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If you’re preparing to adopt one a Raggie, you’ll certainly have the question, “But, how long do Ragdolls cats live?”, on your mind.
if you’re really a responsible pet owner, you’ll want to have a realistic idea of how long you can expect your cat to live.
Why is it important to know how long my ragdoll will live?
Financial: Are you prepared to spend a significant amount of money on your raggie? Providing top-notch medical care and a good life for a cat can be expensive. quality food, vet bills, preventative healthcare including supplements, cat carriers, toys, condos, and cat furniture. trust me, it all adds up.
Lifestyle: If your cat lives 15 years or more, will your lifestyle allow you to have a cat? Will you downsize in a few years and consider living in a cat-free apartment? consider your personal situation over the next 15 years or so.
factors that influence a cat’s lifespan
The average life expectancy of a cat is affected by many things. Some of these factors we can control. some of us can’t.
but just like with humans, what we do with what we have (how we live our lives and our choices), far outweighs and influences the outcome, than the genetics we were born with.
I think the same goes for cats.
Not much research has been done on this topic. My reading, research, and especially my own personal experiences with cats over several decades have led me to believe that these factors influence (to varying degrees) how long a cat will live.
- diet
- genetics
- lifestyle
- inner life vs. outdoor living
- neutered or spayed: Altered cats are less susceptible to certain diseases.
- the race
- level of medical care
- vaccinated or unvaccinated (over-vaccination can be a serious problem for a renal cat)
- flea control: are harmful chemicals used?
- oldest cat on record: 38 years
- cats that live between 20 and 25 years old are not unheard of. cool. 🙂
- average lifespan of a cat: about 13 years of age.
- mickey, my childhood cat, lived to be 24 years old.
- macintosh, bluetip male, 16.8 years old
- bailey, female with seal gloves, age 17.5.
- zeezee & duffy, my current raggies are young, about 1.5 years old
- what you need to know about ragdoll cat weight
- the importance of establishing routines for your rag cat
- Ragdoll Cat Characteristics: 10 Reasons I Fell In Love With The Ragdoll Breed
- Are two ragdoll cats better than one? that’s the question!
related >why you should consider holistic veterinary care for your ragdoll cat
How long is a cat expected to live?
I think the average lifespan of a 13-year-old cat, as mentioned above, is short and should ideally be longer.
yes, cats live longer now than they did 30 or 40 years ago. however, I think 13 years is still a short life for a cat.
there are several things you can do for your cat to add years to her life.
related to >add precious years to your ragdoll cat’s life
half-life of a ragdoll cat
The answer to this question is not as precise as you might hope. in fact, you’ll find a wide range of answers if you research the topic.
just as there are a wide range of articles on the average lifespan of the house cat, the same goes for the average lifespan of the ragdoll cat.
the range of lifespan you can expect from a ragdoll cat is between 12 and 23 years of age.
ages of my ragdoll cats who passed away a few years ago (brother and sister):
so if you consider 14-16 years to be the average lifespan of a healthy ragdoll, then my team lived longer than the average ragdoll cat.
I think it’s safe to say that the life expectancy of a ragdoll cat is longer than that of the average house cat.
expect to have your rag cat around for a long time.
more ragdoll cat articles you might like
meeting your ragdoll | home
