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Cat years to human years

By Your Cat Magazine editors · Updated · How we check

A cat's first year equals about 15 human years, the second adds about 9 (24 total), and each year after adds about 4. That is the scale used in the AAHA and AAFP feline life stage guidelines.

The chart

Cat age Human age Life stage
1 year 15 Kitten to young adult
2 years 24 Young adult
3 years 28 Young adult
4 years 32 Young adult
5 years 36 Young adult
6 years 40 Young adult
7 years 44 Mature adult
8 years 48 Mature adult
10 years 56 Mature adult
12 years 64 Senior
14 years 72 Senior
16 years 80 Senior
18 years 88 Senior
20 years 96 Senior

For any age over 2: human years = (cat age minus 2) × 4 + 24.

Life stages

  • Kitten: birth to 12 months.
  • Young adult: 1 to 6 years.
  • Mature adult: 7 to 10 years, roughly a 30 to 40 year old person.
  • Senior: over 10 years.

Many cats live 12 to 18 years, and some reach 20 or more.

Try the cat age calculator for months too.

Source: Pumpkin, "How Old Is My Cat in Human Years?", citing the AAHA, International Cat Care and AAFP life stage guidelines.

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