It used to be a common thought that if you wanted to convert cat years to human years, you just had to multiple the age by 7, but this theory has since been abandoned.
Compared to dogs, whose human age depends on their size and breed, calculating a cat’s age is relatively standard across all breeds of cats.
How do I calculate a cat’s age in human years?
According to the American Hospital Association (AAHA), the first year of a cat’s life can be considered the equivalent of 15 human years.
The following year adds an additional 9 years to a cat’s life in human years.
By the time your feline turns 2, she will have reached the milestone of 24 years in human years.
After the second year, each additional cat year is equal to four human years. This is because younger cats age more quickly in the first two years of their life, then the ageing process slows down and continues at a more steady pace.
If you want to work out how old your Ragdoll Cat is, check out our cat age calculator chart below
Cat Years to Human Years Chart
The Six Stages of a Cat’s Ageing Process
Kitten
Spanning from birth to 6 months, a kitten is equal to 0-10 in human years. Just like a human child, this is when your cat will be most playful as it learns about the world around it.
Junior
Between the ages of 7 months – 2 years, a cat is classed as ‘Junior’. The junior cat will increase its exploration of dominance, including challenging us humans. If a cat is not spayed or neutered by this age, it will start to show the beginnings of sexual maturity.
Adult
An adult cat is considered to be 3 – 6 years, the equivalent of 28 – 40 in human years. A common problem that can occur during this life stage is dental disease. Over 70% of adult cats have dental or gum disease that can lead to pain or loss of teeth, so it is important to get your cat’s teeth checked regularly. Feeding your cat dry cat food as part of its diet can help keep teeth clean. Other problems that can occur at this age is obesity, cystitis, heart disease and behavioural issues.
Mature
From 7 – 10 years, a cat is considered as mature; although your cat may remain playful, it is essential to be aware of signs of ageing as it is during this time that cats are likely to develop life-threatening diseases like cancer, arthritis, diabetes and heart, kidney, and liver disease. Obesity can also be a problem in mature and senior cats, and it can be difficult to tell with longhaired cats like the Ragdoll.
Senior and Geriatric
The Senior Cat years span from 11 – 14 years, 60-72 in human years. After 15, it is considered to be a geriatric cat.
With both the Senior and Geriatric life stages, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, chronic kidney disease, and overactive thyroid are all in the top 5 things that a senior cat can suffer with. A senior cat can also present with the feline equivalent of senile dementia. Being confused, meowing excessively, wandering aimlessly and appearing withdrawn are all symptoms of senile dementia, although other diseases can present in this way too.
Do Indoor and Outdoor Cats age at the same pace?
An indoor cat has less risk of exposure to infectious diseases, plus they are less likely to experience trauma such as through a road accident or catfight; therefore, their life expectancy may be prolonged compared to that of an outdoor cat.
What is the maximum age you can expect an older cat to live to?
It is estimated that the maximum age of an older cat is anywhere between 22 to 30 years. However, there have been several reported instances of cats living beyond that.
What’s the oldest cat to ever live?
The 2010 Guinness Book of World Records states that the oldest cat ever to live was Crème Puff, who died in 2005 aged 38 and 3 days, making him the equivalent of a whopping 168 in human years!