
7 44
8 48
9 52
10 56
11 60
12 64
13 68
14 72
15 76
16 80
17 84
18 88
19 92
20 96
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Cat lifespan FAQ

What is the average life expectancy of an indoor cat?

A house cat can have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years when properly cared for. On average, cats that live their lives indoors live around 12 to 17 years.

How long do tabby cats live?

As domestic cats, tabbies have a fairly long lifespan, living as long as 18 years. The average for domestic tabby cats who stay inside most of the time is 12 to 15 years. Tabbies that live outdoors generally have much shorter lifespans.

Which cat breeds live the longest?

In general, mixed-breed cats live to a higher median age. However, breeds such as Balinese, Siamese, Russian Blue, American Shorthair, and Burmese all live longer on average than some other breeds.

Can a cat live for 20 years?

Yes, a cat can live 20 years or more. However, this is not the norm, as the average cat lifespan is 13 to 17 years. Interestingly, the oldest living cat ever recorded lived more than double the average. Creme Puff was 38 years old when he died, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

What age is considered old for a cat?

Your feline companion is typically considered a senior cat when they reach 11 years of age. In “cat years,” that’s equivalent to approximately 60 human years.

About the Author

Sarah Stasik
Sarah Stasik Personal Finance

Sarah Stasik is well versed in personal finance thanks to her previous role as a Revenue Cycle Manager for a Fortune 500 healthcare company. Using her inside knowledge and expertise, Sarah often covers topics ranging from insurance and the economics of private healthcare to personal finance and small business management.

With more than a dozen years of writing experience, Sarah has tackled niches that range from technical advances in fintech to personal budgeting challenges. She has covered topics such as insurance and the economics of private healthcare, small business management and accounting, and credit and savings. Her writing focuses on making complex or seemingly daunting financial topics more accessible and providing helpful and relevant resources for readers.

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