Most people think that calculating the age of dogs and cats in
"human years" is quite simple: multiply their age by seven. For
example, a 4-year-old dog or cat would actually be 28 years old in human
years.
But when you really begin weighing out the
arithmetic, this method doesn't add up. Say a 1-year-old dog is the
equivalent of a 7-year-old human -- get out of here! How many
7-year-old humans are sexually active and capable of reproducing? Dogs
and cats are much more likely to have babies at 1 year old or even at
10 years old, than any person who is 7 or 70.
DOGS
Aging
is much faster during a dog's first two years but varies among breeds.
Large breeds, while they mature quicker, tend to live shorter lives.
By the time they reach 5 they are considered "senior" dogs.
Medium-sized breeds take around seven years to reach the senior stage,
while small and toy breeds do not become seniors until around 10.
Many
veterinarians agree that a pretty good guess on the age of pets can be
made using the following formula. Although still simple, it is much
more accurate than the seven-year method.
Assume that a
1-year-old dog is equal to a 12-year-old human and a 2-year-old dog is
equal to a 24-year old human. Then add four years for every year after
that. (Example: A 4-year-old dog would be 32 in human years.)
Here is a chart, for easy reference:
A dog's average lifespan is around 12 or 13 years, but again, this
varies widely by breed. The larger your dog is, the less time it will
live. Female dogs tend to live a little longer.
CATS
Now let's take a glimpse at a simple formula for calculating feline age in human years.
Assume
that a 1-year-old cat is equal to a 15-year-old human and a 2-year-old
cat is equal to a 24-year-old human. Then add four years for every
year after that. (Example: A 4-year-old cat would be 32 in human
years.)
The following chart shows this formula of calculation:
P/S: Check out this and more great stuff from
PetsAdviser.com and
WebVet.com
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