Table Of Content
Your cat should get annual exams regardless of whether they are an indoor or outdoor pet. It’s an excellent time to keep up with routine healthcare, such as deworming and vaccinations. It can help catch a potential threat earlier and make treatment less stressful or prolonged for your kitty. While cats live between 13 to 17 years of age on average, their lifespan is affected by several factors, including genetics. For example, the lifespan of a Maine Coon is 10 to 13 years, while a Savannah cat is known to live up to 20 years.
#1- Kittens:
Senior cats often slow down more than they did as a mature adult, which can be a sign of untreated arthritis pain. Discuss any changes in behavior in your senior cat with your veterinarian. The transition from mature adult to senior cat can vary depending on the cat. Some cats in this age range will remain spry and well-muscled for years, while others will have more illnesses and degenerative disease.
Ask The Vet: Indoor vs Outdoor Cats
Make sure to see your veterinarian annually to discuss and receive the appropriate preventative vaccinations for your cat’s lifestyle. Kittens are fun, full of energy and love exploring the world; they need a positive outlet for all that energy. Kittens are also particularly susceptible to parasites and infectious diseases.
Outdoor Living
It’s important to feed your cat a diet of quality food with balanced nutrients. Like humans, a diet high in appropriate nutrients will help your cat stay healthy and live a longer life. Check with your vet to find out if your cat needs any special type of cat food.
Why Do Outdoor Cats Have More Diseases?
Changes in behavior may be noted with regards to litter box use and nighttime activity levels. For example, some older cats will be more active late at night when they didn’t used to be and then sleep more during the day. Or, cats that were once fastidious about their bathroom habits may no longer cover their poop or may go outside the litter box.
Help us make PetMD better
Outdoor cats tend to live far shorter lives than their more domesticated counterparts. The University of California, Davis’ Clinical Animal Behavior Service reports that the average life expectancy of an outdoor cat is just two to five years. We all wish our pets could live with us forever, providing endless joy and affection.
The end-of-life stage can occur at any age, depending on the cat’s overall health. Keeping your cat indoors is one of the most effective ways to increase its life expectancy. Cats that are kept outdoors and allowed to roam tend to live significantly shorter lives than their indoor counterparts.
"This is where comics live" - along with shop cats Princess Pugsley and Shuri the Black Panther. Opened by Warren Jaycox in 2009, Galaxy of Comics offers a free pull service and weekly specials like Twitter Tuesday and Facebook Friday. Tournaments on Sundays, and SoulGeek Singles night on the second Saturday of every month.
Adult cats should receive at least 5.5 g/kg of protein a day. This means the average eight-pound cat needs to consume at least 20 grams of protein each day and often much more. During this stage, your cat should visit the vet at least once per year to stay up to date on vaccines and receive routine health checks. A cat that is 6 years old is equivalent to a 40-year-old human. In the first year, your kitten should routinely see the vet for health checks, vaccinations, neutering or spaying, and parasite prevention. Your vet needs to make sure your kitten is on par with their milestones.
When you download the app, you’ll be able to effortlessly monitor your cat's waste habits with updates sent right to your phone. All cats will get older eventually, and you will begin to see the changes in them that show this process. Physical changes may include reduced ability to taste, smell, and digest certain foods.
Like problems in humans, congenital issues, developed illnesses, and even injuries could affect the cat’s lifespan. Throughout those life stages, along with the routine vet visits, Watson recommends keeping a close eye on your cat's behavior. Small changes—like a sudden disinterest in playing—can indicate an underlying health issue. "The tricky thing with cats is they can show little to no sign of feeling ill," Watson says. Be proactive about your cat’s health and work with your veterinarian to ensure that your cat’s long life is full of good health, happiness, and love. In general, the average lifespan of house cats is 10 to 15 years.
"Indoor-outdoor cats are more susceptible to abscesses (from bites) and diseases that can be transmitted by parasites they will encounter outdoors," Watson says. "Regular checkups and monthly topicals for flea/tick prevention can help combat these, along with making sure your animals are up-to-date on their vaccines." JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM, is a veterinarian and freelance medical writer in Atlanta, GA. After graduating from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine with her veterinary degree, JoAnna completed a 2-year research fellowship in neuroscience at Emory University. Through her writing, she strives not only to educate pet parents, but also empower them to make good health decisions for their pets. JoAnna is a member of the American Medical Writers Association and Dog Writers Association of America.
The good news is with proper care (and lots of love), you can improve your pet’s chances of staying healthy for years to come. There are many factors that can shorten or lengthen your cat’s lifespan. Please keep in mind, that this is more the majority of cats, most of the time.
Indoor cats tend to live twice as long as outdoor cats, and they also usually outlive cats that are allowed outdoors part time without supervision. While annual health screenings are sufficient for young cats, visiting the vet twice a year for a checkup is recommended for senior cats. Cats are unique individuals and each lifespan depends on a variety of factors. So while cats may generally be expected to live within a certain range of years, your cat’s life may be longer or shorter than average.
No comments:
Post a Comment