What Is The Age Expectancy Of My Dog Or Cat?

Life expectancy varies as you would expect with some breeds living longer than others and generally crossbreeds outliving all of them.

Irish wolfhounds and Bulldogs only live about 5 years so they would be at the low end of the scale and Poodles and Terriers can live about 15 years so as you can see there is a wide range. As a general rule of thumb it is said that larger heavier breeds of dogs do not live as long as smaller, lighter breeds.

With cats it depends more on whether they live predominantly indoors or outdoors. Indoor cats can live until around 18 years of age whereas outdoor cats only live for about 5 years.

According to a survey conducted by The Veterinary Record of 3,000 pet owners about 16% of dogs die from cancer and this figure doubles amongst those who inhale cigarette smoke from their owners. This is particularly a concern amongst cats that live indoors and lick the cigarette smoke off their fur and then swallow it. It is also a problem for dogs as they breathe faster than humans and take in the chemicals more quickly.

About 32% of deaths are caused by heart disease. This can be because the animal does not have sufficient exercise for the amount of food it is given, like humans. If your dog is overweight, increase the exercise and reduce the food in terms of quantity or trade down to a light food designed for overweight or elderly dogs.

Neutered females tend to live longer than males and unsprayed females. See articles about the 'Pros and cons of Spaying and neutering'.

There are a number of ways we can suggest for you to give your dog or cat the best chance to live out its full life expectancy.

Good diet

Some people like to give their dogs and cats scraps of human food rather than specific dog food on the basis that it is tastier and better quality. This is a perception based on humans and not dogs and cats. Our nutritional needs are different as indeed are our taste buds and genetic make up. They don't need fruit and vegetables to get their Vitamin C and they can't eat meat alone either. The exact nutritional balance that they need can be found in manufactured dog foods so if you want your dog or cat to live a long life, it is best to provide the best balance of food in their diet.

Dogs need:

• Protein from chicken, lamb or salmon to release energy and form muscle.
• Fats and oils are essential energy foods to supply vitamins and keep their coat and skin in good condition as well as being very tasty to an animal.
• Cereals provide fibre that aids the digestive process
• Minerals such as calcium and phosphorus are needed for strong bones and teeth
• Small amounts of vitamins support the immune system
• Water to regulate body temperature

Cats need:

• Animal protein (avoid the cheaper canned food based on animal proteins because cats cannot fully use the protein content from plants)
• Low carbohydrate
• Water both separately and in the food
• Fresh raw meats and fish

Neutering

Having your dog or cat neutered or spayed reduces the risk of it dying from cancer and accidents that result indirectly from being spayed or neutered such as males running off across roads in hot pursuit of a female. See the article Pros and Cons of spaying and neutering.

Exercise

Like humans, our pets need to exercise to burn up the calories they consume otherwise they will put on weight and put extra stress on their heart. If you cannot exercise your pet as much as it needs, then cut down its food.

Mental stimulation

Just as we need to exercise our brains to keep our mind healthy, animals like to have some attention. Whilst cats and puppies will independently find something to play with, dogs need some organised play. Throw a ball or a stick for them in the garden or play hide and seek with dog treats under buckets. You could set up a little agility course for them or do regular training.

Bear in mind how long your dog or cat will live when you choose your pet. See article How to choose a pet. When your pet dies, as it will surely do there are some good ideas for how to deal with this in the article Children and the death of a pet.

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