Older cats tend to be less active and playful, they may sleep more, gain or lose weight, and have trouble reaching their favorite places.
Many cats begin to show age-related physical changes by the time they are between 7 and 10 years old, and most will have by about 12 years old. People often think that one "cat year" is equivalent to 7 "human years", but this isn't quite accurate.
According to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, the average life expectancy of a house cat is 10 to 15 years, while outdoor cats may only live on average 2 to 5 years.
As your cat grows older, you will start to see behavioral changes. From 7-10 years of age, your cat begins to lose their drive to play and is less active.
If this sounds familiar, they might be going through the 'Terrible Two's' phase! Cats are juniors until the age of 2, and like human children, may start to show a different temperament between 6 months and 2 years old, even progressing from the (sometimes) defiant 'Terrible Two's' to becoming a stroppy teenager!
Intensive growth 2-4 months
This is the naughty stage of the kitten development chart when your kittens start to show their true colours!
Cats tend to live around 15 years, on average. As in humans, female cats tend to live for longer than male cats. Neutered cats are also likely to live for longer than intact ones, and pure breed cats are less likely to live as long as crossbreeds.
Many cats manifest this grumpiness when they aren't feeling well. It is easy to assume our strong and silent friends are not affected by ailments. Just like with other pets (and people) as they age, their body goes through changes. Here are some reasons a cat may be perceived as grumpy.
If your cat is feeling especially bony and no longer has as much muscle covering these areas, some muscle loss is likely happening. Obesity can make this harder to appreciate, since fat can cover these areas, making it harder to feel muscle tone.
Give Senior Cats Daily Exercise and Mental Stimulation
All cats need places to climb, places to hide, things to scratch, and ways to hunt and play. All of these things will help your cat stay physically and mentally stimulated as well as healthy.
In recent years, feline ages and life-stages have been redefined, cats are considered to be elderly once they reach 11 years with senior cats defined as those aged between 11-14 years and super-senior cats 15 years and upwards. When caring for older cats it sometimes helps to appreciate their age in human terms.
Most cats, especially short-haired breeds, are excellent self-groomers, but you may need to bathe a cat in extreme circumstances. For example, if your cat has been unwell with diarrhoea or has been stuck up a chimney and is covered in soot, you may need to wash their coat.
10 human years = 60 cat years. 12 human years = 70 cat years. 14 human years = 80 cat years. 16 human years = 84 cat years.
A 15 year old cat is the equivalent to 76 human years old.
Cats that come in pairs tend to be healthier and live longer than single cats because they often get more exercise, which keeps their hearts healthy and reduces their stress. Additionally, exercise lessens the risk of having an overweight pet, and can add years to their life.
Burmese. The official record of the oldest living cat holder is a 35-year-old Burmese cat. Of course, most Burmese cats don't live that long. The average lifespan of Burmese cats is 18 to 25 years and that is certainly much longer than most cats.
Spayed female cats in the study lived 39% longer and neutered male cats lived 62% longer. The reduced lifespan of unaltered pets can, in part, be attributed to an increased urge to roam.
"While it's true that senior cats are more likely to get different conditions, some older cats are perfectly normal and don't change at all." Older cats tend to be less active and playful, they may sleep more, gain or lose weight, and have trouble reaching their favorite places.
Based on several studies, behaviorists believe an adult cat's intelligence is comparable to that of a 2-year-old human toddler.
Aging cats may have behavior changes like forgetting where you put their litter box, being less active, or acting more aggressive. If your older cat starts acting differently, it might be a sign of an aging problem such as feline cognitive dysfunction (FCD).
Older cats may vocalize excessively for a number of reasons, including disorientation, loss of hearing and pain due to one or more medical conditions.