Aging in cats

Reliable information on the lifespans of domestic cats is varied and relatively scant.[1] Nevertheless, a number of studies have investigated the matter and have come up with noteworthy estimates. Estimates of mean lifespan in these studies range between 13 and 20 years, with a single value in the neighborhood of 15 years.[2][3][4] At least one study found a median lifespan value of 14 years and a corresponding interquartile range of 9 to 17 years.[5] Maximum lifespan has been estimated at values ranging from 22 to 30 years although there have been claims of cats dying at ages greater than 30 years.[1][2][5][6][7][8] According to the 2010 edition of the Guinness World Records, the oldest cat ever recorded was Creme Puff, who died in 2005, aged 38 years, 3 days.[9] Female cats have been evidenced to outlive male cats, while neutered cats and crossbred cats have been evidenced to outlive entire and purebred cats, respectively.[2][5] It has also been found that the greater a cat's weight, the lower its life expectancy on average.[5]

A common misconception in cat aging (and dog aging) is that a cat ages the equivalent of what a human would age in seven years each year. This is inaccurate due to the inconsistencies in aging as well as there being far more accurate equations to predict a cat's age in "cat years". A more accurate equation often used by veterinarians to predict cat years is 4× + 16, (× being the chronological age of the cat) which works for cats who are two years of age or older.

The life expectancy of a cat that is living indoors is typically about 16.9 years (based on a survey of other sites, not data), while the life expectancy of one living outdoors is 5.6 years.[10] In one study of cat mortality, the most frequent causes were trauma (12.2%), renal disorder (12.1%), non-specific illness (11.2%), neoplasia (10.8%) and mass lesion disorders (10.2%).[5]