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Cats are resilient
creatures and many rescue cats reach advanced
ages, especially mixed-breeds as these have
"hybrid vigor". Breed influences
longevity and Oriental/Siamese breeds appear to
live longer than Persians. Years of selective
breeding has had the side-effect that some breeds
are genetically predisposed to conditions which
shorten life - the reverse of hybrid vigor.
With improved owner education, neutering,
vaccinations and modern vet care, cats are living
longer than ever before and spending
proportionally more time in their senior years
than their ancestors. A modern cat averages 12-16
years compared to 6-8 years in the 1930s i.e. life
expectancy has doubled. Whether an indoor or
indoor/outdoor lifestyle influences this is down
to the locality and whether the outdoor access is
free-ranging or via an enclosure. In some areas
indoor/outdoor cats average 8 years, elsewhere
they average 12-14 years. In the UK, my
indoor/outdoor cats average 16 years, with several
reaching 19-21 years (the exceptions died of
kidney disease and of cardiomyopathy, neither
condition being linked to their lifestyles).
Where outdoors is too dangerous, an indoor
lifestyle prolongs life. Where outdoor dangers are
moderate or minimal, it is up to you to judge
whether your cat should enjoy outdoor pleasures.
Remember - your cat lives for now, help him enjoy
every minute of 'now'. Some people consider the
risk of infectious disease means indoors-only,
others accept that the risk to a neutered cat is
relatively small and that fatal accidents also
occur in the home. Weigh up the risks and make an
educated decision. What is right for your locality
may be wrong for someone else's locality.
Neutering and vaccination are important.
Neutering extends a cat's life-span and reduces
the risk of contracting several deadly viruses.
Vaccination protects against some of the diseases
prevalent in your area. Good diet, good
observation of your cat's habits and regular
health checks are vital. Older cats are less
active and have a reduced metabolic rate, so you
must adjust their food to their decreasing
activity level to prevent obesity. Noticeable or
sudden weight loss signals serious problems so be
aware of your cats normal weight and note any
changes. Only prolong relatively healthy or active
life, never prolong the life of a suffering cat.
The subject of euthanasia is discussed later.
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