How Long Does a Siamese Cat Live? Read on to find the best answer!
The breed of a cat determines its life span. Usually, it is said that a purebred one has a lesser life span compared to that of a mixed breed. Purebred cats live for fewer years due to interbreeding.
However, Siamese cats are an exception to this thumb rule. So, how long does a Siamese cat live?
Siamese is a purebreed cat that has an average life span of almost 15 to 20 years. Some Siamese cats live even more than that.
The lifespan of Siamese depends on various factors like diseases, food habits, habitat (indoor cats have a longer life span than outdoor ones due to lesser life risks), and stress factors. Siamese cats, if kept under proper care, live a happy, healthy, and long life.
Scooter, a Siamese cat, holds the Guinness World Record for living until the age of 30. He was very fit even during his last years. Owner Gail Floyd reported that Scooter would wake up at 6 in the morning and wait until he returned from work.
Factors Behind Life Expectancy of Siamese Cats
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Diet
Cats love to eat. They will constantly meow and tell you they are hungry and it’s time to refill their bowl with food. Feline obesity is a deteriorating factor for a cat’s health and leads to the early death of cats. Arthritis and low grooming are associated with obesity.
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Exercise
Playtime for cats is essential to keep them fit mentally as well as physically. Playtime helps the cat to fight obesity, improve its grooming flexibility, and elevate levels of endorphins. Scheduled playtime enhances overall health and hence their life span.
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Stressors
Just like humans, cats too have stress issues. Stress can be long-term or short-term. Excessive stress can decrease the life span of a cat. Cats get stressed due to too much human touch, exposure to a new environment, presence of other unfriendly cats around
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Indoor Vs. Outdoor
Outdoor cats have a higher risk of death than indoor cats. Vehicles, pollution, other predatory animals, catfights, and extreme weather conditions can harm outdoor cats, reducing their life expectancy. Indoor cats live at lower threats.
Searching for food, water or shelter is an additional risk factor for outdoor cats. Indoor cats live comfortably inside. Any illness or concerns of an indoor cat catches the notice of the owner frequently. They get their requisite help faster.
Fatal Health Problems in Siamese Cats
The Siamese cat breed is often prone to serious health issues that can turn out to be fatal. These include difficulty breathing, calcium oxalate stones in the gall bladder, glaucoma, crossed eyes, and chronic kidney failure.
We will briefly discuss these health problems in Siamese:
- Cross-eyed- Strabismus, also known as “crossed eyes,” is caused due to an imbalance of muscles of the extraocular (outside of the eye). Many Siamese cats are born with this deformity. It is associated with a problem in the nerves of the eye muscles indicating meningitis or brain cancer.
- Kinked tail- kinked tail in Siamese cats can impair its movement. It results from the distortion of the spinal cord. It is very commonly found among this breed.
- Dental concerns- gingivitis-periodontitis – Commonly seen in a juvenile Siamese breed where the teeth have thick calculus deposits and plaque with red swollen gums.
- Bladder stones-In Siamese cats, gallstones are linked to inflammation of the bile duct. Cats do not exhibit any symptoms initially. When the stones turn highly infectious, they lose appetite and body weight and get frequent stomach pain, jaundice, and fever. Bacterial infections are common with gallstones.
- Eye problems- “Progressive retinal atrophy” (PRA) is a genetic disease among Siamese strains. Eyes with PRA lose vision at the initial stages until they go blind completely.
- Heart Disease: Siamese cats are susceptible to a heart disease known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, capable of causing sudden heart failure. this condition is treatable only with lifelong medications.
- Cancers: Lymphoma is a kind of blood cancer that affects Siamese cats the most. The growth of abnormal lymphocytes occurs in the blood. Since white blood cells are present throughout, they can show in any part of the body.
Summary
Siamese cat breed has the highest life span than any other pure breed. Burmese Ragdoll, Russian Blue, Savannah Cat, Balinese, the American Shorthair, and Bombay exhibit breeding with such a long life span.
Balinese and Burmese breeds are crossbreeds of Siamese. The Burmese are a crossbreed of a Siamese cat and a brown Burma cat.
The Balinese is a Siamese cat formed from a random mutation of a pure breed Siamese. All of the characteristics exhibited by Balinese are the same as that of a Siamese except that it only has a longer body than that of a Siamese.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Causes Most Deaths in Siamese Cats?
Usually, most Siamese cats die of cancer in their old age. Cancer can also happen in younger cats hence shortening its life span.
What Are the Few Cat Breeds with The Highest Life Span?
Siamese, Burmese Ragdoll, Russian Blue, Savannah Cat, Balinese, the American Shorthair, and Bombay are cat breeds that long live.
