How Old Is Your Cat?

Generally, cats are one of the longest-living animals for their size. The reason is that it seems to be proportional to the animal's size- with a few exceptions like tortoises, man, and certain other animals.
The lifespan of a small mouse is short, while the life span of a rabbit is slightly longer, and that of your average dog to be between 7-20 years or more depending on its breed and size. A cat's life span may only be about eight years, but it can live up to 12-14 years old, which isn't uncommon for those fortunate enough to reach their late teens or even early twenties.

Cats Have 6 Life Stages

• Kitten: this period of time when the cat is growing rapidly and is not quite mature.
• Junior: the cat will grow to full size and learn about life during this time.
• Prime: the cat is usually healthy and active, looking sleek and shiny and making the most of life
• Mature: We call this cat a "Mature" equivalent to humans in their 40s-50s.
• Senior: would put the cat at around 70 human years
• Super Senior: Some cats never show any signs of being a senior in age, while others do.

These stages should help us appreciate how old the cat is inside, as it's not always as obvious from the outside. For example, cats don't often go grey or show signs of pain and illness such as arthritis.

International Cat Care has put together a preventative healthcare initiative called Cat Care for Life. The program looks at the health checks your cat should be having depending on its age and what changes in behavior you can expect as it ages.