Cat Longevity Question?

[Baz84]

Hello,

With the recent passing of my tabby... I started to question - longevity of cats. I'm a bit sad posting this... so it may yet be another silly post...

What makes them live longer/better?

Obviously genetics, breed, nutrition and activity has something to do with it. Then I remember reading an article long time ago about an Jake Perry - he holds the record of the THREE oldest cats ever. Two of them were Creme Puff 38 years old and Granpa Rex Allen 34. They are not of the same breed... and I can't say I agree with his feeding practices.

His Diet:

Consisted of dry cat food supplemented with broccoli, eggs, turkey bacon, coffee with cream, and—every two days—"an eyedropper full of red wine". Perry claimed that this diet was key to her longevity

I'm confused - he MUST be doing something right if three of his cats > 30 years old. EVEN if the tunnels he build for exercise helped (and just because there are tunnels to run through doesn't mean a cat will use/run through them anyway) - the broccoli? coffee with cream? wine? Any thoughts on this?

 

[di and bob]

iI wouldn't, just cause it worked for him, it doesn't sound like a healthy diet. I feed both wet and dry, though many people disagree with giving dry. I have had cats for 60 years and have had no trouble with them on dry. Dry had also improved a lot over the years. Just make sure they have plenty of fresh water. I would research the best diet on the internet, especially paying attention to reviews. most cats live till 15, if they live longer than that it is like a person reaching a hundred. Some do, but most don't. I have seen a hundred-year-old people that drink, smoke, and eat high-fat diets, so it is really a lot on genetics. Good vet care and plenty of exercise and attention is always a good thing.

 

[Tobermory]

I’ve had cats for 47 years, and no 30-year-olds, but they’ve lived to between 16 and 20 years. The two 16-year-olds were my first cats, and one had cancer and the other had kidney disease. I don’t think there’s anything I could have done about the cancer, but I was such a novice about cat care that I probably could have done better by the second one.

The next ones were 18, 19, and 20. I currently have two 17-year-olds and a 7-year-old.

Of course, indoor-only is important to longevity if you don’t have a safe place for them to go out. And since the first two kitties, I’ve really focused on diet—watching what and how much they eat—and good vet care. Few vets specialize in a particular animal in vet school; they’re run through the basics for how to treat a variety of species and, of course, each is wildly different. So it’s tough. But I’ve worked hard to find a vet that understands cat health and nutrition or is willing to learn with and support me.

And I’ve done a lot of reading about cat nutrition, particularly after I ended up with one diabetic cat and one overweight cat. At the time, I was lucky enough to have a vet who had taken extra courses in feline medicine and nutrition, and she was a tremendous help.

My opinion: I can’t explain those extraordinarily long-lived cats, but I believe that if we know (based on scientific research of how a species processes and uses nutrients) that a particular diet is more effective for the health of a particular species (and cats are obligate carnivores) and we’re responsible for the care of that animal, then we have an obligation to feed according to their physiology.

As you say, there are things out of our control such as a genetic predisposition for certain things, but for those we can control, we’re increasing the odds for a longer, healthier life for our kitties (and dogs and rabbits and hamsters and…ourselves) if we provide those things.

My !

 

[Maurey]

I think the person with the extremely long-lived cats likely just hit the lottery twice with extremely good genetics. Could be that they weren‘t PTS as early as they would be modernly due to low quality of life, as well — standards for this change with time. I’d adore both of my cats to live into their late 20s and 30s, but ultimately, their well-being and quality of life come first.

We as owners can only do so much. Routine checkups, preventative & palliative care, plus good diet. Everything else is up to genetics, more or less, or other little things that compound to events out of our control, like lacking research on conditions that develop for whatever reason.

 

[cat princesses]

my last cat lived to be 23. I fed her dry food for the majority of her life, I just didn't know any better. She was diagnosed with CKD when she turned 16 and with a kidney supplement and sub q fluids later on into the CKD diagnosis she made it to 23. She was tired the day she passed, and I knew that was her last day - the vet agreed that she wouldn't have made it thru the night and she ultimately just passed of old age.

 

[Baz84]

I see - Good information. I am curious though what type of dry food have you fed your cats over the years. I'm starting to re-think my approach on nutrition.

 

[Maurey]

Personally, I’ve never fed dry and don’t plan on starting. Dry foods have improved over the years, but doesn’t change the fact they’re heavily processed and lack moisture. Research has shown that cats can only make up with drinking for half the amount of moisture they need and would get from a moisture rich diet. Chronic dehydration can lead to all sorts of issues down the road.