Get to understand your feline friend better
Cats live for quite a long time. The average lifespan of a cat is 15 years, and it’s not surprising for some to live up to their twenties. Therefore, on average a cat outlives a dog. There are many reasons that determine a cat’s long life.
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Their history of domestication
Cats have been a part of human lives for over thousands of years. It started from the Near East countries where wild cats were domesticated to keep rodent infestations in check. From there, the trend quickly caught on and soon the whole world was keeping them as pets. Afterwards, selective breeding took place which led to all the varieties we are seeing this day. The primary cat breeds were bred using cats from four major regions; the Arabian Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean, South Asia, and Western Europe. The cats from there regions have unique genetic markers that determine what region, or race they originated from.
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Coming back to their lifespan, it depends on their environment, maintenance, health, and whether the cat is sprayed or neutered. Sterilization is an important factor as this prevents the risk of getting diseases that can be life threatening. From all this, it’s safe to assume that indoor cats live longer than the ones who roam free. They are usually sterilized and vaccinated, fed regularly and do not have to face danger around every street corner.
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Outdoor cats get exposed to fleas, ticks, and many other pathogens that cause diseases. They tend to get hit by traffic and due to their territorial nature, will have to fight other cats or run into street dogs as well. Their average lifespan is 5.625 years.
(Cover: Getty)