A recent study by researchers from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan determined the life expectancy of domestic cat breeds, focusing on the ones most common in the United Kingdom. Per the Guardian, Sphynx, often called naked cats, have the lowest lifespan, at an average of about six and a half years.
Research finds Sphynx have lowest life expectancy of all cat breeds
While Sphynx cats seem like they may live on forever, they have a suprisingly low life expectancy of 6.8 years. The researchers noted that an increased risk of several diseases might be the leading cause behind their average lifespan.
The study is the first of its kind in the U.K., focusing on companion cat breeds. The in-depth research provides life tables for pet cat breeds, giving people in the U.K. something to go by. The study, now included in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, helps predict the probability of death and remaining life expectancy for cats of different ages.
Researchers used a total of 7,936 vet-registered cats based in the U.K. They studied felines who died between Jan. 1, 2019, and March 31, 2021. This helped them calculate the average life expectancy depending on the cats’ ages. Co-author Kendy Teng stated that these life tables are a “significant milestone in understanding the life of cats,” per The Independent.
Burmese and Birman have highest average lifespan of all domestic cat breeds
Burmese and Birman cats ranked top with the longest lifespan of all domestic breeds. The researchers determined their average lifespan to be about 14.4 years. The average life expectancy of all domestic cat breeds was 11.7 years. Crossbreeds and Siamese came very close to that mark at 11.9 and 11.7 years, respectively.
Moreover, the study also concluded that cats with a weight that was too high or too low had higher chances of passing away early. Also, purebred cats have a higher chance of dying at an early age compared to crossbred cats. The chances of them passing before they are three years old are about 1.83 times higher.
