How many years do cats live: longevity factors, living conditions, proper nutrition
Perhaps there is no person who would not love such wonderful animals as cats. From the first days they become family members. Although, most often, they feel just the masters in the house. Maybe the cat is interested in longevity, but this is unknown. And a person, having got used to a pet, never wants to part with him.
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Longevity Factors in Cats
It is believed that this animal has 9 lives. This opinion was formed on the basis of the fact that a cat that fell from the 5th floor will not break. An animal that has been in an accident can also remain alive. How long do cats live? One year of her life is equivalent to 7 years of human life. On average, cats live up to 20 years. Although, they can live much longerif they are taken care of properly and regularly.
The life expectancy of a cat is affected by factors such as:
- living conditions of the animal
- proper and balanced nutrition,
- cat breed,
- genetic predisposition to certain diseases,
- presence of stressful situations.
Living Conditions
Life expectancy is primarily affected by the environment. Animals that live in an apartment and rarely go outside can live much longer than their street counterparts. The short life of yard cats is due to factors such as:
- dog attack;
- car accident;
- infection with various infections from other animals;
- poor nutrition, poisoning;
- human threat.
On average, yard cats live 5-8 years.
Domestic cats live up to 20 years. The main factor in their longevity is favorable living conditions, proper care and care of the owners, as well as the absence of the lifestyle that street cats lead. Homemade animals live without stress, because they are sure that they will not be poisoned, they will not be attacked, that they are completely safe at home.
Cats feel very well how they are treated, so it is necessary to love her and create comfortable conditions for her to live.
Proper and balanced nutrition
Cats need to be fed a nutritious and balanced diet. Do not feed animals only with special feeds, you need to give them regular food. The food will be different from the food that the owner of the pet eats. For a full-fledged life of a pet, you need to know certain rules of nutrition.
It is known that cheap dry food is addictive and provokes the development of various diseases. Milk can cause indigestion in cats, as an adult the cat’s body is not able to process lactosewhich is found in milk. Milk can only be fed to kittens. If the animal does not want to eat dairy products, then you should not insist on it.
The meat should be lean, it can be either raw or boiled. Meat can be moistened in a small amount of vegetable oil or mixed with boiled vegetables. Need as much as possible rarely feed cats sausage and purchased minced meat, as these products adversely affect the liver of animals.
Obesity is often found, which can cause diseases such as: diabetes, constipation, stroke, oncology. If the cat’s ribs cannot be felt, then it must be fed on a special diet so that it loses weight faster.
The effect of cat breed on life expectancy
It is believed that the life expectancy of a cat depends on the breed. This is a rather controversial statement, since in addition to the breed there are many other, more significant factors. Nevertheless, it is believed that British and Siamese cats live up to 15 years, Persian – up to 17 years.
How long do British cats live? This is not known for certain, since many factors affect life expectancy. The British breed was bred in Great Britain in the 19th century. A distinctive feature of this particular breed is that animals have stable immunity and therefore rarely get sick with various diseases. The life expectancy of such cats is affected by the excessive care of the owners and overfeeding with rich products and sweets. It is also necessary that the pet has the opportunity to run and jump around the house. For health, the British cat needs constant movement.
How long do Siamese cats live. Siamese live from 12 to 18 years. There are cases when they lived to 20 and 30 years, but this is very rare for this breed. Such the breed is considered the healthiest among all other breeds. In addition, do not forget about special vaccinations and frequent veterinary examinations.
The longest-lived cats are recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. British Lucy lived for 41 years and still lives. The oldest cat comes from the USA, lived 38 years. According to statistics, cats live the longest in the UK.
Life Extension Methods
Methods for extending the life of cats include actions such as:
- regular veterinary check-ups, vaccinations,
- animal exercise,
- maintaining oral hygiene,
- regular prevention of worms and fleas,
- it is necessary to surround the cat with care and attention.
Cats are known to live longer than cats. This is due to the fact that the cat’s body wears out faster due to childbirth.