How long do cats live?

By Charlotte Francesca Stiles, DVM

Considering how long your pet may live for is a sad thing to think about for many pet parents. However, having an understanding of how long your cat may live, can help you give them the best care at every stage of their life.

In this article, we’ll explain:

Factors

Let’s take a look at a few factors which can affect your cat’s lifespan. When considering how long your cat may live, please refer to them as a guide only. If you’re interested in how these factors relate to your cat specifically, don’t hesitate to discuss them with your veterinarian.

Breed

A study by the Royal Veterinary College identified some average lifespans of some specific cat breeds, which we’ve listed below (source):

Their study also found that mixed-breed cats tend to live longer than pure-breed cats. This is widely agreed upon and is likely due to decreased risks in cats having genetically inherited diseases.

It’s also good to know that some cat breeds are predisposed to genetic conditions, for example, related to their blood, bones, muscles, and heart. It’s best to talk to your veterinarian if you think that your cat may be at risk. You can read more about this topic in this article.

Lifestyle

Something that has a big influence on your cat’s lifespan is whether they live inside or outside. Cats who live solely inside are often expected to live longer. This makes sense, as they are less likely to come into contact with diseases or be affected by traumatic events such as catfights and car accidents.

It’s good to know though, that indoor cats, due to their restrictions in terms of exercise, may be at higher risk of becoming overweight, an important factor which can influence how long they live.

Cats who live outside, or who can go outside of their own free will, can live less because they are potentially more at risk of becoming unwell or injured. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t let your cat go outside though! There are a few things you can do to help your cat who does go outside, live as long as possible (we’ll talk about those later).

Health Conditions

As your cat progresses through their life, sadly health conditions can arise, no matter how well you care for them. Below we’ve listed some potential risk areas according to age (source):

Some of the risks we mention above can be decreased following regular veterinary preventative care which we’ll talk about in the next section.

If you’re worried about your cat’s health or behavior, it’s best to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible for proper diagnosis and treatment. Our Lifetime Protection Membership includes access to veterinary professionals anytime by phone, email, or live chat. This means that whatever the time of day, you can get help or advice about your cat’s health or behavior.

General cat health tips

Now we know the factors that can affect a cat’s lifespan, let’s take a look at some of the things we can do to help them live as long and as healthily as possible below:

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article about the factors that can affect your cat’s lifespan, and how to help them live as long, happily, and healthily as possible.

Writer Bio:

Charlotte graduated as a veterinarian from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Zagreb. She is a dog mum to a 15-year-old mixed breed called Chiki who she adopted from a shelter 2 years ago and enjoys traveling with.