Q. We just got our first kitten and are very excited. What is a cat’s life expectancy?
Melissa Reardon
Sunapee, New Hampshire
Dear Ms. Reardon,
A. The average life span of a pet cat is increasing as a result of advances in health care. Today it is somewhere between 13 and 17 years, but some house cats live well into their 20s. Obesity can shorten a cat’s life up to two years. House cats that are let outside to wander also liver shorter lives, on average.
