Cats usually live longer than most dogs and it is no longer unusual for them to live until 20 or beyond. How long an individual cat will live depends on many factors such as genetics, whether kept indoors or not, type of diet and of course the veterinary care he or she receives.

The rule of thumb is that at about age 7, a cat is considered to be middle-aged. Cats aged 8 to 14 are senior, and cats aged 15 and older are geriatric.

    CAT'S AGE                                                 HUMAN AGE EQUIVALENT   

        6 months............................................................................ 10 years

        8 months ........................................................................... 13 years

        10 months .......................................................................... 14 years

         1 year  .............................................................................. 15 years

        18 months .......................................................................... 20 years

         2 years  ............................................................................ 24 years

         4 years ............................................................................. 32 years

         6 years ............................................................................. 40 years

         7 years ..............................................................................44 years

         8 years ..............................................................................48 years

        10 years ..............................................................................56 years

        14 years ..............................................................................72 years    

        16 years ..............................................................................80 years

        18 years ..............................................................................88 years

        20 years ..............................................................................96 years

        21 years ............................................................................100 years

As you can see, a seven year old cat is well into his 'forties'. And since one year for a cat is equivalent to about four human years, many changes can take place in what for us, is a fairly short period of time. That is why the American Veterinary Medical Association as well as the American Animal Hospital Association and AAFP now recommend twice yearly physical exams  on all cats who are 7 years old or above, plus appropriate blood work for senior or geriatric cats.

Riverside Cat Hospital recommends a physical exam every 6 months for all of our patients, as well as annual screening bloodwork to check for early signs of kidney disease, thyroid disease, diabetes, and other common senior cat ailments for cats aged 10-13 years or older.  With this program, many health problems which are not readily detected in other ways can be caught early on and appropriate steps taken to ensure continued well-being and a longer life for your cat.  Ask the doctor if your cat would benefit from a Senior Cat Work-Up at your next appointment!