Being a pet owner is such a wonderful, rewarding experience and the love bond between both pet and owner is unimaginable! Still, there is one question that many pet owners, especially those of cats find difficult to ask and that is: "What is the average cat lifespan?"
With this, most of us prefer not to know and play ignorant to this topic, but actually knowing the answer can help prolong your cat's life expectancy, as there are various important factors that can help influence the lifespan of any cat.
Unfortunately, there are some factors that we have no control over such as hereditary and genetic predispositions to certain illnesses, this is what you should have research and discussed when buying or adopting them from a reputable breeder. However, there are some that we have slight control over such as providing them with a healthy diet and learning how to keep them safe.
To find out more information on how to give your cat the best chance of living a long and healthy life and understanding what the average lifespan of a cat is; read on to find out more.
Simple ways to help give your cat a healthy happy life
As previously mentioned there's not a great deal you can do to alter the genetics of your cat, but there are various ways to ensure you help your cat live to a healthy ripe old age. Listed below are ways in which cat care can impact of the longevity of their life:
- Maintaining healthy weight and fitness
- Keeping toxins and harmful plants out of your cat’s reach
- Providing good dental care for your kitten and staying on top of any dental issues
- Keep your cat's vaccinations up-to-date
- Ensuring your cat lives in a safe area, free from any potential hazards
- Providing a calm, healthy, happy, clean home
- providing a complete balanced diet of good quality food and supplements
- Regularly fleeing and worming your cat
- Regular visits to the vets
- Learning about your cat's behaviour so you can act swiftly should they show any signs of discomfort
Average cat lifespan
After factoring in all breeds and potential causes of death, the average cat lifespan is normally between 15-17 years. It's a sad fact to accept that not all cats make it to their second decade, but many make it well into their 20's in a good health. This is providing they are cared for correctly and given a healthy stable diet.
Pedigree vs. Non-pedigree
It's virtually impossible to predict a cat's lifespan based solely on their breed. It's generally fair to say that non-pedigree and mixed breeds usually live longer lives than pedigree cats, normally by 2 years or so.
A mixed breed or non-pedigree cat comes from a mixed pool of genes, thus giving the average non-pedigree, or mixed breed more diverse in terms of choice of genetics. Whilst with a pedigree can only inherit certain genes from a limited gene pool.
It is said that diversity in the genetic makeup makes up to good health and long life. That is not to say that your average pedigree cat can't live a healthy long life. There are a significant amount of pedigree cats that go on to live well beyond the age of 15. But actually, a pedigree cat will live 2 years less than your average mixed breed or non-pedigree cat.
Keeping on top of your cat's health and wellbeing will put your cat at a good chance of being healthy and happy. For further cat health information please visit our pet advice section.
