Feline Aging
Cats usually live longer than most dogs and it is no longer unusual for them to live until 20 years of age or beyond. How long an individual cat will live depends on many factors such as genetics, whether kept indoors or not, type of diet and of course the appropriate veterinary care he/she receives.
The rule of thumb is that at about age 7, a cat is considered to be middle-aged. At age 10 and above, a cat is considered to be in old age.
| Cat Age | Human Age Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 6 months | 10 years |
| 8 months | 13 years |
| 10 months | 14 years |
| 1 year | 15 years |
| 18 months | 20 years |
| 2 years | 24 years |
| 4 years | 32 years |
| 6 years | 40 years |
| 7 years | 44 years |
| 8 years | 48 years |
| 10 years | 56 years |
| 14 years | 72 years |
| 16 years | 80 years |
| 18 years | 88 years |
| 20 years | 96 years |
| 21 years | 100 years |
As you can see, a seven year old cat is well into middle-age. Due to the fact that one year for a cat is equivalent to four human-years, many changes can take place in what for us, is a fairly short period of time. That is why most leaders in the veterianry profession now recommend twice yearly physical exams plus appropriate blood work on all cats who are 7 years old or above.
Some of the testing we may recommend for older cats includes the following:
- blood pressure
- complete urine analysis, including a urine culture
- thyroid function test
- fecal exam for parasites
- complete blood count
- comprehensive blood chemistry
- chest and/or abdominal radiographs (x-rays)
With these tests, many health problems which are not readily detected in other ways can be caught early on and appropriate steps taken to ensure continued well-being and a longer life for your cat.