Cats age much faster than humans have thought.  Cats go through different life stages. They act differently in every life stage. It is important for humans to know what their cats are going through in each stage.

How to Figure Out A Cats Age

When keeping or adopting a cat, it is important to know more about it, such as its age. Here are some guidelines for finding out a cat’s age; however it can differ depending on many factors and circumstances.

a cat is staring at the camera

Teeth

White teeth indicate that the cat is young. Probably 1 year old or less. Less white to stained teeth means that the cat is older. Most definitely around 1-2 years old. The formation of tarter or the teeth of the cats is an indicator of the cat being between the age of 3-5 years old. Although, it is still significant to remember that not all cats are prone to tartar formation.

An older can still have cleaner teeth as they might have had dental care previously. Moreover, some diets promote and prevent tartar buildup. Missing teeth could signify that it is a senior cat while also being a sign of previous health issues and dental surgery.

Coat

Even though different breeds of cats have different kinds of fur thickness, older cats generally have thicker hair, along with specific patches of white or grey color. If your cat’s coat is breathtakingly luscious, capture it in mesmerizing renaissance pet portraits.

Muscle Tone

Younger cats can easily be identified in terms of muscle tone as they are much more muscular, whereas older cats are the opposite. Older cats have extra skin and are bonier. Older cats’ shoulder bones will be pushed more outwards as they grow older.

Eyes

You can know the age of your cat depending on its eyes and their details however it may vary depending on breed and health issues, but younger cats have much brighter and clearer eyes. As cats age, their eyes will seem sharper.

Senior cats usually have eye cloudiness, but it is important to keep in mind that it is also a possibility of health issues and not just a sign of the cat’s age. In addition to that, if you have a kitten and its eyes are watery often and there is eye cloudiness, you must visit the vet for a check-up of the kitten as any usual problems with the eye can be dangerous and discomforting for the kitten. Therefore it should be treated immediately.

Cats Age in Human Years

The first year of your cat’s life is supposedly equal to 15 human years. In the second year, 9 more human years are added. Meaning that 2 cat years are approximately 24 human years. After this, every human year is somewhere around 4 cat years.

Life Stages of a Cat

There are around 4 age-related life stages of a cat. However, many have extended the number of life stages by specifying other ages of cats that haven’t been considered in the 4 life stages of a cat. 

A cat is staring away from the camera while sitting on a bed

Birth to Six Months

The first six months off a cat are very interesting experiences. They get to learn about the world while they are physically and mentally developing. They are excited or surprised by every new thing that they may come in contact with, bringing more memories into the kitten’s life. These interactions play an important role in the development of the social skills of the kitten in the first few weeks.

In a few months, it will leave its mother and begin to be independent with still quite a bit to learn. It may even do things that it should not, but it is very common for cats of that age to do so. It is also around the age when cats usually get vaccinated, spayed, or neutered.

Six Months to Three Years

A six-month-old kitten is already comparable to a double-digit-aged human, and the kitten will begin to test its boundaries as it grows. By the time the cat is a year old, it will be much more mature and be around an adult in human years, with adult-like habits and behaviors. This is around the time you might want to get some blood work done from your kitten as you will begin to understand and know about its normal values.

Three to Six Years

A 3 to a 6-year-old cat is an adult but not a senior cat. These years are mostly about health issues and not about causing trouble and being chaotic. These cats are also called by the name of prime cats and will need regular checks ups as mentioned above. They tend to have health issues at this age.

Seven to Ten Years

Seven to ten-year-old cats are the more mature cats. Gets may even refer to them as senior cats. However, they are not completely seniors yet. It is important to provide your cat with nutrition at this age. Always check every now and then if your cat has developed any health-related diseases, such as kidney diseases, heart diseases, etc.

Eleven to Fourteen Years

When your cat reaches the age of eleven to fourteen years old, it is when they are finally senior cats. At this age, joint issues are common for your cat to face, and organ functionality may even decrease, which is obviously common considering their age. Especially when compared to human years.

Fifteen to Twenty Years

Fifteen to twenty-year-old cats should visit the vet once every six months as they will have lots of health issues considering their human age compared to cat age. They might even begin to be on medications and certain types of food.

Final Verdict

In conclusion, the human age is much different from the feline age. And in each age-related life stage if a cat acts differently and need to be treated differently.