As the years go by, your furry gets older. You know that death is part of life, but still you wish that moment does not come, or that it is at least delayed ... a long time. We all know it: humans have a longer life expectancy than cats, but it is very hard to separate from a companion with whom you have shared 15, 18 or even more than 20 years of your existence.
By far, this is the question we ask the most when living with a feline. And we often look for an answer that makes us feel good, that confirms that we can still enjoy our friend a lot. How long does a cat live? In this special article, we will explore this question in depth and the factors that influence its longevity.
Life expectancy of a domestic cat
It is well known that a domestic cat usually lives longer than one that has constant access to the outdoors. On average, an indoor cat can reach an age of 12 to 15 years, although with proper care and a healthy lifestyle, many reach and even exceed the 20 years.
On the other hand, cats living outside are exposed to numerous dangers such as accidents, fights with other animals, infectious diseases and poisoning. This significantly reduces their life expectancy, placing it among the 3 and 5 years in many cases.
Genetic factors and hereditary diseases
Genetics play an essential role in the longevity of cats. Although any breed can be prone to hereditary diseases, there are some that have a higher prevalence. The main genetic diseases include:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A condition that thickens the walls of the heart's ventricles, making it difficult to pump blood.
- Progressive retinal atrophy: It leads to irreversible blindness in the affected animal.
- Primary seborrhea: Although it is not serious, it requires skin care and regular cleaning of the cat.
- Polycystic kidney disease: Presence of renal cysts that can lead to renal insufficiency.
It is important to note that genetic diversity can reduce the predisposition to certain diseases. For this reason, mixed-breed cats tend to be less prone to hereditary problems than purebred cats.
Importance of veterinary care
Ensuring a long and healthy life for your feline means giving it the necessary veterinary care. From kittens, cats should be vaccinated against serious diseases such as feline leukemia, the rhinotracheitis and panleukopenia.Consulting a veterinarian for regular checkups is essential even if your cat does not have access to the outdoors.
Furthermore, sterilization It is a recommended practice not only to avoid unwanted litters, but also to reduce risk behaviors associated with cell, such as escapes and fights.
Importance of feeding: Feed vs. BARF diet
A nutritious and balanced diet is key to a cat's longevity. When choosing between commercial food or a BARF (raw food) diet, it is essential to consider the specific needs of the animal.
Dog Food
Feed is a practical option for many families. It is important to select a quality product that contains at least one 70% meat and is free of grains such as corn or wheat, since cats are strict carnivores and cannot digest these components efficiently.
Raw food (BARF)
La BARF diet It has numerous benefits such as a Shinier hair, cleaner teeth and a strengthened immune systemThis diet includes raw meats, offal and nutrient-rich foods, always under veterinary supervision to avoid nutritional deficiencies or microbiological risks.
Environment and quality of life
The environment in which a cat lives has a huge impact on its emotional and physical well-being. A cat that lives in an enriched environment, with access to toys, quiet sleeping areas and mentally stimulating activities, is more likely to enjoy a long life.
Avoid stress, provide attention and affection and make sure that he has a space Safety, are factors that contribute significantly to their longevity.
Stages of the cat's life
A cat's life can be divided into several stages, each with different needs:
- Kitten (0-6 months): Period of rapid physical and mental development.
- Young (6 months-2 years): They begin to reach their full size and develop their personality.
- Adult (2-7 years): The most active and healthy stage of your life.
- Senior (7-14 years): They may begin to experience the first signs of aging.
- Geriatric (14 years or older): They require more specific care to maintain their quality of life.
Adapting care and feeding to each of these stages is essential to ensure their well-being.
Properly caring for a cat means providing the best possible care in terms of food, health, and environmental enrichment. Every choice you make for your cat people's wellbeing will directly impact the length and quality of their life. Enjoy every moment with your feline companion and make sure they live a full and healthy life.
Like people, the key to living longer is in your genetics, diet, activity, and emotional state.
You can have good genetics, but a poor diet, little exercise and emotional problems, can change it and become cancer (which is a genetic modification of cells), in short if we accumulate toxins for various reasons and if we do not eliminate them from our body, they will end up causing us a disease.
People want to eat healthy, cats too. If we force them to eat what we put on them, we are going against the wise and natural instinct of the cat.
They hunt birds, pigeons, mice, etc. None of these animals have the large amount of "bad" fat that a chicken wing can have, raised in a cage without moving and on bad feed.
I have let my cats choose which food they like best, because they are the ones who understand and know what will suit them best.
It is my personal opinion, but I would not give the cat neither fat, nor bones.
Respecting 70% meat in your food, the rest can be vegetables and cereals. If important and expensive brands of feed do it, it is because it is correct.
The emotional state is very important. Cats are very sensitive. Any change affects them.
I commented that my cat had a problem in her mouth, she did not eat, salivated, stuck her tongue out… etc.
Well, I couldn't give him the antibiotic pill. I tried mixing it in different ways with different foods and when I smelled the medicine it would go backwards like, you eat this.
I wanted to give it to him with a syringe but I gave it to him only once, and my husband got a good scratch, the next one was; You don't take me anymore. She is a cat collected from the street, and very strong, I already said that she needed two doses of pain reliever to look at her mouth.
Well, I thought her teeth weren't there before I brought her home and nothing was wrong, what has changed? his situation in front of the "herd" that after all are his children.
Lately I have pampered her a lot more, I have fed her separately, the first, the best, I have not reprimanded her if she gave her children (without hurting them) if they bothered her, etc. I have let her believe that she was still the "queen" of the house.
And it is working. He does not drool, does not stick out his tongue, has returned to "speak" to me, and so on.
Incredible the change of your cat 🙂. They can go from being a true 'beast' to, at least accepting, the presence and care of a human. One of the cats in the colony that I am taking care of has undergone a similar 'transformation': when I saw her for the first time she was about 2 months old, and she was… tremendous. It would growl, snort, and even take a bite at you if you wanted to touch it. At lunchtime he became even wilder, to the point where he was angry with his own brothers.
As the days went by, and especially the months, he accepted my presence, since he related me to "the one who carries food." Little by little, she let me get closer and closer to her. And one day I decided that it was time to caress her, but as someone who does not want the thing. What was my surprise that he was not upset; so for the next few days I kept stroking her that way.
One day she was the one who came over, and rubbed against my leg. He had started a friendly relationship.
Cats are very intelligent, and if you love them ... their life expectancy will be long. Sure.
My cat has had to go through a lot, as I mentioned she has scars on her nose and lip. And then the molars, which I don't think fell off on their own.
It's very good, because when she's happy, she greets and “talks” a lot with guttural sounds, and she's also beautiful, a very exotic mix. Today he has already welcomed me and greeted me when I entered the house, he has improved a lot, and only with additional affection.
Cats are very sensitive, these kittens that at first showed us their teeth, were simply afraid, and it was a way of defending themselves, because surely they have found themselves in some threatening situation.
I have seen how they urged a dog to attack a kitten that they fed, I have learned that they killed a cat with her little ones with sticks, they poisoned my hen and broke her leg, possibly due to a kick ( I managed to cure her of both aggressions, which were at the same time, her stools were paint green and smelled of chemistry, the chicken had to be immobilized, and I fed her, cleaned her, like this 40 days, which takes a bone to heal ).
There are very bad people. Fortunately, there are also very good people who respect all living beings.
You are right. There are people who do not respect animals and who do with them what they want… Fortunately, things are changing, although more slowly than we would like.