According to many sources, the average lifespan of cats is 14 years. But this figure is very conditional, since some cats do not live longer than 7-8 years, while others live up to 20-25 years or even older. For example, the oldest cat in the world is currently 38 years old. Life expectancy depends on various factors – lifestyle (pet or stray), nutrition, care, etc. One of the important factors is the breed of the animal, but there is currently not much scientific data regarding the average life expectancy of certain breeds. Therefore, in a recent study, scientists found out which popular breeds live the longest and which ones live very short.
Scientists have found out which cats live longer than others
What determines the life expectancy of cats< /h2>
Many pet owners and even scientists consider cats to be the best creations of evolution. This may be true, but in terms of average life expectancy they are not far behind dogs. For example, a recent study in which scientists analyzed data from 8,000 UK cats that died between 2019 and 2021 found that cats live an average of 11.7 years. The authors of the work reported this in the journal Feline Medicine and Surgery.
As it turned out, pedigreed, purebred cats live about 1.5 years less than crossbred cats. But in addition to the breed, one of the important factors in life expectancy was the sex of the animal. Female cats live on average 1.3 years longer than male cats. Sterilization or castration also prolongs the life of animals – in this case, life expectancy increases by 1.1 years.
The lifespan of cats depends on the conditions in which they live
In addition, as scientists report, this indicator is influenced by other factors, for example, nutrition, how often the cat goes out for walks, etc. True, it is difficult to say exactly how these factors influence, since veterinary clinics do not record how often this or that animal goes for a walk.
The longest-living cats
According to researchers, the highest life expectancy was found in Burmese cats (Burma, not to be confused with the Burmese, or Burmese cat) – on average, animals of this breed live 14.4 years. Burmese cats are semi-longhaired color-point cats. According to one legend, the breed originated in Burma, hence the name. The cat is recognizable due to its characteristic color, which is called the Burmese color.
Burmese cats live longer than other breeds. Photo source: ethnomir.ru
It must be said that the high life expectancy of Burmese cats has been known for a long time. For example, the Burmese cat Lady Catalina was included in the Book of Records because she lived for 35 years. But this is not the oldest age. The world record was set by a mongrel cat from Great Britain, Lucy, who died in 2015 at the age of 43. It is believed that by human standards she lived 175 years.
Which cats live shorter than others
According to the results of the study, Sphynx cats live the shortest. Their average life expectancy in Britain is just 6.7 years. This may be due to their genetic predisposition to various diseases, including heart disease, as a result of which they die early.
Sphynxes are one of the few hairless breeds. When breeding it, a natural recessive mutation was used, which led to the absence of hair. The breed was developed about 50 years ago, quite a long time ago compared to other hairless breeds such as the Don Sphynx and Peterbald. Obviously, a decrease in the animal's life expectancy was the price to pay for getting rid of fur.
The average life expectancy of a Sphynx is 6.7 years. Photo source: purina.ru
This study can help people with choosing a breed, since many cat lovers usually think about how many years their future pet will live. In addition, according to the researchers, after the study results were published, many cat owners began to think that “time is very short.” That is, animals need to pay more attention in order to create the best conditions possible, and thus prolong life.
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Finally, let us remind you that life expectancy depends on the breed not only of cats, but also of dogs. We have previously told you which dogs turned out to be the longest-living, and which ones live shorter than others. You can learn more about this by following the link.