A 15-year-old cat is about 76 in human years, a 17-year-old about 84, an 18-year-old about 88 and a 20-year-old about 96. After age 2, each cat year adds about 4 human years.
How old is my senior cat in human years?
Cats are living longer than ever thanks to indoor lifestyles, better food and veterinary care, and it's now common to share your home with a cat of 15, 18 or even 20. But what does a 17-year-old cat equal in human years?
Vets use a simple feline chart: a cat is about 15 human years at age 1, 24 at age 2, and then ages about 4 human years for every calendar year. So a 15-year-old cat is about 76, a 17-year-old about 84 and a 20-year-old about 96 in human years.
Senior cat age chart (7–30 years)
| Cat age | Human years | AAHA/AAFP life stage |
|---|---|---|
| 7 years | 44 | Mature adult |
| 8 years | 48 | Mature adult |
| 9 years | 52 | Mature adult |
| 10 years | 56 | Mature adult |
| 11 years | 60 | Senior |
| 12 years | 64 | Senior |
| 13 years | 68 | Senior |
| 14 years | 72 | Senior |
| 15 years | 76 | Senior |
| 16 years | 80 | Senior |
| 17 years | 84 | Senior |
| 18 years | 88 | Senior |
| 19 years | 92 | Senior |
| 20 years | 96 | Senior |
| 21 years | 100 | Senior |
| 22 years | 104 | Senior |
| 23 years | 108 | Senior |
| 24 years | 112 | Senior |
| 25 years | 116 | Senior |
| 26 years | 120 | Senior |
| 27 years | 124 | Senior |
| 28 years | 128 | Senior |
| 29 years | 132 | Senior |
| 30 years | 136 | Senior |
When is a cat a senior?
The 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines divide a cat's life into four stages: kitten (birth–1 year), young adult (1–6 years), mature adult (7–10 years) and senior (over 10 years). The guidelines stress these are not hard lines — a healthy 11-year-old may act like a mature adult.
Caring for a senior cat
- Checkups every 6 months: older cats hide illness well. Twice-yearly exams catch kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure and dental disease earlier.
- Watch water and litter habits: drinking or urinating more can be an early sign of kidney disease or diabetes.
- Keep them moving: short play sessions, low-sided litter boxes and steps up to favorite spots help stiff joints.
- Weigh regularly: unexplained weight loss is one of the most important warning signs in older cats.
How long can a cat live?
Most indoor cats live into their mid-to-late teens, and many reach 20. The oldest cat on record, Creme Puff from Austin, Texas, lived to 38 years and 3 days according to Guinness World Records. Using the chart above, that's roughly 168 in human years!
Breed makes a difference too. Big cats don't always get the longest lives: a large UK study put the average Maine Coon at under 10 years from birth. See the Maine Coon lifespan calculator for that breed's numbers, or check how long Ragdolls live — UK vet records put their median age at death at 12.85 years.
Frequently asked questions
How old is a 15 year old cat in human years?
A 15-year-old cat is about 76 human years old.
How old is a 17 year old cat in human years?
A 17-year-old cat is about 84 human years old.
How old is an 18 year old cat in human years?
About 88 human years.
How old is a 19 year old cat in human years?
About 92 human years.
How old is a 20 year old cat in human years?
A 20-year-old cat is about 96 human years old — nearly a centenarian.
How old is a 21 or 22 year old cat in human years?
A 21-year-old cat is about 100 and a 22-year-old cat about 104 human years old.
How old is a 16 year old cat in human years?
About 80 human years.
What is 38 cat years in human years?
About 168 human years. That's the age of Creme Puff, the oldest cat ever recorded (38 years, 3 days).
At what age is a cat considered senior?
The 2021 AAHA/AAFP guidelines consider cats seniors when they are over 10 years old.
This calculator gives an estimate for education and fun. Every pet ages differently — for health decisions, talk to your veterinarian.