Did you know that a kitten in human years would already be old enough to start learning to drive?
Cats age much faster than humans, meaning your feline friend is probably longer in the tooth than you might think. As a result, most cats have a life span of around 13 to 17 human years. Yet this depends on an array of factors ranging from breed to nutrition.
The oldest known living cat is a British tortoiseshell named Flossie, who turns 28 human years old this December. But the record for the oldest cat ever to live is actually held by a mixed tabby from Austin, Texas, named Creme Puff, who died at 38 human years in August 2005.
Yet the average cat ages at about the speed of 15 human years in the first year of life. The second year is roughly equivalent to nine years, and it’s four years for each year thereafter, according to Purina.
This means that Creme Puff died at the ripe age of 168, and Flossie is about to turn 128.
While this might sound absurd using these extraordinary examples of feline longevity, it makes more sense when viewed in terms of a 3-year-old cat being 28, a 6-year-old cat being 40, or an 18-year-old cat being 88.
Some cat breeds are known for living longer than others, including Burmese and Ragdoll cats, which could live up to 25 human years.
But overall, indoor cats often outlive their outdoor counterparts. The comforts of home protect them from external threats like extreme weather, parasites, predators, and traffic.
Weight is one health factor that can negatively affect the lifespan of a cat. In fact, carrying any amount of excess weight can shorten our whiskered companions’ life expectancy by an estimated five years.
An estimated 60% of cats are considered overweight or obese today. This surpasses the approximate rates for dogs (56%) and even horses (30%), according to the Morris Animal Foundation.
