Mary Allen
Some cats are granted a very long life. You can read here which factors ensure that some cats even live to be over 20 years old.
Of course, everyone wants to have their own cat with them for as long as possible. On average, cats live to be around 15 years old, which means they have a longer life expectancy than most other pets. In rare cases, however, cats can even get older: some specimens crack the 20-year mark.
This Cat Lived Older Than Any Other: According to Guinness World Records, Creme Puff from Austin, Texas lived to be 38 years old. This makes her the oldest cat of all time. But how is it that some cats live to be so old? Find out here which factors influence this and what you can do to prolong your cat’s life.
Outdoor Cat or Indoor Cat?
A cat’s lifestyle affects how old it gets. On average, outdoor cats live 10 to 12 years, while indoor cats live 15 to 18 years. So if a cat lives in a safe apartment, it actually has a better chance of living past the age of 20.
Outdoor cats are exposed to many more dangers: cars, various parasites, or fights with their own kind. They can also catch diseases more easily. So it’s not surprising that they often live shorter lives than indoor cats.
Race Determines Age
Mixed breed cats often live longer than purebred cats. This has to do with the hereditary diseases typical of the breed. Some cat breeds are more likely to develop cancer, heart, eye, or nerve diseases. Korat cats, for example, often suffer from gangliosidosis: it is a hereditary enzyme deficiency that can cause paralysis.
Fortunately, this does not apply to all breeds: Balinese are even known for their long life expectancy. On average they live to be between 18 and 22 years old. So breed has a big impact on how long a cat will live.
How to Prolong Cat Life
There’s a lot you can do to prolong your cat’s life, too. This includes, for example, feeding your cat a balanced diet and avoiding obesity in your cat. Of course, your cat should be presented to a veterinarian regularly in order to detect illnesses at an early stage or to prevent them immediately.
While many factors affect a cat’s life expectancy, there is, unfortunately, no guarantee that a cat will actually live past 20 years. The important thing is that you enjoy the time with your cat – no matter how long it ends up being.