How long do cats live?

The best recent numbers come from a 2024 study by the Royal Veterinary College, which followed the records of 7,936 cats seen by vets across the UK. It found:

• Cats overall: an average life expectancy of 11.7 years from birth.
• Female cats: 12.5 years, about 1.3 years longer than males (11.2 years).
• Mixed-breed cats lived longer, on average, than purebred cats.
• Neutered cats, and cats at a healthy body weight, were less likely to die young.

An average is pulled down by the cats that die young. A cat who reaches adulthood healthy has a good chance of living well into her teens, which is why vets usually quote a typical range of 12 to 18 years. The oldest cat on record, Creme Puff, lived to 38.

Generally, yes. Outdoor cats face traffic, fights, predators, poisons, and more infectious disease, and many of the cats that die young are lost to accidents. Keeping a cat indoors, or giving her a safe enclosed outdoor space like a catio, removes most of those risks.

Indoor life has its own risk: weight gain. Indoor cats tend to be less active, and the 2024 study found that cats at an unhealthy weight had shorter lives. Daily play and measured meals help. Our cat calorie calculator shows how much to feed.

• Spay or neuter. Neutered cats roam and fight less, and the study linked being unneutered with a shorter life.
• Keep her at a healthy weight. Ask your vet what she should weigh, and feed for that weight.
• Keep her safe from traffic with an indoor life or a secure outdoor space.
• See the vet every year, and every 6 months once she is a senior. Kidney disease, thyroid problems, and dental disease are common in older cats and easier to manage when caught early.
• Keep up with vaccines and parasite control, and know which plants and foods are dangerous for cats.
• Watch for small changes: drinking more, weight loss, hiding, or changes in the litter box are often the first signs of illness in cats.

The 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines split a cat's life into four stages:

• Kitten: birth to 1 year.
• Young adult: 1 to 6 years.
• Mature adult: 7 to 10 years.
• Senior: over 10 years.

A 15-year-old cat is about 76 in human years on International Cat Care's chart, and a 20-year-old is about 96. Our cat age calculator converts any age and shows which stage your cat is in.