The lifespan of a cat can vary depending on several factors, including breed, genetics, nutrition, lifestyle, and preventative care. On average, a well-cared-for cat may live to be 15 or beyond, and some cats can even live to be 25 or 30 years old. However, the average lifespan for a pet cat is probably around 13 to 14 years. Indoor cats generally live from 12-18 years of age, and many may live to be in their early 20s. The oldest reported cat, Creme Puff, lived to be 38 years old.

Factors that can affect a cats lifespan include:

• Nutrition: A balanced diet that suits your cats age can help maintain a healthy weight range and reduce the likelihood of health conditions such as arthritis and diabetes in the future.

• Lifestyle: Indoor cats generally live longer than outdoor cats due to reduced exposure to risks such as traffic accidents, fights with other animals, and exposure to diseases.

• Preventative care: Regular veterinary check-ups, including physical examinations, can help identify and manage health conditions earlier.

• Breed: Breed-specific lifespans vary, with mixed-breed cats typically living longer than purebred cats. For example, Maine Coon cats have an average lifespan of 10-13 years, while a Siamese can live to be 15-20.

As cats age, they undergo predictable changes in health and behavior, such as dental disease, loss of olfaction, arthritis, and sarcopenia. Despite the youthful outward appearance, inside the cat will be getting older. It is much easier to understand how to manage our cats’ lives, health, and behavior if we can associate their age with an equivalent of our own human years. It has often been suggested that we simply need to multiply a cat’s age by 7 to get a comparative human age. However, this is very crude and does not take into account a number of aspects of how cats mature and age. A much more appropriate method is to take the end of the first year of the cat’s life.