Of all of the myths involving companion animals, one which continues to persist (and nonetheless drives me batty) is the notion that cats (and canines) get older at a tempo of seven years for each human 12 months.
Frankly, this concept has by no means made a lot sense to me. We’ve all seen (or at the very least know of) cats who’ve lived to the age of 20. In reality, at one level I had over 30 20-year-old cats in my veterinary observe. Utilizing the 1-equals-7 rule, a 20-year-old cat could be the equal of a 140-year-old individual, which merely isn’t potential. Let’s now think about copy. Cats and canines can get pregnant and produce offspring as early as 6 months of age. Utilizing the 1-equals-7 rule, a 6-month-old cat is equal to a 3½-year-old human. Can individuals have infants at this age? In fact not! The 1-equals-7 rule doesn’t work for the easy cause that cats age sooner once they’re youthful and decelerate once they’re older.
How one can evaluate cat years to human years
Numerous years in the past, the American Affiliation of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) and the American Animal Hospital Affiliation (AAHA) collaborated to create an age-comparison chart that takes this into consideration. (See sidebar.) Based on this chart, a 1-year-old cat is equal to a 15-year-old individual, and a 2-year-old cat is sort of a 24-year-old individual. After that, you add 4 human years for each cat 12 months. It is a extra logical strategy and, in my expertise, it appears fairly correct. Observe: This chart doesn’t apply to canines. Canines have completely different age equivalents relying on their measurement (large canines have shorter life spans than small canines, for instance). Cats are all roughly the identical measurement, so the chart is common for cats.
What number of life levels do cats have?
One other matter associated to age and longevity is cat life levels. There are a number of opinions on this topic however no consensus. The variations are largely based mostly on semantics, and whether or not you are typically a “lumper” or a “splitter.” Lumpers choose to group some levels collectively into a bigger class, whereas splitters choose to subdivide the levels. The one widespread floor amongst all of the variations is the primary life stage: kitten.
The up to date age-comparison chart talked about above additionally describes the life levels of a cat, dividing it into six distinct levels:
Kitten: 0 to six months
Junior: 7 months to 2 years
Prime: 3 to six years
Mature: 7 to 10 years
Senior: 11 to 14 years
Geriatric: 15 years and older
Splitters have been in all probability pleased with this six-stage model, though as a cat veterinarian, I had blended emotions. I by no means knew precisely the place to attract the road between “grownup” and “senior.” Dividing older cats into “mature,” “senior” and “geriatric” classes based mostly on these age ranges appeared wise. Nonetheless, dividing youthful grownup cats into “junior” and “prime” felt a bit contrived.
In a just lately up to date (2021) report, the AAFP/AAHA described 4 primary age-related feline life levels:
Kitten: beginning to 1 12 months
Younger grownup: 1 to six years
Mature grownup: 7 to 10 years
Senior: Older than 10 years
If you happen to’re a lumper, you in all probability love this streamlined model. I’m content material with the primary three classes and their related age ranges; nonetheless, I really feel that the senior stage must be additional divided, leading to a five-stage classification that, in my view, covers all of the bases:
Kitten: beginning to 1 12 months
Younger grownup: 1 to six years
Mature grownup: 7 to 10 years
Senior: 11 to fifteen years
Geriatric: 16 years and older
I’ve seen variations of the variations described above, however with the time period “tremendous senior” changing the time period “geriatric.” I think some individuals really feel that the phrase geriatric is just too scientific, or that it carries adverse connotations. As a veterinarian, I choose the time period geriatric, though I perceive why cat mother and father would fancy the time period tremendous senior, because it invokes awe and surprise and makes the cat sound like a superhero, which is a fairly cool idea.
Discovering the fitting care on your cat at every stage
The primary cause veterinarians divide a cat’s life into levels is to assist us formulate well being and wellness plans which are acceptable for that exact life stage. The diseases and behavioral adjustments we’re more likely to encounter, and the diagnostic assessments which are beneficial, will differ relying on these levels. Whether or not you, as a cat father or mother, choose the four-stage classification (kitten, younger grownup, mature grownup, senior), a five-stage model (kitten, younger grownup, mature grownup, senior, geriatric) or a six-stage mannequin (kitten, junior, prime, mature, senior, geriatric) is a matter of non-public choice. As a cat veterinarian who feels that each one cats die too younger, the truth that so many life stage charts acknowledge the existence of a geriatric or tremendous senior stage tells us that cats reside longer than ever earlier than, and that’s one thing we will all agree is fantastic information.
Cat to human age chart
You’ll be able to view all the 22-page AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Pointers launched in 2021 at: aaha.org/aaha-guidelines/life-stage-feline-2021/feline-life-stage-home/.