Average Lifespan of Cats- Domestic, Indore, Outdoor and Wild

In this article, we will learn about the average life expectancy of cats. And also discuss the issues that can increase the life expectancy of your cats. Hopefully, this will be good for you to choose a cat.

How long do cats live?

It is never possible to say how many years a cat will live, so it is better to say average lifespan. The average lifespan of cats depends on a number of factors. Before we know how long a cat lives, let's talk a little bit about the factors that affect a cat's lifespan.

Factors affecting the lifespan of cats:

01. Indoor cats or outdoor cats

The lifespan of a cat depends most on its lifestyle. The environment, food habits, and habitats have an impact on his life. It has been found that domesticated or Indore cats live about three times longer than outdoor cats. This is because outside cats can be infected with a variety of diseases where they have no access to medical care. The effects of climate change fall directly on them which shortens their lifespan. In addition, road accidents shorten their lifespan. Outside cats have to deal with regular food crises. Again, they are more likely to be attacked by other predators such as red foxes, dogs. on the other hand Domestic cats, do not have to deal with these problems. They get all kinds of care, adequate food as well as treatment from the owner. There is no other hunter to hunt them. So Indore cats' average lifespan is much higher than outdoor cats.

02. Cat breeds

The average lifespan of a cat depends on the breed type. This is because of genetic diversity. It is seen that mixed bred cats live longer than pure breed cats.

Why Mixed breeds live longer than pure breeds?

This is mainly due to genetic diversity. Purebreds have similar parent genes so genetic diversity is not seen. As a result, genetic health risks from parents are also seen among them. On the other hand, Mixed breed cats have two different parental genes. So a variety of genes are seen in the mixed breed cats.

We know that a gene is responsible for expressing every trait. And the gene that is strong reveals its characteristics. In the case of mixed breeds, it is seen that the weak genes replace by strong genes because they have a variety of genes. This variety of genes inherited from their parents. As a result, their health risks are less and they survive for a long time. Crossbreed cats live more than two or three years than purebred cats.

03. Cats weight

Excess weight is harmful to any animal. Obesity makes any animal sick. When the weight is more than body size it's marked as Obesity or overweight. Obese cats are usually affected by many diseases. They are more likely to have heart problems, lung problems, diabetes, and cancer. Being obese puts pressure on their bones when they walk. This can lead to bone loss. As a result, they died in a short time. This reduces average life expectancy. So low-fat cats live longer than obese cats.

04. Cats Gender

It is common to see that female cats live longer than male cats. Generally, female cats live longer than male cats for more than two to three years. I do not know any scientific explanation for this. It can one reason that male cats fight with other cats for their territory. As a result, they have a chance to get injured and other infectious diseases.

Male cats may be suffering from obesity and urethral blockage diseases. This is why male cats' lifespan is short than female cats.

05. Cats Health

Wellness is the greatest blessing for any life. Wellness prolongs longevity. The lifespan of cats depends on how healthy and immune it is. Modified cats have many genetic health problems that make them susceptible to infection. Again, purebred cats are comparatively sicker than mixed breeds. In addition to these genetic diseases, cats also die at a young age due to other diseases. It can be cancer, diabetics, urethral obstruction, etc.

How long is a cat's lifespan?

It is not possible to say the exact lifespan of cats. So when we will say cats lifespan, that means it's the average life expectancy. We know the domestic cats originated from wild cats. Wild cats still survive in the forest environment. So before we know the average lifespan of domestic cats, let us know the average lifespan of wild cats.

Average Lifespan of  Wild Cats

There are many members of the wild cat family. Therefore, the average lifespan of a wild cat is determined by the average age of all members of the wild cat family.

The average lifespan of wild cats is usually 13-14 years. Of these, the lifespan of a tiger is 8-10 years and a snow leopard is 15-18 years.

The main ancestor of domestic cats is African wild Cats. The average lifespan of  African wild cats is 16 years.

Another type of cat is seen named feral cat. These cats are close to humans but not domesticated. The average lifespan of the feral cats is 7 years.

Domestic cats lifespan:

The average life expectancy of cats has increased a lot during the long period of domestication from the wild. The lifespan of domestic cats has increased gradually. In the early 1980s, it was about seven years, in 1995 it increased by 9.4 years. In the year 2012, a domestic cat's lifespan was 12 years, which is 10 percent more than in 2002.  In the year 2018, it became 15-18 years.

In the year 2021, The average lifespan of domestic cats is 15 to 18 years. Domesticated cats have all the opportunities of modern life so their average lifespan is higher than other cats. 

In 2015, a study was conducted by the Royal Veterinary College to find out the average lifespan of cats. The study found that the average lifespan of domestic cats in the UK as a whole is 14 years.

It is only an average lifespan but some cats are seen to live longer. Some cats have a record of living up to 30 years. Here is a list of the most popular cat breed's lifespan. 

16 Cat Breeds that Live Longest

Looking at this list, you may be wondering why the average lifespan of domestic cats is 15-16 years where they can all live up to about 20 years. This is because there are some breeds of cats that live a short time. Here is a list of 10 breeds of cats that live a short time.

10 Cat Breeds That Have a Short Lifespan

There are some cat breeds that can live longer than 15 years. Here is a list of cat Breed that has lived for more than 15 years.

The lifespan of Cats By Breed

Note: This is just a list. The lists are given to give an idea about the lifespan of domestic cats. In fact, cats of all breeds can live longer or shorter. So it would be better to make a decision by talking with your nearest veterinarian or a reputed breeder. They will give the best idea about your cat's lifespan.

How to increase your cat life expectancy?

No one wants his cat to leave him but death is an inescapable fact so one day we have to lose him. The pain of this loss is so pathetic, who lost his favorite cats only he can understand.  So we need to have an idea of how to increase the lifespan of a cat. Here some ideas for increasing the lifespan of your cat.

08 tips to increase the lifespan of a cat

We can't stop death but maybe we can help increase life expectancy. You have a role to play in increasing the lifespan of your favorite cat. Here are some tips on how to increase your cat's lifespan. You may not be able to avoid the death of your favorite cat but you can help him live a long time.

01. Choose a good breed of cat

After reading the list above, you have an idea of how many years a cat breed can live. This time before you pet a cat, find a breed of your choice. Not all modified cats have the same lifespan. So it is better to choose a long-lived cat. This is an easy way to find a long-living cat.

02. Find Out a Reputed Breeder

After choosing a cat breed, find out a good breeder in your local area. Only a reputed breeder can give you a healthy cat with a health certificate. Collect a health certificate from your breeder before bringing a cat home. In this way, you will get all the information about your cat. 

In the case of collecting cats from the rescue team, it is necessary to check whether the cat was of pure breed.

03. Keep your cat indoors

Indoor cats live longer than outdoor cats. The reasons for which have been described above. So if you want to prolong the life of your cat, keep it as close to you as possible or keep it indoors. It is better to provide them with some toys so that they can have a good time at home.

However, keeping the cat at home does not mean that you will keep the cat in a cage all the time. If you do, your cat will get sicker. And if given a chance, he can run away.

If they want to get out of the house, take it with you. This will keep them safe.

04. Regular grooming

Regular grooming to keep your cat healthy. As part of grooming, clean his teeth regularly, cut his nails when they grow up, take a bath as needed, sunbathe, regular fur brash, provide warm jackets in winter, etc.

Cats like to stay clean and tidy. So his bed, litter box, water container should be kept clean and tidy regularly.

05. Regular health check-ups

At present, medical science has greatly improved. So now disease control and cure have become easier. Regular vaccinations will keep your cat free from various diseases. Also, be sure to contact your veterinarian immediately if you are suddenly infected with any other disease. This will cure his disease.

06. Provided Proper Nutrition

Proper nutrition can keep a cat healthy. And the survival rate of healthy cats is also high. So if you want your cat longevity,  must provide a regular amount of nutritious food. Stomach filling does not mean it provides proper nutrition. Nutritious food is a food that can supply the body with the number of nutrients it needs. 

Be sure to talk to your veterinarian to find out about the cat's nutritious food. Never try to do anything on your own. Because the needs of cats vary according to age and weight. So don't do anything on your own without the advice of a veterinarian.

07. Regular Exercise

Exercise increases the rate of metabolism. This keeps the cat's body well. And regular exercise will protect your cat from obesity. Therefore, for a longevity cat, regular exercise must be done.

If you are busy and you have no time to spend with your cat then you can keep him busy with any toy. Cats love to play. So the easiest way to keep them busy is to provide toys. Or you can take him out with you during your walk.

08. Monitor your cat's behavior regularly

When a cat becomes ill, it is not immediately understood. Because it is the nature of cats to hide illness. So monitor your cat's behavior regularly. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice any changes in your cat's behaviors, such as walking less, lying down, losing weight, not eating, walking erratically, drinking less water, etc. So if you notice any unusual symptoms before your cats seriously ill, contact your veterinarian immediately. This will protect your cat from any serious illness.

Related Question:

Q. How long do Indian cats live?

Common cats in India or the subcontinent are all mixed breeds. There is no exact pure breed of them. There is no accurate information on how these mixed breed cats came to India or the subcontinent. They are not recognized by any recognized organization. However, due to the favorable weather, their life span is a bit longer. The average lifespan of Indian common cats is 13-18 years. But some cats tend to live for more than 20 years.

Recently, people of  Indian are preferring to keep cats at home or in flats. In this case, modified cats are on the preferred list. The following 08 cat Breeds are the most favorites of Indian people in 2021.

01. Himalayan Cat                    02. Mumbai Cat             03. Siamese Cat 

04. Maine Coon Cat                 05. Persian Cat               06. American Bobtail Cat 

07. Bombay Cat                         08. Siamese                        

You can find out these cat's lifespan on the above chart.

Q. How long do black cats lifespan?

Black cats are a mixed breed. They have two different parental genes in their body. So black cats live longer than purebred cats. Studies have shown that the genes responsible for black color have higher immunity. This is why black cats are healthier than other cats. Being healthy and mixed breed cats, their lifespan is a bit longer.

Q. How long can we expect a cat to live?

In the description above we have seen which factors affect the lifespan of a cat and how the lifespan of a cat can be extended. When we look at the cats' lifespan its shows that domesticated cats can live up to 22 years normally. So the expected lifespan of a domestic cat is 18-20 years. But if you are lucky and take proper care, your cat will be able to survive longer.

Conclusion:

Some of the information in this article is taken from various online sites. So if there is any mistake in the information and any information needs to be changed, please let me know.

You can also tell us about your cat. How old is he? How long did he live?