AnAge entry for Felis catus

Classification (HAGRID: 01762)

Taxonomy: Kingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Chordata
        Class: Mammalia (Taxon entry)
            Order: Carnivora
                Family: Felidae
                    Genus: Felis
Species: Felis catus
Common name: Domestic cat
Synonyms: Felis catus domestica

Maximum longevity: 30 years (captivity)
Source: Multiple references, please see bibliography below
Sample size: Large
Data quality: Questionable
Observations: Domestic cats descend from wild cats (Felis silvestris). There are conflicting reports concerning the longevity of cats and estimating their maximum longevity is difficult and error-prone. The oldest cat is reportedly "Creme Puff," a 37 year-old animal in Texas, USA [0551], but the accuracy of this record has not been confirmed. Cats do appear to occasionally live more than 30 years.

: No information is available on life history. Please contact us if you wish to suggest or contribute data.

[1308] Myhrvold et al. (2015), An amniote life-history database to perform comparative analyses with birds, mammals, and reptiles
[1020] Mungall et al. (2006), Feline model of acute nipah virus infection and protection with a soluble glycoprotein-based subunit vaccine (PubMed)
[0709] Hua et al. (2006), Functional degradation of visual cortical cells in old cats (PubMed)
[0715] Lorenzini et al. (2005), Cellular replicative capacity correlates primarily with species body mass not longevity (PubMed)
[0120] Peachey and Harper (2002), Aging does not influence feeding behavior in cats (PubMed)
[0434] Ronald Nowak (1999), Walker's Mammals of the World
[0125] Tracy and Johnson (1994), Aging of a class of arteries in various mammalian species in relation to the life span (PubMed)
[0124] Chase et al. (1985), Aging of motoneurons and synaptic processes in the cat (PubMed)
[0123] Kaler and Haensly (1977), Kidney in the aging cat: neutral lipid and adenyl cyclase histochemistry (PubMed)
[0122] Ives et al. (1975), A histochemical and ultrastructural study of lipofuscin accumulation in thyroid follicular cells of aging domestic cats (PubMed)
[0121] Deyl et al. (1971), Aging of the connective tissue: collagen cross linking in animals of different species and equal age (PubMed)
[0551] Guinness World Records