What's Normal for a Cat

Cat norms and averages

Here are some of the guideline's that your vet uses to assess your cats overall health.

Normal Temperature range - 100.5 to 102.5

Average weight range - 7 to 12 lbs

Average lifespan - 10 to 18 years

Heart rate - 240 beats per minute maximum

Pulse rate - 110 to 130

Respiration - 20 to 30

Gestation - 63 days

Estrous Cycle - 15 to 21 days

Estrus - 4 days

Cat years

Q: Great site. I'm trying to find out the ratio between cat years and real time. Blu was born Aug 1st 1980. She is slowing down rapidly, and I was wondering what her age would be if she were human.

Thanks,

Michael

A: Michael-

I do not know if anyone publishes a comparison of cat years vs. human years as can be found for dogs.

My best estimate is this: the first year of a cat's life is probably metabolically equivalent to about 13 to 15 "human years". The next year is probably equivalent to another 10 or so years. After that, each year is probably close to the metabolic equivalent of about 4 years for a human.

Using this reasoning, an 8 year old cat is roughly equivalent to a 49 year old human. a 20 year old cat would be equivalent to a 97 year old person. I am not sure that this reasoning is really valid but it is the best I can think of.

Mike Richards, DVM