Cats mature gracefully. Although it’s easy to tell a kitten from an adult cat, it can be difficult to tell how old a cat is once it reaches adulthood. for the most part, an adult cat looks a lot like a senior cat. which makes determining their age even more difficult, most cats are adults between 9 and 12 months of age. If you are wondering how to tell the age of a cat, you should know these five infallible ways to determine the age of your cat.
first, an introduction to the ages of cats
Before we dive into how to tell a cat’s age, let’s first review the stages of cat age. six stages comprise the life of a cat. from 0 to 6 months, they are kittens. Kittens are small, adorable, and always exploring so they can learn more about their surroundings. from 7-24 months, cats enter the juvenile stage. youth are becoming more independent and preparing to transition into their prime years.
after two years, a cat is in its prime. this time is when your cat will be most alert and skillful. they will be in this phase until they reach the seven year mark. at seven years old, your cat will be mature. after ten years, they will be older. finally, after fifteen years, they will be geriatric.
So when you’re looking up how to tell how old a cat is, what you’re really trying to do is figure out which of these age buckets they’re in. It’s hard to tell the difference between a seven-month-old cat and an eight-month-old, but as we’ll see, it’s relatively easy to tell if your cat is in her third year or older cat’s age.
how to tell a cat’s age: look at its teeth
teeth are a great indicator of a cat’s age. First of all, a cat doesn’t get all its teeth until it’s about six months old, so if you look inside its mouth and it’s missing any teeth, you know you have a kitten. Second, if you have an adult cat with all its teeth, you can sometimes tell the feline’s age by looking at the spots. as they eat more, their teeth become more stained. therefore, if you see pearly whites, you have a younger cat. if you see older teeth, there’s a chance you’re looking at an older feline.
Of course, this method is only an approximation, but it can at least help you get an idea of how old the cat might be.
the softness of his fur
A kitten’s coat is soft, silky, and smooth. it is immaculate and flawless. however, as with human hair, as the cat ages, the coat becomes less soft. they can even develop patches of gray or white fur (just like humans on their heads!).
Often a vet, who has seen thousands of cats and stroked many fur coats, can often have a pretty good idea of how to tell a cat’s age just by stroking it.
appearance of cloudy eyes or discharge
Cats tend to have relatively bright, sharp eyes for most of their lives. only in the age of older cats (at ten years) will they begin to develop eye problems. therefore, if your cat has cloudy eyes or any eye discharge, it’s a reliable indicator that you have a senior or geriatric cat.
mobility and activity levels
Older cats love to sleep, while kittens love to play. while some older cats are agile and active, generally speaking, the more mature the cat, the more sedentary it will be.
Senior cats and kittens need about the same amount of sleep each day: 20 hours. adult cats, on the other hand, need to rest between 12 and 15 hours a day. again, much of this depends on the cat, but if you take a few days to gauge how much your cat is sleeping, you should have a rough idea of whether she is an adult or senior cat.
use a cat age chart
There are many cat age charts online that provide photos of cats at each of these stages of aging. if you find one, you can use it as a reference. look at your cat and compare it with the ones you see. you may find that it resembles young cats, or looks older like older cats.
regardless of where your cat is, a cat age chart is one method of finding out how old a cat is!
how to tell the age of a cat: possible, but complicated
As we’ve seen, it’s possible to get a rough estimate of your cat’s age by looking at a few characteristics. if he has a lot of energy, appears smaller, has a soft coat, and doesn’t have all his teeth, you’re looking at a kitty. if he still has lots of energy, soft hair, but has all his teeth, you’re probably looking at a cat in his prime. finally, if you’re looking at a cat that has eye discharge, has a duller coat, and has less energy, you probably have an older cat.
if in doubt, ask a vet! Since they’ve seen so many cats before, they often have very accurate guesses about how old these cats are.
how do cats age?
For the most part, cats become slower, have less shiny coats, and sleep more. conversely, younger cats are more agile, have softer fur, and sleep fewer hours a day.
Do cats age like dogs?
for the most part, yes. both dogs and cats share similar characteristics when it comes to aging.
how do you know the age of a cat?
The best way to tell a cat’s age is to observe its behavior. older and very young cats need much more sleep. cats in their prime need the least amount of sleep. young cats have a lot of energy and love to play. older cats can simply head to their sleeping space. just observing the activity will give you a good idea of the cat’s age.
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