Too often, older cats arrive in adoption centres because their owner went into care or passed away and no one in the family is able to take them in. They were much loved pets. The poor cats are understandably traumatized. It is hard not to gravitate to those adorable kittens but please at least take a look at an older cat too. There are many benefits to adopting an adult cat.
- You know what you are getting: personality, size, temperament
- Older cats have learned their manners and won’t be chewing and scratching what they should not.
- Older cats are generally more tolerant of children and easy-going.
- Older cats are so thankful for being adopted, and show it.
When is a Cat a Senior?
From: Cat Care 4 Life
“Cats obviously mature much more rapidly than people, but once they are fully developed physically and behaviourally – from about 3 years of age – for many years their outward appearance changes very little. They usually still appear very youthful, and it can actually be very difficult to tell the age of an adult cat.”
How Old is My Cat in Human Years?
From: Cornell Feline Health Centre
“Cats are individuals and, like people, they experience advancing years in their own unique ways.
Many cats begin to encounter age-related physical changes between seven and ten years of age, and most do so by the time they are 12. The commonly held belief that every “cat year” is worth seven “human years” is not entirely accurate.
In reality, a one-year-old cat is physiologically similar to a 16-year-old human, and a two-year-old cat is like a person of 21. For every year thereafter, each cat year is worth about four human years. Using this formula, a ten-year-old cat is similar age wise to a 53-year-old person, a 12-year-old cat to a 61-year-old person, and a 15-year-old cat to a person of 73.”
How Long Do Cats Live?
Here are fascinating facts from Caster
- Cat breed is a factor: mixed breed cats are, in general, hardier and live longer than purebred cats.
- Female cats live one to two years longer than male cats.
- Indoor cats live nearly three times as long as outdoor cats.
- The average age of an indoor cat is 16.875 years.
- The average age of an outdoor cat is from 3-10 years.
Who is the Oldest Cat?
Rubble, an orange and white Maine Coon cat, became the world’s oldest cat in May 2019 when he reached his 31st birthday but he died before making it to 32. He had no specific health issues, but according to his owner he simply passed from old age. His owner never had him added to the Guiness Book of World Records.
Scooter, a 30 year old Siamese cat in Texas, was named the record breaker at the by the Guinness Book of World Records, before he died in 2016.
The oldest cat of all time according to the record books is Creme Puff, who died in 2005 at the age of 38 years!
Age is Not a Disease
From: The Cat in the Box
“Age is not a disease. Aging is a natural process and the conditions that can affect older cats can often be controlled. The key to keeping a senior cat healthy and enjoying a high quality of life (and to keep vet bills under control) seems simple: keep health risks to a minimum, detect and treat disease early, and do what you can to maintain the health of body systems.”
Health Concerns of Older Cats
There is no way to guess which cats might get which diseases or conditions. Many conditions are easily treatable, especially if caught in time. Remember that cats are very good at hiding illness. Be watchful of any cat you own, to catch any concerns or changes in behaviour early on, and then connect with your vet to find out what, if anything, is going on. Feed your cat a nutritious diet and provide plenty of water. There are foods specially formulated for senior cats.