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Why Can’t Dogs and Cats Live as Long as Humans?

Why Can’t Dogs and Cats Live as Long as Humans?

How to Measure Your Pet’s Age in People Terms

In a perfect world, our animal companions would live forever – or at least as long as us. Unfortunately, being a pet parent often means saying goodbye a lot sooner than you’d like. Most of us will share our lifetimes with multiple pets, watching them grow up, grow old, and eventually depart. But why does it have to be that way? What makes dogs and cats live shorter lives than their human friends?


Many factors influence lifespan in the animal kingdom. Size, metabolic rate, growth hormones, oxidative stress, and evolutionary pressures all play a role. Scientists are still working out the details of why some animals live longer than others. One thing we do know: Animals that grow faster, age faster. So, in general terms, people live longer than dogs because puppies grow up faster than babies.

How to Calculate Age in Dog Years

Prevailing wisdom used to be that one year is equal to seven “dog years.” That’s not entirely accurate, though, because a one-year-old dog is significantly more grown-up than a seven-year-old person.


A more accurate formula for estimating a dog’s age is:


  • A 1-year-old dog is equivalent to a 15-year-old human
  • A 2-year-old dog is equivalent to a 24-year-old human
  • After that, each year is equal to about five “dog years”


By this estimation, a 10-year-old dog is 64 years old in human terms.


Even this estimate is very rough, though, and doesn’t account for the differences between breeds. Small breeds like Chihuahuas and Toy Poodles routinely live well into their teens. Giant breeds like Great Danes and Mastiffs reach their golden years around 7-8 years old. A 10-year-old Great Pyrenees is much older than a Dachshund the same age. If you’re trying to gauge your pet’s age, you’ll want to take their breed into consideration. For mixed breeds or dogs of unknown heritage, you can estimate based on size.

What About Cats?

Cats tend to have similar lifespans to small dogs. This means the average cat’s lifespan is longer than the average dog’s. Bearing that in mind, the formula mentioned above will still work pretty well for measuring “cat years.”


The world record-holder for longest-lived feline belongs to Crème Puff, a domestic shorthair who lived to a ripe old age of 38 years. Most indoor cats live between 12 to 18 years. Feral cats and those that spend a lot of time outside have dramatically shorter lifespans.

How to Help Your Pet Live Longer

Aging is inevitable, but there are a few things you can do that will help your pet to live a longer, healthier life:


  • Keep them at a healthy weight. Limit treats and between-meal snacks, and feed them high-quality food.
  • Provide plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. Active pets are healthier and happier.
  • Spay or neuter them. This reduces or eliminates the risk of many reproductive health problems and can also lower their stress levels.
  • Give good dental care. Tooth decay can put a lot of stress on an animal’s body. Arrange for routine dental cleanings at your vet’s office, and brush your pet’s teeth at home if you’re able.
  • Schedule regular check-ups. Don’t wait until something is wrong to take your pet to the vet. Staying up-to-date on shots and having bloodwork done as necessary will help maintain your pet’s health.


You can talk with your veterinarian about more recommendations for your specific pet’s needs. They’ll have the best idea of your pet’s overall level of health and can help you identify signs of aging and slowing down.


Of course, one day, it will be time to say goodbye. When that time comes, Best Friends Pet Passings and Cremations will be here to help – and offer a shoulder to cry on, any time.


Whether you have general pet cremation questions or are planning for an imminent loss, you can call us at (803) 888-7095 to speak to a member of our staff, or you can reach out online to chat in whatever way is most comfortable for you.

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Losing a cherished companion is already emotionally devastating. Surprise expenses only add to your worries. That’s why Best Friends believes in the importance of transparency during this difficult time. We can’t make the pain of loss go away, but we can do everything in our power to make it easier to bear – and part of that means upfront pricing and simple-to-understand cremation packages.

How to Make a Pet Memorial Garden

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Why Does Losing a Pet Hurt So Much?

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Heartache isn’t just a poetic turn of phrase. The emotions of grief can be felt in your body: the tightness in your chest, the throb in your head, the heaviness in your limbs. Losing a beloved animal companion can be a mental, emotional, and physical ordeal, just the same as losing any other family member. Pet owners often face pressure to hide or downplay their grief when a pet dies. After all, it was just a pet, right? The fact is that pets are so much more than that. They are constant companions, a source of unconditional love, and a comforting presence.

Is It Better to Bury or Cremate Your Pet?

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The decision of what to do with a beloved pet’s body is a deeply personal one. It’s also not always easy to make in the moment. When you’re faced with a loss that happens at home, or your vet asks about your preference at the clinic, your mind might go blank. Should you cremate your pet? Should you bury them? If you cremate them, do you want the ashes back? Will you scatter those ashes, bury them, keep them on the mantel or do something else with them? These decisions can leave you feeling blind-sided, and you might not know the best way to proceed.

Why Do Pets Hide When They’re Sick?

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It can be nerve-wracking when your fur-baby is seriously ill or feeling the effects of old age. Because they cannot speak to us directly, it’s hard to know for certain how our animal companions are feeling or what’s going through their minds. That uncertainty can lead you to asking yourself a lot of difficult questions.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Adopting a Senior Pet?

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When you’re looking to grow your family, a new puppy or kitten is often the first thing that comes to mind. But adopting a senior pet can be very rewarding. Whether you’re looking to add a second companion or are opening your heart to another pet after a loss, consider inviting a senior pet to live out their golden years in your home.

What is Anticipatory Grief?

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Part of being a pet parent is knowing you will say goodbye too soon. No lifetime ever feels long enough when it comes to a beloved animal companion. Seeing your fur baby grow old and slow down can be painful. Watching them advance through the stages of a terminal disease, knowing you will have to make a choice sooner or later about when to let them go, can be one of the most agonizing parts of pet parenting.

Famous Pet Cemeteries Around the World

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Pets are family. And when they pass away, we memorialize them for the same reason we do our human family members. Whether their ashes are kept on the mantle, scattered in the garden, or buried in a pet cemetery, laying your pet’s remains to rest is a tribute to them and the lasting bond you share. A permanent memorial or resting place gives you something to visit after they’re gone, and it’s a visible expression of the love and care you feel for them.

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A Pet is Never “Just” a Pet

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“It’s just a pet.” There are few things crueler to say to someone grieving the loss of a furry family member. Yet people are often quick to dismiss the pain associated with pet death. Sometimes when we are coping with the loss, we can even internalize that dismissiveness and feel self-conscious or ashamed of our feelings. This only compounds the pain, adding more negative emotions to an already difficult time. Pets serve a vital role in our lives. They are precious to us. Pets are part of the family. In some ways, they can be even closer to us than many of the people in our lives. It’s only natural that their loss would affect us deeply.

What Is the Rainbow Bridge?

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If you’ve spent much time around pet parents online, you may already be familiar with the idea of the Rainbow Bridge. Perhaps you’ve seen someone say, “Muffin crossed the bridge today,” or seen someone express sympathy as, “Play hard at the bridge, Buddy.” Or you might have seen a motif of rainbows and bridges on cards and memorial items and wondered about it. What is the Rainbow Bridge, and what does it have to do with pet loss?

How Does At-Home Pet Euthanasia Work?

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The tragedy of pet ownership is knowing that your furry friend’s lifespan will never be long enough. Though their lives are short, our pets pack a tremendous amount of love and wonderful memories into the time we share. And when they approach the end of their lives, we as pet parents can return that love with a beautiful final gift.
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