How Long Do Cats Live? Know More About Your Little One
If you own a cat at some point, a question may have crossed your mind; how long do cats live? Well, this is a common thing as these little furballs are like a companion for people.
While it’s common for various cat breeds to live for a period of at least 15 years, there are some cat breeds that live for even longer. Some cats stand out of the most and are long-living companions.
In the article below, we will talk about some cat breeds which live longer than the others. However, the life expectancy of your little companion depends on nurture and nature.
Siamese
The Siamese cat breeds originally belong to Thailand. This cat breed is a fascinatingly beautiful breed that has been fascinating people for centuries.
The Siamese is known among pet lovers for its distinctive markings and lanky stature. These cat breeds are also one of the most vocal and social in nature which is something that your friends are going to love when visiting. The siamese don’t have any significant health problems in general, although some may have dental and respiratory problems.
If you take good care f this little cutie-pie, its average lifespan can be between 12 years to 20 years. It depends on the nurture and cares you provide your little one.
Common characteristics of the Siamese:
| Height | 8 – 10 inches |
| Weight | 8 – 10 pounds |
| Physical Characteristics | Almond shape eyes, sleek body, wedge-shape head. |
Burmese Cat
The Burmese are cute small cross cat breeds that are a mix of two cats. This little furball is a crossbreed of a small brown cat originating from Burma and a Siamese cat.
The Burmese cats are very joyful, playful, adventurous, and social felines. These little ones can be the perfect companion for both kids and adults and will be admired by your friends. The good thing about the Burmese cat is that they are generally healthy and don’t have any major health issues. However, in some cases, they can have a predisposition towards cranial deformities. They can also have glaucoma in some cases.
Although the Burmese have some health concerns, if you provide them with some good care and nurture, they can live for 16 to 18 years.
Common characteristics of the Burmese cat:
| Height | 10 – 12 inches |
| Weight | 6 – 10 pounds |
| Physical Characteristics | Golden, round eyes with a muscular, compact body |
Savannah Cat
The savannah cat is one of the most popular cat breeds among cat lovers. This cat is a mix of two cat breeds, which include African serval and a domestic cat. The only thing to know about the savannah cat is that it is not a breed for beginners. It is recommended only for experienced pet owners.
Despite not being an entirely domestic breed, the savannah cat is friendly with the people. However, the savannahs have active, bold, and unpredictable temperates, and thus you need experience. Sometimes they can get aggressive, and therefore, you must have experience in handling pets.
The hybrid savannah cats don’t have any significant health issues in general and are healthy. Their average lifespan is 12 to 20 years, depending on the care and nurtures you provide it.
Common characteristics of savannah:
| Height | 12 – 14 inches |
| Weight | 20 – 30 pounds |
| Physical Characteristics | The lean and tall body; golden coat skin with bars and spots; erect ears. |
Egyptian Mau
The name Egyptian Mau for this cat breed comes to form its presence in the various ancient Egyptian arts. This is a beautiful cat with a spotted coat. The spotted coat is the characteristic of this breed.
One thing which makes the Egyptian Mau stand out from the rest is that it is a very social and friendly breed. It quickly and comfortably adjusts with the people and makes themselves part of the family and wants to be treated as such.
The Egyptian Mau is prone to heart disease but if you provide it with good nurture and care it’s not common. This breeds life span is 13 – 15 years on average.
Common characteristics of Egyptian Mau are:
| Height | 8 – 10 inches |
| Weight | 7 – 9 pounds |
| Physical Characterstics | muscular, long body; large ears; green eyes. |
Ragdoll Cat
The gentle and easygoing ragdoll cats typically love the humans and people around them. They just want to follow their human companions everywhere they go. The ragdoll cat is also notorious for being limp while relaxing or when you hold it.
The good thing about the ragdoll is that it is generally healthy without any significant health issues. However, in some cases, they may have heart disease and bladder stones.
If, after reading this, the question of how long do cats live comes to your mind, then the answer is nearly 15 years. Although the life expectancy of the ragdoll depends on the nurture and care you provide it.
Common characteristics of ragdoll cat are:
| Height | 9 – 11 inches |
| Weight | 8 – 20 pounds |
| Physical Characterstics | Semi-long hair coast; blue eyes. |
Balinese Cat
The long hair Balinese origin is a result of spontaneous mutation in the siamese. There is also not much difference between the two cat breeds, and the only difference you will see is that of coat. The Balinese coat is lengthy in comparison to the siamese.
Like the Siamese, the Balinese cats are also friendly to people, chatty, and energetic towards people. They easily adjust and mingle with the people around them. The fantastic thing about this cat, which makes it a good option for families with kids, is that it wants to be part of all activities.
The average lifespan of the Balinese is around 12 – 20 years depending on the care and nurture it gets.
Common characteristics of Balinese cat are:
| Height | 6 – 7 inches |
| Weight | 8 – 12 pounds |
| Physical Charcaterstics | Slender body with a wedge shape head and blue eyes. |
Russian Blue Cat
The Russian blue cat is a rather reserved and quiet type of cat breeds. This cat tends to be affectionate towards its family, but it’s not clingy. In general, you can find the Russian blue cat resting in a sunny spot or surveying the territory from a high pint. For surveying, it chooses the most elevated point available.
The Russian blue is generally a healthy cat breed, but it is prone to eye problems and bladder stones. Thus you need to look out for these if you plan to have a Russian blue for yourself. The average life expectancy of the Russian blue is 15 – 2- years depending on the car and nurture.
Common characteristics of Russian blue cat are:
| Height | 8 – 10 inches |
| weight | 8 – 12 pounds |
| Physical Characteristics | Green eyes with a gray-blue coat; wedge shape head. |
Bombay Cat
The Bombay cat was specifically bred for looking like a mini panther, and the Bombay don’t disappoint. This is a beautiful black cat that indeed looks like a miniature panther.
The Bombay cats, in general, is affectionate and easygoing with the people around them. These cats love to play with people and love resting in the laps of their favorite person. This easy-going and friendly cat is the perfect pet for families with kids.
However, this cat is prone to diseases like excess tearing, heart, and respiratory problems as t have a short muzzle. The average lifespan of the Bombay cat is around 12 – 16 years.
Common characteristics of Bombay are:
| Height | 8 – 10 inches |
| Weight | 8 – 15 pounds |
| Physical Characterstics | Roundhead; muscular body; shiny black coat. |
American Shorthair
The American shorthair is a pedigreed variant of the domestic shorthair cat breeds. This breed is a perfect choice for families with children as it has easygoing temperate, and very playful.
The good thing about American shorthair is that they don’t demand much attention and are good at entertaining. However, these cats love to socialize and play interactively. What makes this cat even a fantastic option is that they don’t have any significant health issues and are generally healhty. However, they are prone to heart problems, but it is not shared.
If the cats get proper nurture and care, the average life expectancy for them is 15 – 20 years.
Common characteristics of American shorthair are:
| Height | 8 – 10 inches |
| Weight | 10 – 15 pounds |
| Physical Characterstics | Dense, short coat; athletic body build. |
Sphynx Cat
The sphynx is a good cat breed to own, but they need high care and maintenance. They are hairless and this means they need to be taken care of, especially during the winters, to keep warm.
The sphynx cat also needs regular baths to remove the presence of excess oil on the skin. This breed is also prone to some health problems like skin conditions, neurological issues, and heart problems.
Now you may be thinking that how long do cats live in such conditions? Well, the answer is that the average life expectancy of this cat is around 10 – 15 years. This is if proper care and nurture are provided to it.
Common characteristics of sphynx cat are:
| Height | 8 – 10 inches |
| Weight | 10 – 12 pounds |
| Physical Characteristics | lean body; wrinkles on the head; hairless |
These are some most long-living cat breeds you can own. The good thing about these breeds is that most of them are friendy and not prone to any significant health issues.
Cat Breeds To Avoid
If the question of how long do cats live is an aspect for you when getting a cat, then you should avoid some breeds. The following breeds are some of the short lifespan breeds:
Manx
These cats’ life expectancy is only around 8 to 115 years, making them an unfavorable option.
Singapura
This cat breeds life expectancy is around 9 to 15 years, making it not a good option as a long companion.
Munchkin
The munchkin is another cat with a short life expectancy. They only have a life expectancy of around 12 to 14 years.
One thing to remember, whichever breed you get for yourself, is that lifespan depends on the owner. The indoor cats which the owners allow outside live for a short period in comparison to others. The nurture and care of a cat also play a vital role in life expectancy. Cats that are allowed outside and are not taken good care of have an average life expectancy of only 2 – 5 years.
Final Words
There are various cat breeds that you can get for your home. But if the question of how long do a cat lives is an aspect then getting long-living cat breeds can be the best option for you.
There are various cat breeds that live longer than the others comparatively. However, the life expectancy of a cat is more dependent on the care and nurture an owner provides it.
