How to tell a cats age

Around the age of 6 or 7 a cats eye lenses become denser not unlike what happens to humans around age 40. Maybe size or how many to estimate the age.

If you have just gotten a new cat and are curious about your cats age there are a few ways to tell.

How to tell a cats age. How do you tell the age of a cat. The best way to tell a cats age is to observe its behavior. Older and very young cats need to sleep a lot more.

Cats that are in their prime need the least amount of sleep. Young cats have loads of energy and love to play. Older cats might just head to their sleeping space.

Many cats do reach this stage some not showing any signs of being so senior in age The table below shows all of the stages and also the equivalent human age. What these stages let us do is to appreciate how old the cat is inside since as has been pointed out this is often not very obvious from the outside as cats seldom go grey or show outward signs of pain. Beyond teeth vets may also look to your cats eyes to help determine age.

Around the age of 6 or 7 a cats eye lenses become denser not unlike what happens to humans around age 40. If you look with an ophthalmoscope you can see a bit of cloudiness around this age Dr. As cats age changes in their muscle tone and fur occur.

A cat is considered a senior between 8 and 10 years of age. An indoor cat will age approximately 4 human years for every one cat year and an outdoor cat will age approximately 8 human years for every one cat year. The best way to tell the age of a cat is by looking at the pussys teeth.

This is considered the most reliable method to estimating a cats age. To look at the teeth you have to lift up the pussys lips gently. Young cats have 26 temporary teeth which are like the milk teeth in humans.

They will have 14 teeth in the upper jaw and 12 below. Regardless of the cat breed teeth is the best indicator for determining a cats age. Kittens receive their incisors at 2 to 4 weeks old.

Their canines come in when they are 3 to 4 weeks old and their premolars come in when they are 4 to 6 weeks old. By 8 weeks kittens should have all of their baby teeth. At the end of the day cats age much more quickly during their early years than most people think by the age of two your cat is 24 years old in human years.

Luckily after the age of two its pretty simple to calculate your cats age in human years you simply have to add four for every additional year. The vet can kinda go by the teeth. Maybe size or how many to estimate the age.

You cant go by how a cat acts for age because each has his own personality. I adopted a red tabby kitten 45 months old from the shelter and he acted more like an adult cat - very laid back. A cat becomes sexually mature around 6 months depending on the breed.

By that formula a kitten is 35 years which shoots holes into that 7-year theory. Instead youll find its quite variable. For one thing its essential to consider your cats age in months when its under 1.

Your cats fur can help you determine the age of your cat. The coat of an older cat may be thinner than that of a younger cat. Remember cats also get thicker coats in winter.

If your cat is losing fur it could be a condition as well and you might want to see a veterinarian. Between 3 and 6 months. From the age of three months the cat begins to show definitive teeth that is much brighter and whiter.

Between 6 months and 1 year of age. At this stage the cat still shows typical kitten behaviors but their body begins to reach their adult size. A cat reaches the approximate human age of 15 during its first year then 24 at age 2.

Each year after it ages approximately four cat years for every calendar year. This means that a 5-year-old feline would be approximately 36 in cat years. This chart from The Cat Owners Manual will help you calculate your cats age.

Here are seven clues to look at to help determine your cats age. Until about 5 months old a cats age can be estimated by his or her weight. Checking the teeth is the best method of determining the age of a cat however it isnt foolproof.

If the cat has received excellent dental maintenance such as regular teeth brushing then he will have better teeth than the cat who has solely lived on a canned food diet with no dental care. Knowing your cats age can help you provide him with the care that he needs as he progresses through his life. Your vet will know to watch for certain illnesses and conditions that can emerge at particular ages and youll be able to adjust your cats diet from kitten food to food for adult cats at the right time.

But sometimes you might not know your cats birth date or you. One of the best ways to determine your cats age is by checking their teeth. Their baby teeth emerge between 2 to 4 weeks and their permanent teeth begin to develop above the baby teeth when the cat is between 3 to 4 months old.

Like humans and dogs older cats can also develop cataracts. If a cat has cloudy eyes with jagged irises it is likely the cat is over 10 years old. An obvious characteristic that can determine a cats age is how active they are.

Kittens and young cats are much more playful and active than their cat elders. Often when you adopt a cat or find a stray you wont be exactly sure how old the cat is. If you have just gotten a new cat and are curious about your cats age there are a few ways to tell.

While your veterinarian will be able to provide a closer guess these are the clues to look for when trying to tell a cats approximate ageTeeth on.