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How can you tell a cats age?
And from my photos, how old would you estimate simba is?
And from my photos, how old would you estimate simba is?
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Cat age?
- Thread starter therockhugger
- Start Date
Once they are adults its hard to really tell. Under 1 yr, the vet can tell pretty good by the teeth. But after that its a best guess. Some cats (depends on what they've been thru) may look "old" at only 3-5 yrs old; others you can't tell they are that old and look younger then they are.
My Cornish Rex was not old looking till the end (15 1/2) - at 12/13 he still looked and acted like he was 7 yrs old
My Cornish Rex was not old looking till the end (15 1/2) - at 12/13 he still looked and acted like he was 7 yrs old
It is difficult to age cats over one year. So many cats at the shelter are just guesstimates as to their age and some people call to the shelter after adopting to say the cat is much older than they were told. Each vet might age the same cat differently. Some cats can have very healthy teeth at ten and look quite young. Some have unhealthy teeth and are maybe five and get aged to ten.
Alittle over 5 years ago a stray came through my cat door. I found a rescue that adopted out cats through Petco, and I fostered him. Compared to my 14 lb. Sugar Ray, he seemed so tiny, but he was actually eating pretty well--he had been someone's kitty, I had made an appointment to have "her" spayed and then the vet told me he was a male that had been neutered already.
Anyway, I was told he was probably about 4 years old. Last September the rescue called me and said that the individual that had adopted him 5 years before was having to bring him back---her husband had developed severe allergies and had given her an "ultimatum". I thought OK no one is going to adopt a black 9 year old cat--and I couldn't let him be taken to a shelter, so after talking to her & realizing that she was so upset I had her return him to me. He is mine now
We laughed because she said when they moved the year before she had taken him to a new vet and she told the vet that he was a rescue and she wondered how old the vet thought he was, since she really didn't know. He said about 5 years old.
Truthfully, after getting him back, I think he probably is now just about 6. He must have been alittle over a year when he first came here--or I assume the vet would have been able to tell that he was under 1 year.
But seeing him now, I am convinced that he was a young cat back then. Pictures I have of him then, show he was just not a really mature cat. He feels--can't see as he has long hair--very thin now and he weighs 12 lbs. as opposed to 7 lbs. back then (when he also felt thin, but not emaciated)....his hair has really grown much longer, his face just looks bigger, too. It is just so hard to tell.
Anyway, I was told he was probably about 4 years old. Last September the rescue called me and said that the individual that had adopted him 5 years before was having to bring him back---her husband had developed severe allergies and had given her an "ultimatum". I thought OK no one is going to adopt a black 9 year old cat--and I couldn't let him be taken to a shelter, so after talking to her & realizing that she was so upset I had her return him to me. He is mine now
We laughed because she said when they moved the year before she had taken him to a new vet and she told the vet that he was a rescue and she wondered how old the vet thought he was, since she really didn't know. He said about 5 years old.
Truthfully, after getting him back, I think he probably is now just about 6. He must have been alittle over a year when he first came here--or I assume the vet would have been able to tell that he was under 1 year.
But seeing him now, I am convinced that he was a young cat back then. Pictures I have of him then, show he was just not a really mature cat. He feels--can't see as he has long hair--very thin now and he weighs 12 lbs. as opposed to 7 lbs. back then (when he also felt thin, but not emaciated)....his hair has really grown much longer, his face just looks bigger, too. It is just so hard to tell.
I wouldn't know, I don't really know how old Billy is, the vet estimated about 6-7 and that was 2 years ago and he doesn't have alot of teeth so I guess it would be even harder.x
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Well here's a photo of his teeth, lol.
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I wouldn't know how to figure out how old a cat is when their an adult. However there are some cats that you can tell are really old, just by looking at their faces. My grandparents cat
Sueling had an ancient looking face when she died, and she was old, no one would have mistaken her for a 1 or 2 year old. Sometimes I can tell by looking at the kitten if it's 2 or 3 months old. But some of the kittens that are only 5 or 6 months old, are bigger than full grown cats! Midnight is like that, he's 5 months old and bigger than a grown cat!
There is no definite way to tell because every cat lives a different life. I've seen some 3 or 4 year old cats with teeth completely rotted out like an aging stray. I have also seen 15 year olds with pearly whites due to good dental care from their owners.
Two things
And I can totally appreciate your side bar about the IPad. I have so much trouble with spelling on the darn thing and people must think I am illiterate and half the time my sentences don't make sense. Thanks IPad!
