How Old is Your Pet?
| Our dogs and cats share our lives and enrich us in many ways. During the past 20 years, so many advances in nutrition and geriatric care have been made that the oft-remembered guide of one year is equal to seven years for your dog or cat is no longer a good comparison. The following is a more realistic guide to the biological aging of dogs and cats: |
Dog or Cat |
Human |
Dog or Cat |
Human |
3 months |
5 years |
8 years |
48 years |
6 months |
10 years |
9 years |
52 years |
1 year |
15 years |
10 years |
56 years |
2 years |
24 years |
12 years |
64 years |
3 years |
28 years |
14 years |
72 years |
4 years |
32 years |
16 years |
81 years |
5 years |
36 years |
18 years |
91 years |
6 years |
40 years |
20 years |
101 years |
7 years |
44 years |
21 years |
106 years |
| This guide is appropriate for the average
sized dog or cat. It should be remembered that the giant dogs tend to live shorter
lives, and the smaller breeds, as well as cats, tend to live longer. The Guiness Book of World Record says: "World's oldest dog was 29 years. World's oldest cat was 34 years". |
