How old is your cat or dog by human standards: how to count and what is the difference

Man has long tamed cats and dogs. Some pets live with us for quite a long time, others leave very quickly. Is it possible to extend the life of the furry members of our families and how to do it?

The lifespan of cats and dogs is influenced by various factors. The most important of them are the organization of nutrition and physical activity. During each life period, animals require a certain diet and activity level. To do this, you need not only to know exactly how old the cat or dog is, but also to understand how the pet’s age compares to human age.

Why does a person need to know the age of a pet?

Information about the age of a pet is needed in order to:

• Optimally distribute his physical activity;
• prevent illness in time and provide proper care to maintain the pet’s well-being;
• properly organize the diet and supplement it with the necessary vitamins and minerals;
• provide the pet with the necessary care;
• carry out vaccinations in a timely manner;
• understand when you can start mating or sterilize your pet.

Compliance with all these points will help provide the animal with the necessary conditions for a healthy existence and increase its lifespan.

Photo - how a dog's appearance changes with age

Dogs can change the owner’s quality of life for the better. The latter has the power to provide the pet with adequate care both during puppyhood and during natural aging.

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What is the age ratio between a pet and a person?

Almost every cat or dog owner has asked this question at least once. It is impossible to accurately calculate the ratio of the age of a person and a pet, since the developmental characteristics and lifestyle of animals differ from human ones. But there are several ways to make at least an approximate calculation.

Unified calculation method for cats and dogs

One year of a pet's life is equal to seven years of a person - this method of calculation has been popular since the mid-20th century, and it is the same for cats and dogs. Scientists took the average age of a person (70 years) as a basis and divided it by 10. This is how the difference turned out to be 7 years.

Note! If we use this method of calculation, then, for example, 4 years of age in a cat or dog corresponds to 28 years in a person.

Comparison tables

Later, scientists came to the conclusion that the previous method was not entirely correct, since the development of cats and dogs in the first year of their life is very rapid. For example, at 1 year they already reach puberty, which cannot be said about a 7-year-old human child. In addition, in dogs, the rate of development and aging depends on the size of the animal.

In this regard, coefficients were calculated and comparative tables were made, from which you can find out the ratio of the ages of cats, dogs and humans. Here they are:

When compiling the tables, information was used from the works of a veterinarian from France A. Lebeau and a scientist from Switzerland Max Kleiber.

On a note! However, geneticist Trey Idecker and his team of scientists from the California Institute of San Diego went the furthest in this matter. They compiled their formula for calculating the biological age of dogs based on studying their DNA.

As for cats, their average lifespan is 12-15 years. If you take proper care of your pet, it can live up to 20 years at home. But cats living outside age 2-3 times faster than them.

Tough

The expert will first look at the condition of the animal’s teeth. By the presence or absence of certain fangs, you can find out the age of the puppy. The age of an adult dog is determined by the presence of all molars and cusps on them. Above is the most complete table showing the correspondence between the years of an animal’s life and the approximate condition of its jaws.

The disadvantage of this method is that if the dog has a malocclusion or other jaw defects, diagnosis becomes difficult.

Stages of a cat's maturation compared to human years

Each age period of cat development has its own characteristics:

• 0–6 months. At this time, the kitten is very actively developing and growing rapidly. The period corresponds to a person’s age from birth to 7.5 years.
• 7 months - 2 years. This is the period when the cat is growing up. By the age of 2, pets already know all the wisdom of life and turn into adult animals. In humans, this occurs from 8 to 25 years of age.
• 3–6 years. At this time cats are most active. They are behaviorally and physically mature, alert and healthy. In humans, this period corresponds to the age from 25 to 45 years.
• 7–10 years. If you properly care for and feed your cat, then during this period of its life it will lead the most active life. By human standards, this is approximately 45-55 years.
• 11–15 years old. At this time, cats become calmer, sleep more, and play less. Pets show the first signs of aging: vision deteriorates, the quality of fur and teeth changes. The appropriate age for a person is 60–75 years.
• 16 years or more. At this age, older cats need more careful care; they need to be given vitamins and quality nutrition. This way the pet will live safely for many years to come. In humans, this period corresponds to the age of 79 years or more.

This is interesting! A cat named Poppy, who lived in the UK, was included in the Guinness Book of Records. She died at 24 and is officially the longest living cat. If we translate her age into human “language”, it will be equal to 114 years.

Determining the age of a dog by indirect signs

Often, the owner is faced with the task of determining the age of a pet adopted from the street or from a shelter. They are determined approximately by indirect external signs. It is recommended to pay special attention to the teeth, condition of the coat, eyes and muscular system.

Teeth

To determine the dog’s age, the type of teeth (deciduous or permanent), the number of teeth, the color and condition of the enamel are important.

• The replacement of baby teeth with permanent teeth in a puppy ends at approximately 6 months.
• If the teeth are white, there are no dark marks, cracks or chips on the enamel, and there is no unpleasant odor from the mouth, then we can assume that the pet is not yet 2 years old.
• From the second year of life, the enamel becomes duller, and some of the incisors wear off.
• The absence of a certain number of teeth indicates that this is an elderly dog. For large pets this period begins at 8 years, for small ones - from 10-12 years.

Eyes

In youth, dog eyes have a clear cut, an iris of bright, rich color and a characteristic shine. A healthy, young pet has a dog-like, playful, mischievous look. An older dog has dull eyes, sometimes a whitish pupil (a sign of cataracts), and lacrimation. The expression in the eyes is sad. A young dog may have similar symptoms if it is sick and needs treatment.

Musculature

By the age of two years, pets have a fully formed muscle corset. The dog's muscles are elastic, clear, the pet is fit, slender, strength and energy are discernible in every movement. This condition lasts up to 6-7 years. An older dog has less elastic muscles. He moves less and gets tired quickly. In miniature dogs, muscle tone is maintained for a longer time.

Coat

The condition of the coat is, to a greater extent, an indicator not of age, but of health. It depends on the quality of care and nutrition, past diseases. Even a young dog's fur becomes dull and matted during illness. You can judge a dog's age only by the appearance of gray hair on the front of the muzzle and paws. In some cases, gray hair appears earlier. The reason is hereditary predisposition.

Today, the main goal of zoogerontologists is to find ways to slow down the aging process of large dogs and increase the average period of their healthy and active life.

Features of the development of dogs in comparison with humans

Dogs grow up differently. If we compare the stages of development of dogs and humans, we get the following picture:

• 0–1 month. By the age of one month, the puppy begins to actively explore the surrounding space. In this, he resembles a one-year-old child who is trying out many things. Such a baby knows no fear, and he needs care and constant supervision.
• 1–4 months. By the age of four months, an inquisitive puppy begins to be trained at the training ground. He begins to change teeth, like seven-year-old children, and he is just as careless and playful.
• 4–6 months. A dog at 6 months of age who is entering puberty can be compared to a 14-year-old teenager. The puppy's body grows unevenly, he has a childish perception of the world around him, and the dog's mood often changes.
• 6 months – 1 year. The age of 12 months for a dog corresponds to 16–18 years for a person. At this time the dog stops growing. She becomes more self-confident, males strive to establish leadership between their fellow tribesmen.
• 1–2 years. A two-year-old dog reaches the peak of its physical development, like a twenty-year-old person. Bitches at this time are already ready for motherhood. The dogs have already been trained in all commands.
• After five years. From this age, the dog begins to slowly age, like a forty-year-old person. The animal becomes more restrained and calm, it already has all the skills and knowledge for everyday life.
• 8 or more years. Dogs are entering their retirement period, that is, their bodies begin to age quickly. Similar changes occur in people aged 60–70 years. Dogs need to be given a more balanced diet and limited exercise.

Medium dogs up to 12-25 kg

Medium breeds are considered to be those that reach 10 to 25 kg in weight at the age of 1.5-2 years. To determine the age of a dog, take a look at the table below. Here are the most popular breeds and their ideal weight at maturity (+- a couple of kilograms). To understand whether your dog has passed the 1.5 year mark, weigh him and compare him with the table.

Does age depend on size?

Four-legged animals of different sizes age at different rates; the larger and older the dog, the faster the aging process occurs.

Small breeds like Chihuahuas mature more slowly, while giant breeds like Great Danes mature faster. The larger your pet is at maturity, the faster his body ages. Therefore, large ones live less than small or medium ones, but there are always exceptions.

Briefly about the main thing

1. You can find out the age of your pet yourself, without the help of a veterinarian.
2. First of all, look at the teeth, since the condition of the teeth can most accurately tell how old the dog is.
3. Don't rush to judge prematurely. To complete the picture, conduct a full examination of the dog. This way you can objectively assess the situation and make the most accurate conclusion about its age.

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How to extend the life of a pet

A cat's age in human terms is not so fleeting. However, a loving owner always wants his ward to live as long as possible. What depends on the pet owner? You might be surprised, but a lot!

• Follow the recommendations of veterinarians and breeders regarding housing conditions and nutrition (for each individual breed).
• Get vaccinated.
• Do not forget about anthelmintic and disinfectant measures.
• Take your pet out into the fresh air and play with him.
• Never punish your pet for pranks, but teach him to use the tray and scratching post from childhood.
• Provide timely assistance if necessary (injuries, diseases, allergic reactions, pathologies of any etiology).

Important! Do not self-medicate, but seek help from a public veterinary hospital or private clinic. Take a responsible approach to keeping your pet, show affection and care, and then he will delight you and other household members with his presence for many years. Take a responsible approach to keeping your pet, show affection and care, and then he will delight you and other household members with his presence for many years

Take a responsible approach to keeping your pet, show affection and care, and then he will delight you and other household members with his presence for many years.