A 21-Year-Old Cat Shares Her Bed with a 3-Month-Old Kitten, Jennifer Copley
According to estimates provided by various Humane Societies and RSPCAs, unless they suffer accidents or illnesses, most cats will live between 12 and 20 years. Many indoor cats reach their late teens or even early twenties, whereas outdoor cats are more likely to die before 15 years of age.
The longest-lived cat breeds include the Siamese and the Manx, many of which have lifespans of more than 20 years.
World record holders that have lived beyond 30 years have included a variety of breeds. Creme Puff, who made it to 38 years of age, was the oldest verified cat, though there are unconfirmed reports of even older cats.
Cat longevity can be increased by:
- Keeping cats indoors
- Providing a high-quality, high-protein diet
- Providing regular veterinary check-ups and vaccinations
How old is your cat in people years? Contrary to popular belief, one people year does not equal seven cat years. Click here for a conversion of people years to cat years.
For more cat facts, visit the Cat Facts and Statistics Page.
The Oldest Living Cat
2018 Update: The Oldest Living Cat title (Guinness Book of World Records) is currently held by Nutmeg, a UK tabby who was 31 years of age in 2016. Nutmeg inherited the title from Scooter, a 30-year-old Siamese from Texas who died that same year.
Although there is no official record of her birth, many people assert that they can recall seeing Lucy around the fish and chip shop of her prior owner, Maria Lewis, in the early 1970s. When Maria died, the cat went to her goddaughter’s family where she has lived ever since.
Bill Thomas, Lucy’s current owner, says that she was born in 1972, making her 39 years old in 2011.
Lucy, a gray tabby, is deaf but otherwise in good health and still independent. Thomas says that she is great with the grandkids (The Daily Mail, 5 January 2011).
For more cat articles, see the main Cats page. For dog articles, see the main Dogs page.