How many lives do cats have - 7 or 9? How long do cats live?

Cats have been described as having mystical traits since the beginning of time.
Surely many have heard that feline representatives live through more than one cycle and are distinguished by enviable vitality. How many lives does a cat or cat have - 9 or 7? Where does the difference come from? Are the reasons for such legends, myths, facts interesting? Many have heard that a cat purrs, which accelerates tissue regeneration. This has not yet been studied or explained by specialists trying to create a device that reproduces sound. It is believed that self-healing in cats occurs up to 9 times.

The legend about the 9 lives of a cat goes back to Egyptian beliefs, where for thousands of years they worshiped slender, figurine-like, deified creatures on 4 legs. Bastet, one of the 27 goddesses, personifying joy and love, took the form of a cat. In this guise she was reborn on earth 9 times, hence the myth of 9 lives.

Cat with 9 lives

Ancient Egyptian scrolls mentioned twenty-seven gods of Ancient Egypt. During the Fifth Dynasty, there was a clear reference to the division of the pantheon into three groups of nine divine entities each. The gods of the first main group are Ra, Geb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Set, Shu, Tefnut and Nephthys. Nine was considered a divine number.

Bastet is the daughter of the god Ra. The goddess of love and joy was depicted as a cat.

The Scandinavian goddess Freya, ruler of the nine worlds, rode across the sky in a chariot drawn by cats.

The Greek god Apollo created the original lunar year, which had nine months. Diana, the sister of Apollo and the goddess of the Moon, often took the form of a cat.

Ancient mythology has created a strong connection in people's minds linking the moon, the cat and the number nine. This is where people's faith in such a myth came from. Therefore, when asked how many lives cats have, many answer nine.

Magic nine

Nine is considered sacred among many peoples, and even mathematical operations with it are not without a mystical connotation. Mathematical operations are sometimes called the “magic of numbers,” and science itself in ancient times was inextricably linked with numerology. Using simple calculations, you can verify that the number “nine”:

• closes the number row “1-9”;
• returns to itself when multiplied by any number (for example, 9x5=45, 4+5=9);
• reproduces itself when adding numbers that are multiples of 9 (72+54=126, 1+2+6=9).

Christianity.

Many Christian traditions are tied to the symbolism of this number:

• the nine-pointed star is an ancient symbol of the Holy Spirit, and on each of its rays is a symbol of one of the nine gifts;
• a 9-day commemoration is timed to coincide with the appearance of the deceased before the Heavenly Throne on the 9th day after death;
• The 9 celestial spheres of Paradise correspond to Dante’s 9 circles of Hell;
• The hierarchy of angelic ranks consists of 9 steps.

Other crops. The magic of the number 9 covers almost all ancient kingdoms and religions. One only needs to delve a little into the supernatural to encounter the omnipresent mysticism of the Nine:

• according to ancient Greek chronicles, Atlantis consisted of 9 kingdoms;
• the Hellenes had 9 muses who ruled the arts;
• the prophecies of the Gauls mention 9 high priestesses;
• a Buddhist monk can only possess 9 things or objects;
• the Chinese emperor was greeted with 9 bows;
• The 9th and last planet of the solar system is Neptune, the most distant from the center.

Cat with 7 lives

In the Middle Ages, minstrels (storytellers, narrators, singers and poets) appeared. They brought culture and education to the masses. Crowds of townspeople and peasants enthusiastically listened to the fascinating poems, which allegorically described the resourcefulness of medieval lawyers, the cunning of court intriguers, the greed of money changers and solicitors, and the charlatanism of doctors. All characters were depicted as animals.

The ironic poem “The Romance of the Fox Reineck” was extremely popular. It is in this work that there is the character Tybalt. He was a cat who bore the title of king and had a nasty, cocky character. He had seven lives.

All this has firmly settled in the minds of the masses. This is how the belief in such a myth arose.

general information

On that special day when a little fluffy ball appears in the house, the new owners worry little about how many years he will live. Over time, the baby turns into a luxurious fluffy cat and takes pride of place in the family circle. As adulthood approaches, owners begin to have anxious thoughts: “How many years will the cat live?” On average, domestic cats live 10-16 years, but you need to understand that this figure depends on the breed, living conditions, nutrition, heredity and many other parameters.

Wild cats live less than domestic cats, about 5-6 years. The life expectancy of unadapted animals that were kicked out of the house is even shorter - 4 years. This is due to constant stress, the need to struggle for existence, poor quality food, severe weather conditions, illness, uncontrolled pregnancies and complications after them.

Pets that find themselves in a loving family can live up to 18-20 years. At the same time, the life expectancy of mustachioed striped animals has increased significantly in recent decades, thanks to the development of medicine.

Cat with 6 lives

Muslims revere the number “five”, since their religion is based on the same number of inviolable concepts (faith, charity, fasting, pilgrimage, prayer). Namaz is performed five times a day.

In the biography of the Prophet Muhammad there is a legend about his beloved cat. Her name was Muetsa. The Prophet loved his pet very much. The cat even saved Muhammad's life once. The Messenger of Allah gave the cat the ability to be reborn. But she could not be equated to a person and endowed with a soul. Therefore, the prophet gave the cat 6 lives. This is such an interesting legend.

So how many lives does a cat have - 7 or 9? Or maybe 6? And really, who can answer with accuracy how much? Biologists calculate the lifespan of a cat, of course, based on scientific facts and the animal’s lifestyle.

Ensure an active lifestyle

You can't let your cat sleep for days on end. The less an animal moves, the more its life expectancy decreases. It is necessary to spend time with your pet, involving him in active games. The best helpers are various toys. Each cat may have its own preferences, so they must be taken into account to make it interesting for your pet.

Walking outside is another way to increase activity. To do this, your pet needs to be accustomed to a harness. The first walk can cause stress for the animal, so you should choose the least crowded and noisy place. It must be remembered that only vaccinated animals can be walked outside.

Homeless animals

At every step, danger lurks for these animals (wheels of city transport, cars driving in the most unexpected places, dog fangs). These cats most often feed on public landfills, food that is not suitable for human consumption. Such an animal can easily become poisoned or contract an infection. And let's not forget about another wild and unpredictable animal - man. Because of all this, evidence shows that those living on the streets rarely live beyond 8 years of age.

Age comparison principles

There is an opinion that in order to calculate the age of a cat by human standards, it is enough to multiply it by seven. In fact, this approach is only valid for animals between three and ten years of age.

They grow up and grow old at a completely different pace than humans.

It is necessary to take into account the principles of recalculation:

• There is no calculation formula for cats under three years of age.
• A three-year-old animal reaches approximately the same degree of development as a person at 25-30 years old.
• From three to five years, this figure increases by 7 every year.
• From five to twelve years – by 4.
• After twelve years, each year is counted as 3.

Homemade

These are cats living in favorable conditions. No one will attack them at home. The animal is surrounded by care and love. As a rule, it feeds well. The veterinarian selects the correct food. Regular visits to the doctor protect your pet from diseases and help prevent their occurrence.

Animals are great at feeling sincere and sensitive. Love is paid for with love. At home, a cat is least susceptible to stressful situations. A loving owner does not think about how many lives cats have. He is interested in the pet living as long as possible. It is worth knowing that sterilized cats and neutered cats have a longer lifespan.

On average, pets at home live 15-17 years. Some live up to 18-20 years.

Does memory help learning?

Observation and experience allow cats to learn everything they need to live a comfortable life. Through memory, they choose what will be useful and what allows them to respond in the most appropriate way the next time the same situation occurs. Memory works both at home and in nature, since from childhood they watch their mother to learn everything they need. This process of learning through memory is related to the feelings the cat felt during the experience, good or bad. Thus, they respond to food-related stimuli, such as running away from people or animals that were trying to harm them.

This system allows the cat to remain safe while at the same time identifying familiar people and remembering all the positive things associated with them; such as delicious food, affection and hours of play! What a cat learns is directly related to the benefits they can gain from that learning. If they find that it doesn't suit them, it will likely be resolved by their short-term memory. This is why it is so difficult in most homes to prevent them from scratching in certain areas. Although you can train your pet to use a scratching post, it is not always possible to train them.

If you bought a kitten

The appearance of a cute fluffy ball in the house is always a significant event. And when you first go to the vet, ask the question, how many lives does a cat have? 7 or 9? The answer will be - one. And you are responsible for it.

Don't forget that a living being is completely dependent on you. Read more information about the characteristics of the breed, character traits, habits, and behavior of the future pet.

Now let’s figure out how long a cat’s life year is. In the feline family, 1 year is equal to four human years. Only this concept is relative. A one-year-old kitten will not be the same as a 4-year-old child. In terms of development, he will be like a 16-year-old teenager. A two-year-old cat is like a 24-year-old girl. Only after 24 months does the four-year countdown begin to work.

A three-year-old cat is like a 28-year-old person. Then you can continue the calculation yourself to understand exactly how long a cat can live. You try to make your pet’s entire life comfortable. But it is impossible to say exactly how long the animal will live.

In proud loneliness

Surely most people have watched the funny cartoon “The Secret Life of Pets.” A cat named Chloe felt very relaxed in the absence of her owner. The well-fed creature, without remorse, entered the refrigerator and feasted on it, choosing all the most delicious things. The pet also helped her animal friends living in neighboring apartments. Of course, this is a fictional story about a cat, created for people to have fun watching this special one. But we want to know true stories! So, American scientists found out what a cat does alone at home by installing surveillance cameras on fifty volunteers. In most cases, the animal’s daily routine is as follows:

• watches life outside the window – 21.6% of the time;
• sits with other pets – 11.8% of the time;
• plays with toys – 5% of the time;
• scratches furniture, climbs on it, including high cabinets – 7% of the time;
• looks at his food or eats – 6.3% of the time;
• examines various objects, newspapers, books and TV – 6% of the time;
• sits or lies under the table – 4% of the time;
• lies in the sink – 1.7% of the time;
• sleeps – 6.1% of the time.

But in the experiment, there is one story about a cat that managed to start a fire. She hung on one of the handles, playing with the gas stove. Nearby objects ignited and the flames engulfed the kitchen. Fortunately, the fire was quickly extinguished and did not burn down the entire apartment. The cat was not injured, but caused damage to the owners of 50 thousand euros! It turns out that the hooligan had already tried to set fire to the apartment, but the owners were at home at the time, and the fire was avoided.

If you decide to adopt a cat from a shelter...

The noble act is to adopt a cat from a shelter. Of course, the first question will arise, how old is she?

The first thing that tells you about a cat's age is its teeth. In kittens, the incisors are the first to appear within 2-4 weeks. At the 3rd or 4th week, fangs grow. Molars appear in 5-6 weeks. But these are baby teeth. They may become loose or fall out. A one-year-old cat's teeth are all mature, white and without signs of wear. By the age of two, a light yellow coating appears on them. At the age of five to eight years, yellowness will be noticeable on all teeth. And by the age of ten, the cat will already show signs of wear and tear.

The second sign is the eyes. In young cats they are bright and transparent. With age, a slight cloudiness appears in the eyeball.

Another sign is the cat's fur. But it is quite difficult to navigate. Young cats have bright, shiny, and thick fur, although this may vary depending on the time of year or the pet's health.

When adopting a cat from a shelter, you are unlikely to worry about how many lives the cats have left. After all, if you forget about myths, then you can say with confidence that your animal has one, and he will live it next to you. Don't forget, your pet is weaker than you. And there are a large number of factors that can cause a cat to lose its only life.

Why are there so many myths and legends about cats?

The cat has been living next to humans for many millennia, amazingly maintaining its authenticity. At first, people reacted to her taming purely pragmatically: they needed an ally in the fight against the armadas of mice and rats that were destroying the precious harvest, and the little forest hunter was suitable for this purpose like no other. But then the man began to notice manifestations of all sorts of, in his opinion, witchcraft and other obscure abilities behind the cat. Not bothering with clear explanations of these phenomena, people began to compose all sorts of fairy tales about cats.

No other pet is shrouded in such a dense aura of secrets, mysticism and legends as this little mustachioed and tailed purr. At different times and in different countries it was idolized and hated, extolled and cruelly destroyed - but nowhere and never did people remain indifferent to the cat.

A cat is an ideal companion for a lonely person

They can fly

The most obvious of the cat's oddities is that it does not fall to death when falling from a great height, but lands on all four of its paws. Strictly speaking, this is not always the case. Every veterinarian has in his medical practice many sad examples of how he was unable to save such a patient after a fall.

Cat "flights", alas, are not always successful

The unique ability of the domestic cat, inherited from its wild ancestors, was studied back in the nineteenth century by Etienne-Jules Marais, a famous French inventor and physiologist, a big fan of chronophotography and cinema. The scientist is the author of the famous photograph, which clearly shows frame by frame how a cat thrown from a height turns over and groups itself in the air to land on its springy paws.

Etienne-Jules Marais demonstrated his famous photographs at a meeting of the French Academy of Sciences, of which he was chairman

This “trick” can be demonstrated not only by adult animals, but even by three-month-old kittens. For a long time, it was believed that when cats fall, they actively “steer” their tail—they use it as a propeller or balance to shift the center of their body in the desired direction. But it turned out that the tail has absolutely nothing to do with it - short-tailed and even almost tailless breeds land on their paws with the same success as their long-tailed counterparts.

In fact, a cat gliding towards the ground regulates its movement by wriggling its entire body, vigorously bending and unbending it in order to turn over with its belly down. Then he spreads his paws wide, like a flying squirrel - this technique helps to somewhat slow down the fall and soften the impact on the ground. In such an extreme situation, all senses are actively involved, primarily vision.

Even kittens can do somersaults in the air to land on all four paws

The cat carefully looks at the landing site, and in the last moments stretches its paws as much as possible and arches its back - this is how it lowers itself to the ground in order to increase shock absorption. Interestingly, a fall from a low height can have much more detrimental consequences than from a high one - the cat needs time to have time to correctly turn its body.

Video: how a cat falls

One of the records for a successful jump from a height was set by the cat Piper from the American town of Summerville. She climbed a tall tree and sat there for eight days, during which the owners made many unsuccessful attempts to somehow help their pet. Finally, Piper got tired of all this and jumped from a 25-meter height. The shocked veterinarian did not find any injuries on the record holder.

The so-called cat paradox is fatal for an ordinary person. But some daredevils tried to repeat the cat landing technique. Thus, the famous tower jumper, American Brain Fells, made a series of experimental jumps in 1960, gradually increasing their height.

He tried to start falling with his back down, and after flying about four meters, he did a somersault in the air and landed just like a cat, on four points - legs and arms. You shouldn’t even try to repeat Fells’ “feats” - he was an excellently trained athlete and an Olympic bronze medalist, and without such experience a jumper simply cannot survive.

The fate of the black cat is not easy

The largest number of superstitions and mystical stories are associated, of course, with black cats. It is considered a very bad omen to meet a cat of this color on your way - especially on Friday the 13th. However, in fairness it must be said that in different countries this meeting may have diametrically opposite interpretations. For example, the Japanese and British are convinced that if a black cat crosses their path, it promises great luck.

The black cat is the king of superstitions

The British, in general, favored black cats more than any other people - they tried to have them both in the house and on a ship setting off on a long, dangerous voyage; Under the cat's protection, both troubles and storms were not so terrible. It was from Foggy Albion that the strange custom of fishermen spread with them to take a black cat with them so that the catch would be plentiful - they say it works.

There is an opinion that the black color gives the cat not only the strongest energy, but also the ability to see events simultaneously, as if in two worlds: the real and parallel, otherworldly. Rumor attributed various mystical talents to black cats, making them accomplices of sorcerers and even evil spirits.

Video: the whole truth about black cats

The fact that it was the black cat, if you believe Russian fairy tales, lived with the sweet old woman Baba Yaga and participated in many of her dirty tricks, is precisely an echo of mass long-standing superstitions, most likely generated by the unusual appearance of an innocent animal.

The black cat was considered an accomplice of the witch and Baba Yaga

Transformations of the cat Bayun

A very old character in Slavic mythology is the cat Bayun. Over the long centuries, or even millennia of its existence, its image has become somewhat blurred and lost its specificity. Most of the information about him can be gleaned from old Russian fairy tales - and, by the way, they were never too kind.

This cat has a mesmerizing voice and huge size. According to legend, for some reason he sits on an iron pole and charms passers-by with fairy tales and songs. He will cast an enchanted dream over whomever he wants, and without any qualms of conscience he will eat the dozing traveler. It turns out that the cat Bayun is a terrible and insidious cannibal cat?

Cat Bayun - the personification of our ancestors’ fears of cruel predators

Subsequently, the image of the terrible cat noticeably softened and even became domesticated. The evil monster has turned into a wise wizard who, with his purring, puts spoiled children to sleep and gives adults a break from the day's work and worries.

Cat Bayun - ruler and guardian of human dreams

The modern incarnation of the cat Bayun is already a completely peaceful and even phlegmatic inhabitant of the human home - a kind of sybarite, who, although great secrets and possibilities are open to him by birth, is too lazy to apply them in everyday cat practice. Such a magical cat lives in your house and condescendingly looks after its unlucky owners. The cat-amulet is what he is.

Video: who is the cat Bayun

Rich cat

From time immemorial, in Russian villages it was customary to let a cat into a new house first - she would definitely be able to negotiate with the brownie and other small folk so that there would be peace, harmony and prosperity in this hut. Moreover, the best candidate for such a role was considered to be a tricolor cat, or, as it was usually called before, a “rich cat.”

Tricolor cats have always attracted attention with their brightness and unusual color.

The secret of the popularity of this color was that, according to Slavic beliefs, a cat should live in a house whose coat color matches the hair color of its owners . A lot of people could live in one hut, and a three-colored cat suited everyone without exception: blondes, brunettes, and redheads.

Tricolor cats enjoy sympathy and respect among many peoples. The Chinese, for example, consider them the main fighters against devilish forces and other nighttime troubles. However, in their opinion, a cat of any color vigilantly guards a person’s peace at night - this is precisely why its eyes glow in the dark.

The cat's eyes do not glow on their own, they reflect some light source

Video: tricolor cat - happiness in the home

Bakeneko, maneki-neko and others

In Japanese mythology there is a very interesting character - bakeneko. Such a kitten can be born from absolutely any cat and in the first years of life is no different from its peers. And only by the age of twelve or thirteen - at the age that is considered to be a cat's old age - does the cat turn into a bakeneko. He begins to walk on his hind legs like a person, talk, or even completely turn into a person.

If your cat begins to walk on his hind legs in old age, be careful, he may have turned into a bakeneko

Bakeneko can be evil or not very angry. The most terrible of them can absorb their owner and take his place - no one will notice the replacement. By the way, these two-tailed werewolves prefer to take not a male, but a female form. The bakeneko's favorite pastime is setting various objects on fire with their tails, and the funniest of them love to dance with bright scarves tied around their heads.

Bakeneko - fantastic cats from Japanese folklore

Bakeneko also knows how to revive dead people for the sole purpose of making them... pour him fresh milk. So don’t forget to give your pet milk so that he doesn’t become a bakeneko out of resentment. There is another preventative measure - cut off the kitten's tail in a timely manner. The fact is that in old age, bakeneko's tails fork in two, and their character completely deteriorates. It is then that the bakeneko becomes a real bloodthirsty monster - a nekomata that feeds on human flesh.

Maneki-neko is a friendly cat native to Japan.

Much cuter is another local mythical cat - maneki-neko, which has gained popularity all over the world. The Japanese willingly place figurines of a cat waving its paw at the entrance to the house to lure wealth and good luck. Porcelain and ceramic maneki-neko of all colors are the most popular talismans, but tricolor “money cats” are especially loved by buyers.

The cat loves no one but himself

But this is definitely not true. Yes, cats walk on their own and have their own opinion on every issue. Yes, they, unlike most dogs, are territorial animals and are very attached to the house, respecting the comfort and tranquility in it. But this does not mean at all that cats do not know how to give love, affection and true friendship.

There are a lot of not even legends, but quite true stories about their touching affection and devotion to people. There are many stories about how a cat, even after its death, came to its beloved owner to warn him of danger or save a life.

A cat retains its love for humans even after its death.

Cats who have become angels often visit small children - they protect their nightly peace from fears and bad dreams.

Cats often become attached not only to people, but also to their pets, including their primordial enemies - dogs and even those animals that, in theory, should be perceived as objects of hunting. Many such amazing shots were captured by photographers.

Photo gallery: cats who know how to truly be friends

“Horse, give me a ride,” the cat purrs to its friend

The cat and the iguana are not averse to getting to know each other

The goat smells deliciously like milk, or maybe she's just a good friend

Eternal enemies can also be friends, especially if they don’t know that one of them is the hunter and the other is the prey

With a reliable friend, like behind a stone wall

They live like a cat and a dog, which means they live together

Pit bull and cat adopted chickens

The Internet was shocked by the touching story of the friendship between a domestic cat and a wild fox

Table of maximum life expectancy by breed

The Guinness Book of Records contains many records for life expectancy in cats. However, for most pets, some pattern can be deduced.

Interesting Facts

You can dispel some myths about a cat's lifespan, for example:

The reproductive system affects a cat's lifespan

That is, castrated or sterilized pets live longer than those who lead a full sex life; The gender of the kitten cannot in any way affect these statistics, that is, it doesn’t matter whether you have a cat or a male cat - they will live exactly as long as nature intended; extra pounds can always shorten the life of both humans and animals.

And, of course, nothing affects the life expectancy of your furry friend more than your love, care and attention!