How to know the age of a cat? Know what to look out for!
One of the most common doubts among cat owners, especially those who adopt pets with little information about their origins, is how to know a cat’s age. On the internet, you can find different tips on the subject, however, they are information that can be confusing.
With that in mind, we’ve created this special article to explain how you can identify the age of a cat, whether it’s a kitten, adult or elderly. Continue reading and find out!
Is it possible to know the age of the cat?
As with humans and most animals, the organism of cats is gradually transformed and presents characteristics that differentiate the age of the kitten, the adult and the elderly.
Therefore, to identify the age of a cat, it is necessary to make some physical observations of the animal. It is these characteristics that help identify the possible age range of the pet and estimate its approximate age.
How to know the age of the kitten cat?
In the kitten, some physical aspects such as the umbilical stump, open or closed eyes and change in eye color help to identify age. Check out, below, the physical characteristics at different stages of the puppy:
- Day 1 — Eyes closed, ears folded back, and inability to stand.
- 6 days – eyes are already starting to open and ears are already positioned for the final appearance. They are not walking yet, but they are already crawling.
- 10 to 15 days – eyes wide open, front teeth start to show and they start to walk, but still uncoordinated and unsteady.
- 3 weeks – react to auditory stimuli, start to walk better and can use the litter box.
- 4 to 6 weeks – beginning of the growth phase of the canine and molar teeth, being able to ingest solid food.
- 6 weeks — eye color begins to change to permanent color.
- 4 months — all baby teeth are formed and visible, with the exception of molars.
- 4 to 6 months — change from milk teeth to permanent ones.
- 7 months — complete permanent dentition.
How to know the age of the adult cat?
From one year onwards, the cat reaches adulthood when growth stops happening. It is important to point out that some breeds can grow up to 4 years old , so it is important to evaluate the characteristics and particularities of your pet with a veterinarian.
When it reaches a year, the kitten has white, healthy and clean teeth. Teething is one of the most observed features to assess the age of the adult cat:
- 1 year – complete, white, clean and healthy dentition;
- 1 and 2 years – the beginning of the appearance of tartar on the back teeth, which become yellow and slightly opaque.
- 3 to 5 years – tartar present on all teeth and possible wear on the dentition.
- 5 to 10 years — tooth decay and wear and gum discoloration.
How to know the age of the elderly cat?
The elderly cat has a very characteristic behavior: quieter, it plays little, despite maintaining its main personality traits and body language . Physically, the coat becomes duller, with changes in color.
The teeth of a cat over 10 years old are worn down. If he hasn’t had cleanings in his life, he will have a lot of tartar and probably tooth loss.
When compared to a human, how old is a cat?
Different from what many people believe, the average age of a cat cannot be calculated using the traditional rule of 7, considering that 7 years of the adult is equal to 1 year of the cat. There is no definitive scientific research on this subject, however, many experts follow the equivalence:
- one-month-old cat = six-month-old human baby.
- cat aged two to three months = child aged 2 to 5 years.
- four-month-old cat = 6- to 8-year-old child.
- six-month-old cat = 10-year-old child.
- seven month old cat = 12 year old child.
- twelve month old cat = 15 to 16 year old teenager.
- 18 month old cat = 20 to 21 year old adult
- 2 year old cat = 24 year old adult.
- 3 year old cat = 28 year old adult.
- 4 year old cat = 32 year old adult.
- 5 year old cat = 36 year old adult.
- 6 year old cat = 40 year old adult.
- 7 year old cat = 44 year old adult.
- 8 year old cat = 48 year old adult.
- 9 year old cat = 52 year old adult.
- 10 year old cat = 56 year old adult.
- 11 year old cat = 60 year old adult.
- 12 year old cat = 64 year old adult.
- 13 year old cat = 68 year old adult.
- 14 year old cat = 72 year old adult.
- 15 year old cat = 76 year old adult.
Now that you’ve discovered how to know a cat’s age, remember that, regardless of age, good nutrition , up-to-date vaccinations and periodic visits to the vet will help maintain the quality of life and prolong the health of your pet. .