Knowing the age of a cat is of vital importance to establish what will be its care and what will be the type of food that you must give it to maintain its good health, the age of a feline can be a mystery, but here are some tips to decipher it.
If you did not have it from birth, it is very difficult to know for sure what the true age of a cat is. If it was adopted in a pet shelter or directly from the street and you need to know how long it has to live, you can do it with the information that we bring you below.
Knowing the age of a cat is vital to establish what will be its care and what will be the type of food you must give it to maintain its good health.
But how do you calculate the age of a cat?
Here are some common features that can help you figure out a cat’s age:
From 1 to 10 days
The kitten cannot fend for itself, but depends on its mother or someone completely responsible. She is unable to get up and cannot even open her eyes, and her hair is very short but thick.
From 10 days to the first month
The time has come for them to open their eyes and start exploring their surroundings, yet they are unable to properly control their movements and usually crawl on their belly.
As time passes, they increasingly begin to maintain balance. They will seem very tender to you, but they will still need breast milk and special care.
1 month after birth
Although you can slightly perceive deficiencies in coordinating your movements, you are already beginning to feel interest in the game and you will see how it develops some typical behaviors such as the hunting instinct and application of its own hygiene.
Month and a half
Many assure that it is an important stage, since it is the moment when they lose the blue color in the characteristic eyes of all puppies to acquire a shade typical of the adult cat.
From 2 to 3 months
They are interacting with their environment in order to become familiar and socialize. They can weigh up to 1 kilogram. It can be said that they are almost developed.
From 3 and 6 months
Some of the definitive teeth begin to appear, which are usually quite white and very bright.
From 6 months to 1 year
The growth stage continues until its body resembles that of an adult cat, however, it continues to show certain behaviors typical of a puppy; that is, some instinctive games and curiosity to explore their surroundings persist.
The first year
Already with its final size, its teeth become opaque and tartar appears. Many experts assure that it is at this stage that cat adopters should pay special attention to the teeth.
Between 2 and 3 years
If the caregiver applies dental hygiene it is very difficult to see the amount of tartar that appears. It will still be a young and very active cat.
Between 4 and 7 years
At this stage we can see how teeth suffer wear and tear, and the accumulation of more tartar is common. An important fact is that also at this time the gum is pigmented.
From 7 to 10 years
Here it can be said that the cat enters the old age stage and it can be determined when the pigmentation of the nose and gum becomes more and more progressive.
In addition, we will be facing a very lazy tender pet. Typical feline diseases may be evident at this age.
From 10 to 15 years
Our beloved pet begins to suffer the onslaught of time, as it loses weight and muscle tone disappears. Increased tartar buildup, no matter how much oral hygiene you have practiced. You will observe legacies.
From 15 to 20 years old
At this age we will generally have a feline companion a little sick, product of the evils of its species; In addition, the appearance of gray hair will show your advanced age in your hair. The nails begin to grow disproportionately and we will see it with a deteriorated appearance.
Remember that the above is only a guide to decipher the age of a cat, but it is always recommended that you go with your pet to the veterinarian so that he can guide you on the state of health, indicate the approximate age of your cat and the necessary care for your pet.