How long do cats live?

Question

I have a fairly old cat, and i worry about her, but at the same time, it seems like she could go on forever.

My cat is about 15 years old, i woulden't worry, but she has severe asthma (she always has since she was a kitten) She snores loudly, and wheezes but she is fine, she never complains, and she seems healthy otherwise (she is a bit fat and saggy, but after 3 litters of kittens, who wouldent be?) she was also neutered a while back, and i hear that can make them saggy. So how long do you think she has left? I am so worried im going to go home one day, and find my best friend dead. Also, any tips on prolonging kitty life would be apreciated (short of spending hundreds of dollars on a vet)

Answer 1

The cat I had when I was younger lived to be 21 years old.
She was a indoor cat (Indoor cats usually live longer then outdoor) only going outside a couple times a day. She was fixed and had a little bit of a saggy belly. Her last few years the only health issue she had was arthritis.

It's hard to say how long your cat will live with the factors of having three litters and severe asthma.
She has lived a full 15 years and to me that is a sign she has been well loved and taken care of.
On average I think cats live 17 to 19 years. (Indoors)
A few can live till 22 if in good health.

I loved and still love my cat very much.
"One of the family"
It was sad when she past, but I know she is in Heaven arthritis free....... Running about as she did in her kitten years. Sleeping on the clouds in the warm sun and watching over me.

Answer 2

Cats have been known to live up to 22 years. 12 years is the average. I hate to say it, but I'd start preparing myself mentally because in human years, the cat is very, very old and may not be aroundmuch longer. See the attached chart.

cat years human years
1 month 5 to 6 months
2 months 9 to 10 months
3 months 2 to 3 years
4 months 5 to 6 years
5 months 8 to 9 years
6 months 10 years

8 months 13 years
1 year 18 years
As you can see by the chart the first year of a cat's life is an important one. This is when you really help form who they will be and what kind of experiences they have had.

2 years 24 years
3 years 28 years
4 years 32 years
5 years 36 years
6 years 40 years
7 years 44 years
8 years 48 years
9 years 52 years
10 years 56 years
11 years 60 years
12 years 64 years
13 years 68 years
14 years 72 years
15 years 76 years
16 years 84 years
17 years 88 years
18 years 92 years
19 years 94 years
20 years 96 years
21 years 100 years
I couldn't get the chart to line up neatly, sorry about that. The cats years are on the left, human years are on the right.

Answer 3

I have had a cat live to be 20. Right now, I have a 17, 14, and a 5 year old. My 17 has thyroid issues which are causing me some stress as I have to do some maintenance with her - subcutaneous fluids and propylthiouracil. I administer these at home after very minor training from my vet. She is basically good otherwise.

Cats will live longer if they are spayed/neutered and kept inside. It is the fighting and consuming prey that tend to shorten life expectancy.

Even with asthma, your kitty has some time. You and I both will have to make decisions eventually on when is the quality of life impacted enough that the animals are no longer happy.

I suspect you will NOT find your cat dead in the near future.

Answer 4

i can imagine your concern, am a cat lover also. i have a fat sassy 6 year old & young spunkey 8 month old. i try to get my cats a playmate @ 1/2 life. keeps the older one more active & i have another friend so there isn't so much best friend pressure on one cat. i'm sorry i dont have any life extending tips but i think maybe you should visit a local animal shelter & give a much needed home to a cat. maybe an older one, i don't know how well your eldery friend would react to a bouncing off the wall kitten, but she may appreciate a little company while your gone to work. it also may help you not to be so lonely when the enevitiable happens. remember it doesnt matter how long she has left, what matters is she has had a long great life with a friend that cares very much, just enjoy her company & quit fretting about something you cant change.

Answer 5

It depends a lot on whether they are indoor or outdoor cats, how they are fed, and how they are cared for. Indoor cats tend to live longer because they are not exposed to as many diseases, predators, or possible accidents. They tend to last longer on healthy diets, but not if they are overfed. And cats that don't get annual exams and vaccinations tend to die earlier than those that do.

Fifteen years is a good lifetime for a cat, but individuals can vary a lot. Your best bet is to ask the vet at her next annual checkup how she's doing, and hows her quality of life.

We had 1 cat that lasted 15 years before his quality of life became very poor. Another one lasted 16 years.
The current crop is about 6-7 years old.

Answer 6

15 years is average. As for prolonging life, open windows (fresh air), some moderate to active exercise (playing with string, catnip mice), and good scientifically balanced cat food can help (not the cheap grocery stuff). Lots of love and affection can make for happy years too, obviously.

I've had cats who've only lived to about 12 years -- and have known a few that went on until 20, 22 years! However long you've got with your tender puss, make sure it's quality time! (happy memories, etc.)

Answer 7

they live about 15-20 years depending how well they are taken care of. And sounds like your doing a great job there. As far as prolonging a life, theres not much you can do, other than what your doing, My vet told me that to watch and if your baby quits doing his 3 favorite things, eating, drinking, and playing something like that, then it will be time to let her go. I had to do this to my old friend back in June 06, he was 15 1/2 it was the hardest thing Ive ever done, but I couldn't watch him suffer anymore. He was a dog, but love doesn't matter what kind of animal. Just spend as much time as you can and love your baby, take lots of pictures.. Good luck to ya

Answer 8

We just put our cat down last week. She was 17, almost 18. I also know someone that had a cat that was 21. If they are healthy, they can live for 20 years. We never did anything special to make our cat live so long. She was never fixed or declawed and didnt get any vaccines because she was strictly an inside cat. You might find this website interesting. it shows how to tell how old they are in human years.
http://miss-kitty.com/cathumor/cat-age.html

Answer 9

Wow! 15 years is a good life span for a cat. So, if she were to die tomarrow, rest assurred, she had a fullfilling life. (not saying she will die tomarrow).

Some cats will live 15-25 years. Depending on their health and what not. Sounds to me like your cat is pretty healthy, despite the asthma, but it sounds to me that you also have that under control.

Take her to the vet to get annual checkups and her shots. Dont feed her to much, or to little. Make sure she has plenty of water each day. and just love her.

Good luck! It sounds like you have one heck of a friend there ;)

Answer 10

I'd say a cat can live anywhere between 10 and 20 years (or more) depending on how well you take care of it and whether or not you keep it indoors. My cat just turned 15, and she's in good health for her age. Her kidneys are wearing out, but that's just part of the aging process.