Human life is divided into several stages: infancy, childhood, adolescence, youth, maturity and old age. A cat's life in calendar terms is much shorter than a human's. However, they also have different age periods. To understand exactly what life stage your furry pet is in, you need to compare the duration life periods man and cat. Of course, such a distribution is conditional, and yet it allows us to present a schematic picture of a cat’s entire life.

How to determine a cat's age by by human standards?

Infancy.

After birth, the kitten, like a human child, feeds on its mother's milk and can only crawl. The age of a two-month-old kitten is equal to 5-10 months in a child.

Childhood.

This period of time in cats begins from the moment the kitten begins to walk. At the same time, he actively gets acquainted with the outside world, tasting the things around him, and also trying to remember the smell and taste of each object. He starts trying other foods. This occurs after 2 months of birth. The age of the kitten by human standards corresponds to a 2-year-old child.

Adolescence.

At this stage, the kitten still plays with pleasure, but at the same time he develops a feeling of danger and, when an unfamiliar object approaches, he quickly hides. Outwardly, he already looks like an adult cat. This developmental phase occurs at 7-8 months of the animal’s life, which corresponds to an eight-year-old human child.

Young years.

During this period, the cat's body continues to grow. Coming puberty. At the same time, if possible, it is necessary to protect your pet from the early breeding of offspring, since this activity can negatively affect general development the animal's body, as it requires large energy costs. This time comes when the cat is 9-10 months old, and the person is 14-16 years old. At one year, cats fully reach sexual maturity and can already produce offspring. A cat year is equal to approximately 18 human years.

Mature years.

All physiological systems work harmoniously. Cats are full of strength and energy. This stage Development begins at approximately 3-4 years. By human standards, the age of a cat of 3 years is equal to 30 years in humans, a five-year-old cat is approximately a forty-year-old person.

Old age.

The animal becomes lazy, moves gracefully, but slowly. The wool loses its former shine and smoothness. This happens when the animal reaches 13-14 years of age. At 11 years old, a cat is a 60-year-old pensioner by human standards. Then, each cat's year goes by four and five, and if your pet lived to be 20 years old, then she has crossed the 100-year mark human life. The approximate correspondence of the cat's age by human standards is in the table.

Sometimes it is quite difficult to understand how old a cat is. If the cat is healthy, it gets good care, balanced diet and great content, she's quite active and you'd think she'd always be that way. But old age is just around the corner; the average life expectancy of a furry purr is about 15-17 years.

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When observing your animals throughout their lives, it is not difficult to notice how their habits, interests, and behavior change. Many cat owners think about how old their pets are by human standards. People are interested in this issue out of idle curiosity. But truly attentive owners of mustachioed pets understand that, knowing what age period their furry friend is in, you can study his needs not only for nutrition, but also for daily activity.

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Methods for determining cat age

There are two methods for equating a furry friend's age to a human equivalent. The first method: just take the number of years the pet has lived and multiply them by seven. There is nothing complicated about this, but this method is not entirely correct. If you follow them, then one year old cat is a seven-year-old child by human standards. And the two-year-old pet is only at the beginning adolescence. Animals, following this theory, cross the threshold of 100 years old and live to be 130 years old. From a logical point of view, these figures seem implausible. There should be more reliable way Converting cat age to human equivalent.

There is another common method for determining the ratio of cat to human life years. According to this option, a certain age of an animal must be equated to a specific number of years lived by a person.

Calculations of a cat's age should be done as follows:

• a one-year-old cat, in relation to human age, corresponds to a fifteen-year-old teenager;
• 2 years are equivalent to 24 years of life;
• each of the next 14 years of a cat’s life is equal to 4 human years;
• After 16 years, each cat year is equal to 3 human years.

Using this method, you can trace the periods of a cat's maturation. For comparison: a 24-year-old girl is considered the same age as a 2-year-old cat. By this age, the animal, like a person, has a fully formed character. This method is more true.

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Age characteristics of cats

Cats, like people, behave differently at certain times in their lives. If a kitten can be easily trained to use a litter box, then do the same with adult cat more difficult. As animals grow and develop, just like humans, they develop their own habits, skills and character.

If you adhere to the second theory of calculating the age of an animal and a person, you can understand why an animal adheres to one direction or another in behavior in certain years of its life. In every period of a cat's life, age characteristics behavior. Taking them into account, the owner will be able to better understand his pet.



Childhood period

The first year of a cat's life corresponds to the period of childhood. If you observe his behavior, then it is so. During this time, the animal learns basic survival skills and becomes more independent. Kittens learn how to get food, go to the toilet and wash themselves. Great curiosity and lack of experience pushes them to study the world around them. They love to play every day and act like real fidgets. Everything is exactly the same as in humans.





Adolescence

In the second year of life, pets approach the end of puberty. Like people, at this time they begin to form their own character and individual habits appear. Hormonal surges force the pet to look for a mate. The animal becomes completely independent and devotes less time to games than in the first year of life.

Features of the transition of cats into adulthood:

• loss of playfulness;
• acquisition of behavioral norms characteristic of adults.

Adult stage

After two years of life, the animal fully develops its personality and becomes a full-fledged adult. All habits have been formed, and the furry friend is perfectly oriented in his life.

The behavior of animals during this period is completely consistent with people who have crossed the twenty-year mark.

He already knows how to get his owner to do what he needs, be it getting a treat or replacing the contents of the tray. Now he decides for himself when to spend time with his owner, is given less hands, and accepts affection more condescendingly than willingly.

Mature age

Just like people, cats are susceptible to midlife crises. It occurs when they reach the age of eight. You may notice that the established character of the pet begins to undergo changes during this period. The pet again begins to behave like a teenager, becomes too frisky, gets into mischief and is completely uncontrollable, and also shows attraction to younger representatives of its species. Sometimes the animal becomes depressed or begins to mope. This is normal for middle age. People who reach the age of forty can begin to behave in exactly the same way.



Elderly stage and old age

When a cat turns 12 years old, he reaches the so-called retirement age. The animal becomes calmer and more sedate. Children's fun no longer interests him. Increasingly, the furry friend prefers a quiet nap to all other activities.

During this period, pets become more affectionate and flexible.

At 15 years old, a cat reaches old age. He may develop diseases corresponding to this age, and his character becomes as calm as possible. The animal behaves exactly like an 80-year-old man. Not everyone lives to an older age. Over the years, cats become more and more peaceful. They get tired more often and spend almost all their time sleeping. 20 years for them - extreme old age, so you should treat them accordingly.

Sooner or later every owner pet thinks about how long cats live, and whether it is long or short by human standards. To correctly determine the age of a cat by human standards, it is necessary to study individual characteristics their body and habitat. It is very important to correctly determine cat age in order to subsequently track important changes: puberty, development of pathologies and senile deviations. This knowledge will help provide timely assistance to your pet.

How to calculate a cat's age by human standards

There are several ways to determine the age of cats: look at the pet’s passport or look at the condition of the teeth. However, without medical knowledge, the number of years lived four-legged friend doesn't say anything. Even if the vet informs you that your cat is 12 years old, how old is that in human years? The fact is that the life expectancy of representatives of the cat family is much shorter than that of humans.

Scientists have put forward several assumptions regarding this aspect. The first option is that in cats the heart beats more often, and therefore the duration of a single biochemical reaction much higher. This means that the body's tissues and cells wear out faster. Second judgment – high speed physiological regulations, provoking rapid “cementation” or osteogenesis of the connecting parts of bones, openings for nerve exits and other systems.

Such physiological processes mean that the animal loses the ability to regulate blood circulation, nerve centers, the functioning of the musculoskeletal system and life processes in general several times faster.

Scientists and veterinarians have differing views on the relative age of cats by human standards. Some researchers suggest that a cat’s life year is equal to 7 human years, others equate it to 15, others equate it to 18, and still others equate it to 24.

If you follow logical thinking and pay attention to the behavior of pets, then the closest to reality can be considered the judgment that the first year of a cat’s life is equivalent to 15 years of a person. Since the main growth of the body occurs in the first 3 years, then all metabolic processes occur faster than in subsequent years: 2 years is approximately 24 years, and then we add another 4 to each previous year. By the age of 17, metabolic processes slow down, so it is advisable to further add 3 years. For clarity, let's make a table of the ages of cats.

This is interesting! The most old cat died at the age of 38, that is, approximately 146 years old in human years.

It was previously stated that some veterinarians and scientists may consider the information in the table to be not entirely accurate, since no consensus has been reached on this issue.

Age table for cats and humans

Based on the table, we can conclude that many people mistakenly consider their pet to be young at the age of 6 years or more.

There are several ways to determine the age of cats: look at the pet’s passport or look at the condition of the teeth. Source: Flickr (吉_梅)

How long do cats live?

The lifespan of felines is influenced by many factors. Let's consider each of them in order.

• Habitat

IN wild conditions Animals of this family live much shorter lives than domestic pets. Average duration life in a wild habitat – 5-10 years. The life expectancy of pets living in good home conditions ranges from 13-16 years.

• Breed

Previously, it was believed that purebred representatives live longer than “yard” ones, but aboriginal cats have proven themselves to be long-livers for a long time. Their body is more adapted to changes: viral mutations, stress, and so on. Many of them have developed immunity to certain types of diseases.

• Heredity or genetic predisposition

We must not lose sight of such an indicator as heredity, since it is healthy parents who produce healthy offspring and vice versa. Certain diseases are transmitted genetically, that is, from generation to generation, which can reduce the age threshold a certain breed or family.

• Diseases

Even pets are constantly at risk of contracting some kind of illness. There are a huge number of diseases. Not all of them are fatal for the ward, but they can significantly undermine the health, which will subsequently lead to a reduction in the allotted life span of the furry friend.

• Sexual activity

Cats that mate with untested partners may contract dangerous infection. Violation hormonal levels also has a negative impact on life expectancy. Spaying or neutering is a reasonable option for those who do not wish to breed.

• Nutrition

A lot depends on the quality and quantity of food that enters the body of the ward: his health, psychological comfort and the time period of life. The right diet will provide your pet with several extra years.

Pay attention! Domestic cat on average lives about 15 years. But a lot depends on nutrition and living conditions, which is why representatives of the cat family often live up to 20 years.

How to extend the life of a pet

A cat's age in human terms is not so fleeting. However, a loving owner always wants his ward to live as long as possible. What depends on the pet owner? You might be surprised, but a lot!

• Follow the recommendations of veterinarians and breeders regarding housing conditions and nutrition (for each individual breed).
• Get vaccinated.
• Do not forget about anthelmintic and disinfectant measures.
• Take your pet to fresh air and play with it.
• Never punish your pet for pranks, but teach him to use the tray and scratching post from childhood.
• Provide timely assistance if necessary (injuries, illnesses, allergic reactions, pathologies of any etiology).

Important! Do not self-medicate, but seek help from a public veterinary hospital or private clinic.

Take a responsible approach to keeping your pet, show affection and care, and then he will for many years delight you and other household members with your presence.

Video on the topic

Cats' habits change with age, and often the owners of these animals try to find out the cat's age by human standards so that their pet's antics and tricks do not take them by surprise. Determining the age of a cat by human standards is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. The fact is that the thinking of people is radically different from the habits of our pets, since they live only by instincts.

Time passes much faster for them than for people. There are 3 main ways to determine how old a pet is by human standards:

• Odds table;
• Ratio;
• Simple arithmetic.

Remember that all the cat ages provided in the table by human standards will be very approximate, since it is impossible to accurately assess the level of intelligence of the animal even with a thorough examination.

Odds table

The most popular method is to use a coefficient table. This is a special number that approximately determines how many human years pass while a pet lives 1 year.

It is incorrect to compare the psychological characteristics, logic and thinking of cats and people, so scientists have created a special plate showing the ratio of cat and human ages:

This plate allows you to find out how old the cat is by human standards. If the exact age is unknown, any veterinarian can determine it (using the animal’s teeth and general condition organism).

The coefficient shows only the rate of aging of the cat’s body, and not at all the formation of its intelligence.

Age ratio

The age of cats in human terms can be determined using a ratio. With this calculation option, one year of a pet’s life should be equated to a certain number of years of a person’s life. Example:

• 15 human years is 1 year of a cat’s life;
• 24 human years is the second year of a cat’s life;
• Then, each year of the cat’s life adds 4 human years to its age, until the figure reaches 16 years;
• After this period, each year is equivalent to 3.

In this way, you can track the maturation of the cat. A two-year-old cat and a 24-year-old guy can easily be considered peers. At this age, the pet's character is already fully formed.

Age-related diseases usually begin by age 15 (76 human years for a cat). The pet's behavior also changes significantly:

• Interest in any cat games decreases sharply;
• Drowsiness appears;
• Diseases associated with wear and tear on the body may begin.

Age characteristics, behavior and character can be influenced by the breed of the animal.

Simple Arithmetic

A very simple way to find out how old a cat lives by human standards is to multiply the animal's age by 7. This method gives the most inaccurate result of all those listed above, for example, a one-year-old cat is more independent than a child aged 7 years. The reason is that our pets are driven mainly by instincts, which help them adapt faster. Also, cats more often live to be 20 years old than humans are to live to be 140. This arithmetic method, in which the year of a cat’s life by human standards is equal to 7 years, does not make it possible to compare the stages of development of intelligence.

Converting a cat's age to human age using the proposed systems is not difficult. The main problem is that none of the existing methods will not give an accurate result.

If the cat's age is initially unknown

Often, compassionate lovers of our furry little brothers take one of them from the street, and in this case it is quite difficult to determine the age of the animal, even approximately. But in order to know how old a cat is by human standards, you simply need to know his exact year of birth.

A veterinarian can help you with this matter. Experienced doctors can easily determine the age and years of a cat in relation to a person during examination. oral cavity animal.

If the owner does not have the opportunity to take the animal to the veterinarian, you can try to study the issue yourself.

Tooth development:

• All milk teeth erupt in a one-month-old kitten;
• Indigenous - at the age of 6 months;
• At the age of 1.5 years, the lower central incisors are worn out;
• At the age of 2.5 years, the middle lower incisors begin to wear off;
• By 3.5 and 4.5 years, the central and middle lower incisors wear out, respectively;
• By the age of 5.5 years, fangs may wear off;
• By 6, the condition of the upper extreme incisors worsens;
• Up to 9 years of age, the rubbing surfaces of all lower incisors change;
• Aging of the central upper incisors begins at approximately 10 years of age;
• By age 12, the animal may lose its central incisors;
• At the age of 15 he may be left without teeth.

These numbers may vary depending on the quality of life, diet, and breed of animal. Adding all the necessary ingredients will help preserve your cat’s teeth for as long as possible. minerals and vitamins in food.

Once you have calculated exactly how old your pet is, a cat age chart can be applied in human years.

How lifestyle affects a cat's longevity

To prolong the life of a pet, it is necessary to create the maximum possible favorable conditions, such as:

• Balanced food;
• A cozy and warm place to relax and sleep;
• Avoid physical and psychological harm;
• See a veterinarian regularly;
• Protect the animal from everyone unfavorable factors, which can shorten the cat’s life (for example, solve the problem of stress during the mating season).

It is important to know that castrated cats and sterilized cats live, as a rule, longer than individuals who take part in procreation.

What to do to extend the life of a cat

The owner must take proper care of his pet so that he lives as long as possible. There are several recommendations that are worth studying before getting a kitten:

• Carefully monitor the animal’s diet, try to buy balanced, high-quality food;
• Buy additional special vitamins and food additives, which can prevent vitamin deficiency. These drugs are sold at any veterinary pharmacy;
• Take into account all the recommendations that are related to the peculiarities of caring for a particular breed;
• Play with your pet more often, if possible - let it go for a walk so that the animal can lead an active lifestyle;
• Take care of his health. Be sure to do everything necessary vaccinations, seek help from a veterinarian at the first sign of any illness, keep the bowl always clean, provide permanent access to water;
• Give your animal love and attention, which will definitely have a positive effect on its longevity.

Comparison of the age periods of a cat and a person

Infancy

The period of infancy in a kitten passes more quickly than in humans. It only lasts a few weeks. During this time the kitten experiences difficult period, cognizes new world, learning to walk.

Kittens are born blind, deaf and completely helpless. After a week, the protective film on the ears disappears, and eyes open 5-9 days after birth. In the second week, teeth begin to cut. If we translate this age into human terms, then in our children this period begins 5-9 months after birth.

Month-old kittens are already running and jumping, that is, this is about a year and a half of a cat by human standards. A three-month-old cat is comparable in intelligence to a two-year-old child.

Childhood

Cat children develop very quickly, so it is not easy to compare this period with human children. At 4 months of life, these animals are already actively playing and communicating with other pets., recognize “friends” and “strangers”, can take care of themselves without the help of their mother (lick fur, wash their face, sharpen their claws, feed themselves). They learn all this from their mother’s example, although instincts also play an important role.

During the first year of life, a cat goes through all the stages of growing up, which is comparable to 18 years of human life. That is why you should pay maximum attention to the education of your pet before he develops habits and games that you don't want or can't tolerate. You must teach him that he cannot go to the toilet wherever he wants, that he cannot sharpen his claws on furniture, etc.

Adolescence

You cannot treat adult cats like children; you cannot help but react to aggression, “puddles” and other harmful pranks, thinking that with age this will all stop by itself. Remember that a 6-month-old cat is comparable in human years to an already developed human teenager.

In his habits and character there are very big changes, which often resemble the behavior of teenagers.

Although the kitten looks small and cute, like a child, it begins to test the boundaries of what is permitted. If the owner wants to raise an obedient cat, it is necessary to firmly and promptly stop “rebellion”.

The next unpleasant surprise for cat owners at this unusual age of animals is puberty. At the age of 6.5 months, cats go into heat, and cats, in turn, can react to them, since they are already quite ready for mating. However, it is undesirable to allow mating, because during this period the cat is not yet ready for childbirth or motherhood, but she can become pregnant.

Youth

During its youth, the cat is strong, agile and tireless. For purebred cats This is the best period for various competitions and exhibitions. Up to 7 years of age, the animal is optimally suited to have healthy offspring.

Maturity

This period can begin at the age of 6-10 years. By human standards, this is approximately 40-55 years. The cat can still play sometimes, but more often he behaves calmly. People who are engaged in professional breeding of purebred cats remove animals that have reached this stage from mating.

Old age

An elderly cat is considered to be an animal aged 10-12 years, although there are individuals that live up to 20 years.

Therefore, such an honorable age does not necessarily symbolize the proximity of death. It all depends on the conditions of its detention and state of health. For example, street cats rarely live to be 10 years old, and domestic ones often cross the 16-year threshold.

A table of the age of cats by human standards is needed if the owner wants to understand whether the pet is still a baby or is already in adulthood. After all, cats can behave playfully like kittens until their old age, or they can become arrogant and allow themselves to be petted only occasionally. The age of a cat by human standards can be a revelation for the owner, because while a person, for example, lived only one year of his life, several years have passed for his pet.

In order to find out how old a cat is by human standards, use a special conversion table
In accordance with this table, monthly kittens go through the stage of growing up to the level of a teenager throughout the year.

Systems for calculating age ratios

There are various systems Converting cat years to human age. The most in a simple way It is considered that 7 years of a cat's life are added to 1 human year. But does such a system correspond to reality, and does it reflect the real age of the cat according to human calculations?

According to this scheme, a one-year-old animal is equivalent to a 7-year-old child, and if a cat has lived for about 14 years, then it can be classified as a centenarian. But it happens that cats live for 19-20 years, then the age of cats by human standards reaches a sky-high level - 140.

In reality, this recalculation system is not entirely correct and does not correspond to the life stages of humans and animals. In order to find out how old a cat is by human standards, a special conversion table is used.

Correspondence table

The closest thing to the real age of animals in relation to humans is a recalculation system using a special coefficient, which is based on compliance life stages. The coefficient is based not on the number of years lived, but on the intellectual and emotional background upon reaching a particular age, both by humans and animals.

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Thus, if a person wants to know what age cats really are by human standards, The following table will help determine this:

According to this table, one-month-old kittens go through the maturation stage throughout the year to reach the level of a teenager. Mature age occurs for the next 5-7 years, and then the aging process begins.

Unfortunately, even such a table will not tell exactly how old your beloved cat is by human standards. On average they live 14-15 years, although there are certain factors that influence aging. Plus, the psyche of cats cannot fully correspond to humans. If the kitten's behavior is similar to small child, then, for example, it is sometimes very difficult to perceive an animal of two years as a fully formed individual in intellectual and socially. In addition, some breeds can retain their childlike playfulness for many years.

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Factors influencing life expectancy

In general, the age of a cat according to human calculations cannot be determined with 100% accuracy, because they are structured completely differently than humans. Therefore, many simply distinguish 3 phases of life:

• playful behavior;
• behavior characteristic of adults;
• aging period.

A kitten, like a person in infancy, is characterized by helplessness and complete dependence on its mother. Teenagers are distinguished by their formed bodies and signs of puberty. They already have their own character, preferences and habits. Felines in old age corresponds to a decline in activity, loss of reaction and acuity of senses.

Approximately according to these principles, the table of the compliance coefficient was constructed. If the owner wants to know the exact age of his pet, he needs to contact a veterinarian. The doctor will be able to determine it based on the general health and teeth of the animal.