There is a popular notion that
one year of a dog's life equals seven human years. This is false because there are many factors influencing a dog's age. For
example, smaller dogs live longer (on average) than larger dogs. Veterinarians now have a more accurate way to determine
a dog's age. Go directly to a conversion table of dog years to human years from Dog Food Corner.com. You will find detailed information about the canine aging process on this page.
The aging of cats is also complicated and converting a cat's age to human years is an educated guess at best. According
to the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, your cat ages like this:
--CAT-------HUMAN
1 month-----5-6 months
2 months----9-10 months
3 months----2-3 years
4 months----5-6 years
5 months----8-9 years
6 months----14 years
7 months----15 years
8 months----16 years
1 year------18 years
2 years-----25 years
3 years-----30 years
4 years-----35 years
5 years-----38-40
years
6 years-----42-44 years
7 years-----45 years
8 years-----48 years
9 years-----55
years
10 years----60 years
11 years----62 years
12 years----65 years
13 years----68
years
14 years----72 years
15 years----74 years
16 years----76 years
17 years----78
years
18 years----80 years
Over 20: A Centenarian...
Are you uncertain about the type of veterinary care your cat needs based on
her age? The American Association of Feline Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association partnered to produce
new guidelines that promote age appropriate care for cats. The AAFP-AAHA guidelines address health,
nutrition, behavior, environment, vaccinations and parasite control issues for each of the feline life stages. The feline
life stages are:
1. Kittens: Up to six months of age
2. Juniors: Between seven months to 2 years
3: Adults:
3 to 6 years
4. Mature: 7 to 10 years
5.
Seniors: 11 and 14 years
6. Geriatric: 15 years and older
As with dogs, many factors influence a cat's aging process. Consider this quote from PetEducation.com:
There is no specific definition of a 'senior' or 'geriatric' cat. In general, cats are considered to be 'senior'
when they are 8-10 years of age. Cats over 12 years of age would probably be considered 'geriatric' by most veterinarians.
These classifications are rather arbitrary; a cat on his 8th birthday is not suddenly a 'senior.' We need to remember aging
is a gradual and lifelong process. The oldest recorded age of a cat is 34 years.
Tufts publishes Catnip, a newsletter for caring cat owners. Here you will find archived pet care topics including aging and
related illnesses, making the decision to euthanize and grieving the death of your beloved pet.
Links for veterinary health information:
Catvets.com: Feline Health and Care from the American Association of Feline Practitioners
HealthyPetU.com: A step-by-step guide for raising healthy, happy pets; with medical, wellness and breed information. Pet Health 101: The Ultimate Resource Guide. A comprehensive page of links to pet health topics. My thanks to ten year-old Emma who wanted me to share this link with
you. I'm always on the lookout for good information. Great job, Emma!
Know Your Cat's Health...
Determining your cat's health status can be a challenge because cats
are masters at masking their pain and suffering. Many of the most common diseases display few, if any, clinical signs during
the early stages. So how can you tell if your cat is at risk for disease? The Morris Animal Foundation, a non-profit research group, sponsors the Happy, Healthy Cat Campaign and developed an age/disease chart that identifies some of the most common diseases based on a cat's age. Click Is Your Cat at Risk? to view the chart.
Notify
your veterinarian if you detect any of the following in your cat:
* Changes in chewing, eating and drinking habits.
* Drastic weight gain or loss (more than one pound a month.)
*
Withdraws from social interaction and avoids touching.
* Changes in activity
level, including sleeping more or hyperactivity.
* Increased vocalization.
* Increased urination, struggles to urinate (an emergency situation), or bypassing the litter box.
* Changes in bowel habits: constipation (straining to go), diarrhea (soft or
liquid stool), visible blood.
* Grooms less or grooms certain areas excessively.
NOTE: A sudden change in your cat's diet can result in diarrhea.
When it comes to
your cat's health, timing is everything. Start by paying close attention to your cat's attitudes and actions. With advances
in veterinary medicine, many diseases are treated or managed easily if they are caught early. By scheduling regular
veterinarian exams for your pet, and identifying subtle changes in your cat's behavior and eating habits, you can become
a health advocate for your cat.
Reference:
Catnip Magazine. Cummins School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Know Your Cat's Health by
Arden Moore, Editor. June 2010, Vol. 18, No. 6, pg. 2.
Feline Health Care Tip:
Weigh your cat monthly. Two extra pounds on an adult cat is like a 10 - 20 pound weight
gain on a person. As with humans, obesity in cats leads to multiple health problems including diabetes, heart disease, joint
degeneration and arthritis. Caution: Rapid weight loss in an obese cat can lead to liver failure.
Any weight reduction must be done slowly. Please consult your veterinarian before placing your pet on a diet. Click here to learn more about safe feline weight loss techniques, or here for reliable canine weight loss guidelines.
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