What's the most a cat can live?

Question

just curious...since I have a cat myself.

Answer 1

The world record for a cat is 38 years:

http://www.cat-world.com.au/CatRecords.htm

These are really exceptional cats, though. My vet says that 14-15 is kind of the "break point" for a lot of cats. She says they see a lot of cats that make it to 14-15 years, but they start to thin out pretty fast after that, and it's a rare cat that makes it past 20.

One thing my vet says that helps cats live long: periodic cleaning and descaling of their teeth. Apparently bacterial buildup in the gums caused by tartar and tooth decay can act on both the kidneys and heart. My vet says that without exception, the cats that have the best teeth and healthiest mouths live the longest.

Answer 2

I currently have a cat that I got from a shelter 14 years ago. She was fully grown at the time and I would think she was about 2 or 3 years old. She is still going strong, although a little stiff in the joints now. I think that as long as you look after them, mentally and physically - you should expect them to live well into their teens. I have heard of a cat reaching 25!

Answer 3

There is a cat sanctuary in Sonoma Co., CA that takes cats fifteen years or older. At one time they had 75 cats and that is now at about 45 and closed to new cats.

The cats are fed a raw meat diet and treated homeopathically by volunteer vets. The supplement powder that is added to their meat diet is also donated. Many of the cats are or have been in their middle to late 20's. Some have been treated for cancer and many other cat problems.

You can learn something about the sanctuary by going to www.brighthaven.org.

Answer 4

I had one who lived to be almost 20. I knew of a lady once who had Siamese cats live to be about 22 years.

Answer 5

I would say 17 to 20 years.

Answer 6

I had one live to be 21

Answer 7

well certain cats live a certain amount of years but the oldets cat is like 25 yrs. old.

Answer 8

How Long Will My Cat Live?
Author: Larry Chamberlain

Web Site: Best Cat Art

Posted: Sep 28, 2005




The answer to that depends upon several factors.

The care that you give your cat, the quality of the food that your cat eats, the kind of lifestyle that your cat lives. All these things play their part in the chances of your cat enjoying a long life.

Veterinary medicine has made some great advances in recent years, and this is one of the reasons the average age of domestic cats is increasing. A well cared for cat that is kept indoors and is fed a good nutritional diet, would be expected to live for about 15 years.

Some cats do live to 20 plus years and there are records of a few cats reaching over 30 years. These sort of ages for a cat are very much the exception however.

The genetic make up of a cat can be a factor in determining its life span. Some breeds of cat appear to be more resilient than others. Selective breeding can have the effect that some breeds are genetically prone to ailments which shorten their life expectancy. Mixed breeds, the typical moggie or mouser, is usually more vigorous in its genetic make up and may expect to live slightly longer than a pure breed cat.

Cats that are kept strictly as indoor only cats stand a better chance of living to a ripe old age than cats that are allowed outside. The reasons for this are many. Outdoor cats face danger from traffic, from being attacked by other cats or by other animals. They run increased risk of being accidentally poisoned by pesticides or deliberately poisoned by malicious humans. Outdoor cats are also at risk from catching feline diseases particularly from the feral cat population.

The are many things to consider in deciding to keep your cat as an indoor only cat or an outdoor-indoor cat, life expectancy is only one of them.

Overfeeding your cat is a good way to shorten its life. An overfed cat stands more chance of health problems than a cat that is weight controlled. Diabetes, arthritis, breathing difficulties, heart and liver disease can all result as a consequence of overfeeding. All of these conditions may mean your little pet not living a long and healthy feline life. Your veterinarian can advise on the best diet for your cat.

Exercise too, is important for your cat's health and in maintaining its weight. Healthy cats mostly exercise themselves of course, but the playtime you enjoy with your cat can contribute to keeping kitty healthy. Elderly cats particularly benefit from gentle play-exercise.

Regular visits to the vets for routine checks will give your cat the best chance to live a long life, and to live that life healthily. Many life shortening problems can be tackled successfully if detected early.

Neutered or spayed cats often enjoy a slightly longer life than unaltered felines. This is particularly so for male cats as an unaltered male will often receive injuries defending his territory. There are many other good reasons for spaying and neutering of course, aside from extending the life of your cat.


About the Author:

Larry Chamberlain lives in London, England, and has had a lifelong fascination with domestic cats. His web site http://www.best-cat-art.com/ provides information about all that is best in cat art. Also pages about cat and kitten care and information on cat breeds and types.

Answer 9

ive heard of most living into the teens with many goin into the 20's i guess it depends on the breed, diet, environment and factors like that.

Answer 10

i seen a cat that was 22 yrs old