HOW LONG DO INDOOR CATS LIVE? TOP BREEDS EXPECTATION
How long do indoor cats live? If you have a furry friend, surely you want to find out how many years you can expect to have him with you. Besides the average life span expectation, we will see exceptional stories of cats that have lived beyond their owner’s best hopes.
Cats can live on average between 8 to 20 years. The lifespan of a cat depends on the breed, diet, health problems, life conditions, and general care. While indoor cats have fewer chances to get sick and live longer, how they are cared for determines their longevity.
Let’s see how we can make our little love balls live longer and adequately care for them.
HOW LONG DO INDOOR CATS LIVE? INDOOR CATS LIFESPAN BY BREED
A cat breed has a significant impact on how long a cat lives. Some cat breeds are known to be live longer than others. Here is a detailed grid showing the life expectancy of a cat by breed (those are average numbers)
| CAT BREED | LIFE EXPECTANCY IN YEARS |
|---|---|
| Ragdoll | 10-15 |
| Mackerel Tabby | 15-20 |
| Siamese | 12-20 |
| Calico | 13-17 |
| Norwegian Forest | 10-14 |
| Persian | 12-17 |
| Main Coon | 12-15 |
| Turkish Angora | 12-15 |
| Abyssinian | 9-13 |
| British Shorthair | 14-20 |
| Burmilla | 7-12 |
| Ragamuffin | 13-16 |
| Scottish Fold | 12-15 |
| Somali | 12-14 |
| Birman | 12-16 |
| Tabby Cat | 12-20 |
Obviously, cats cat live longer or shorter. However, there are many other factors influencing cats’ life span. For example, some cat breeds are known to have genetic problems or illnesses which could affect their longevity, even though it is not always the case.
WHAT CAN INFLUENCE CATS LIFESPAN?
While the cat breed can influence a cat’s life expectancy, there isn’t anything that a cat owner can really do about it. There are plenty of other factors that influence the longevity of our cats.
Humans can do a lot regarding cats’ living conditions, diet, vet care, happiness, general care, and other essential things for a cat’s life.
Here are some of the main things a cat owner can take care of to make their cats happy and extend their life expectancy:
1. DIET
Cats owners need to pay attention to the quality of cat food. Unfortunately, big cat food brands use low-quality ingredients and even some meats that are not good for human consumption and thus for cats. Read more here.
A good rule of thumb is always reading the labels and using foods for cats that do not contain colorants, additives, and other suspicious ingredients. For example, meat derivates, but it is not clear where they come from, are not trusted.
Cat foods with one or few ingredients are good. They should contain the main meat, like chicken, fish and maybe one or two ingredients (rice, or good quality food). Quality food is a significant factor for cats’ happiness and longevity. Avoid cat treats if not of the highest quality.
2. MEDICAL CARE
Even indoor cats need to visit the vet and get vaccinated for the most common cat diseases, such as rabies and FVRCP. In addition, routine visits to the vet can help to locate health problems. This is also true in the case of an illness.
3.CAT ACTIVITIES
Indoor cats may be less active. Their food is provided daily, so they do not need to hunt, climb trees, or run. Indoor cats do not need to protect themselves from predators. In other words, indoor cats may become fat and lazy.
It can negatively impact their health. Providing enrichment in the form of cat toys, trees, or scratching posts may resolve part of the problem. In addition, cat owners should make an effort to play with their cats, or in the alternative, get a second cat so they can run and play with each other.
Here are some ideas for cat toys:
4.HAPPINESS
When it comes to cats, deciding what is happiness for them can be difficult. But cats are simple creatures. If you really look at them, all they need is good food, good medical care, play as much as they need, and a lot of love from their owners.
Cats can stress easily at times, while some other cats do not mind many activities in the house. Therefore, a cat owner should make an effort to figure out their cat’s personality and figure out things accordingly.
Shy cats need a quiet environment and a lot of understanding and patient from their owners. In that case, the house and the environment need to be set up accordingly to prevent stress factors.
Otherwise, after a bit of time, cat owners will figure out what their cats like and how to make them happy. Stressed cats and cats who need to live in fear and pain do not have many chances to live long.
5.GROOMING AND CLEANING
Indoor cats need to be kept clean, and a cat owner should perform routine grooming actions to help them stay healthy. Things like brushing them, maybe a bath from time to time, and keeping the environment clean will keep cats healthy.
For example, daily litter box cleaning and constant cleaning of cats’ beds and all places cats use to lounge can be a good idea.
6.WATER QUALITY
Similar to food, water quality is essential. Cats can get poisoned and die if they keep drinking bad water. So if you live in an area provided with lousy tap water, do not give it to the cat. Instead, give the cat the same water you drink.
For example, my cat drinks the same bottled water I drink. It cost me a few cents more, but it is better than spending thousands of dollars on vet bills, or worse, death.
THE LONGEST CAT LIFESPAN KNOWN
Maybe you wonder about which cat lived the longest. Here is a collection of cat stories of exceptional pets.
CREME PUFF
She is a cat that has lived for 38 years. Standing to the owner, he fed her with dry cat food that included supplements such as broccoli, bacon, and eggs. He also provided her with a little bit of wine and coffee with cream.
She had an active life since the owner built wooden steps all over the house to climb on it, and she had a lovely outdoor patio to enjoy some sun. She was born in 1968.
SCOOTER
Scooter was a Siamese cat that lived up to 30 years of age. The owner reports that he was a very active cat, which was the secret of his longevity.
LUCY
Lucy is a tabby cat that managed to live up to 39 years of age. She was a tabby cat born in 1972. She was a very fit cat until the end of her life and standing to her owner, she would still hunt mice in the garden, even when old.
RUBBLE
He managed to get up to 31. He liked his habits and routine and wanted to eat his food. He had his favorite place to sleep and was loved like a child by his owner. Rubble was a lovely and affectionate cat.
If you want to have a complete list of the oldest cats ever recorded, you can check here. But the most important thing to take away is how they got to that age. Reading most of the stories, every cat was very well cared for by the owner, and the cats were very active.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is 21 old for a cat?
Twenty-one years of age is old for a cat since a cat’s life span is between 8 to 20 years. Therefore, cats reaching 20 years of age can be said to be senior cats and need to be taken care of according to their age.
Can cats sense their own death?
Cats know when they are sick and when they are about to die. It is reported that some cats like to go away and hide when they are close to death. For example, cat owners say cats were crossing the street when they are very sick and never returned.
Usually, before dying, cats stop eating or have other illnesses. Cats figure they have no energy left to continue living.
How long do cats live in the wild?
In the wild, cats live on average between 5 to 10 years. Some cats may live even less. Cats living in the wild have a more challenging time surviving. They are the effect by diseases, other predators, bad weather, and even evil people who try to hurt them.
The average lifespan of indoor cats is 12-15 years, but the lifespan of an indoor cat can be much longer.