Cat Longevity: Best Ways to Help Your Cat Live Longer

Have you heard the saying that cats have nine lives? If so, you know that this is not true, yet you still hope that your cat will live as long as possible. The good news is that there are some excellent ways for you to help your cat live a longer life. If you follow through with these tips, you can extend your feline's life expectancy and keep them in your family for longer.

Meal Planning

One of the most important ways to help improve the lifespan of your pet animals is through meal planning. You need to be sure that your cat is eating premium foods. You should choose cat foods that are natural and not filled with a bunch of harmful chemicals. You might want to talk with your cat’s veterinarian to see what food they recommended. Giving your cat a vet-recommended diet is one way to prolong their lifespan.

Don’t Overuse Treats

While your cat might love their treats, you should not give them too many. In fact, research shows that the treats a cat is getting should not make up over 5-10% of their daily calorie intake. The main reason you shouldn’t give your cat too many treats is so they don’t become obese. Obesity greatly reduces a cat's lifespan. If your cat is obese, there are ways you can help your cat lose weight

Give Your Cat Enough Water

Is your cat not getting enough clean water? If not, you need to find a way to make sure they are getting more, so they don’t become dehydrated. Dehydration in cats can be dangerous to their health. If your cat won’t drink water out of a regular bowl, you should try using a water fountain or an electric pet water bowl. The majority of cats love drinking from fountains. Your cat might, as well.

Proper Vaccinations

Another way to improve your cat’s life expectancy is by making sure they get all the proper cat vaccinations. You should talk to the veterinarian to get an up-to-date list of the vaccinations that your cat needs. The veterinarian can give you a list of the dates when your cat will need certain vaccinations. If you assure that your cat is getting the proper vaccinations, you can help to prevent them from getting sick.

Manage Your Cat’s Teeth

Part of basic cat care is ensuring that your pet has good dental health. Unfortunately, there are many people who never check their cat’s teeth. Plaque, gingivitis, and chronic tarter can all cause bacteria to grow in your cat’s mouth. This bacteria could spread throughout their body and cause many other health problems. Some of those health problems could even be fatal. Make sure you are managing your cat’s teeth. You can brush them regularly with toothpaste that is made for cats.

Getting Your Cat Spayed or Neutered

Did you know that getting your cat spayed or neutered could prevent them from getting certain illnesses? If you want your cat to have a better life expectancy, you should make sure to get your cat spayed or neutered.

Using More Toys

Toys benefit cats in many ways. Not only do toys give them something to play with, but they keep your cat active. Tech toys for cats are a great way to make your cat move more. The more active your cat is, the less likely they will be to become obese. Keeping your cat from becoming obese can extend their life. These are some of the ways you can help your cat to live a longer life. Use these tips to extend your cat’s life expectancy starting today! 

Cats are pretty independent and resilient animals. They don’t say they have nine lives for no reason. Cats tend to be stubborn and will stick around for quite a long time. As their owner, there are things you can do to help your cat live a long, healthy, and happy life with you.

Provide Clean Water and Balanced Meals

Cats are living beings too, so of course, they need fresh water and nutritious food to thrive just like we do. As their owner, it’s up to you to ensure that they have clean water and balanced meals that are full of nutrition, like our DIY All-Natural Cat Food Recipe, each and every day. Water is especially important for your feline friend because if they aren’t drinking enough water, they could easily develop a urinary tract infection. Some cats are silly and aren’t very fond of drinking still water and will demand that you provide them with some sort of fancy water bowl. Like the ones that make a little fountain of water for them to drink from.

As for their food, you don’t have to buy the most expensive, top of the line foods. Just a premium commercial brand from your local pet store will do the job. Be sure that you know how much to feed your cat. Wet food is good but incorporating dry food is good for weight management as well as good oral hygiene.

Check Your Cat’s Teeth Regularly

Cat’s teeth can build up plaque and tartar just like our can, which can lead to health issues in other parts of their body over time. This may come as a surprise to some, but you can purchase a toothbrush and some toothpaste that was made especially for cats. That way you can help manage their oral hygiene with products made just for them.

Take them to Their Annual Vet Visits

Our kitties can’t exactly tell us when something is going on with their health. Even if you have your own way of communicating with your cat, sometimes they don’t even know when something is wrong. That’s why it’s important to take them to their vet at least once a year just to make sure everything is still A-okay. Seeing the vet annually also gives you, the pet owner, the chance to get any advice from them on what you could be doing to promote even better health in your beloved pet. Not to mention, catch and treat any potential problems as early on as possible.

Conclusion

Cats are incredibly independent and won’t ask their owners for much. Cats don’t usually need nearly as much health care as their canine counterparts do. They still need all of the basics to live a long and healthy life. Aside from food, water, and unconditional love. When choosing to adopt a cat, their health becomes your responsibility at that moment.
Curious about cat whiskers? Check out the article we wrote about cat whiskers.

What is a cat's lifespan?

Cats tend to live long lives, especially indoor ones. Their average lifespan is 15 years and their life expectancy can depend on many different factors including whether your cat is an indoor or outdoor cat, their diet, and the environment they live in.

Do cats mate for life?

Cats are not monogamous and will mate throughout their lifespan if not desexed. Female cats are able to bear as early 7 to 9 months and will bear kittens for the next 7 to 9 years.

What is the average life expectancy of an indoor cat?

Indoor cats tend to live longer than those that don't. Cats who are kept indoors can live up to 17 years or more, while the average lifespan of an outdoor cat is only 2 to 5 years. Indoor cats have fewer chances of acquiring infections and diseases and they also have a reduced rate of accidental death.



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Written by Leo Roux

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