Several factors come into play in determining the average lifespan of a Siamese cat. In this article, we will look closer at the breed itself and review the many things that can impact how long a Siamese can live.
Old Breed
The Siamese is one of the oldest cat breeds with such a long history that the details of its origin are a bit fuzzy. While that should have little or no bearing on the average age a Siamese cat will reach, it is also interesting to note that this is one of the longest living cat breeds.
What that means is that as long as your Siamese cat is properly cared for, and stays healthy, it is going to be a part of your life for a fairly long time. Stats indicate that the average lifespan of a Siamese cat is between 15 and 20 years. Remember, that is the average. There are unique variations of the modern Siamese cat that have much shorter lifespans.
The Factors Determining The Lifespan Of A Siamese Cat
How long do Siamese cats live? It depends. No doubt compared to the average dog, a Siamese cat will outlive your canine companion by several years. This may cause you to pause and rethink the time spent with Rover versus Fifi. But don’t let that influence you too much. Here are several factors that will have a direct impact on how long your kitty is going to be around.
Indoor Cats Have Different Lives Than Outdoor Cats
A cat that is strictly raised indoors is going to have a slightly different lifespan, and lifestyle, compared to cats that live primarily outdoors. That is because there are far more risks and environmental challenges that an outdoor cat has to survive. They may include catfights, vehicles, other animals, and harsh weather conditions.
These threats are not present for indoor cats. However, cats that seem to have the luxury of living inside a warm home can suffer from other issues including becoming overweight from being overfed. Plus, cat owners with certain allergies or sensitivities may become sick more frequently with an indoor cat as opposed to an outdoor one.
The Feeding And Exercise Issues
Cats tend to eat a lot. Food and exercise are an important part of the answer to the question How long do Siamese cats live? Any cat will let you know when their food dish is empty or when they think it is time for you to start doling out the treats.
With feline obesity as the most common nutritional issue with domestic cats, all cat owners have to know how to control the food situation and the importance of balancing that with exercise. Obese cats get lazy, and they can start to ignore their normal grooming habits.
Obese cats can also develop arthritis which will impact their mobility. Obesity is something to take seriously if it affects your cat as it will shorten the kitty’s lifespan.
Playtime Is An Important Part Of Every Siamese Cat’s Life
Playtime serves two primary functions in the life of a cat. First, it is a form of exercise, and exercise will keep a cat lean and fight off the possibility of obesity developing. Fit and strong cats are healthy cats and healthy cats live longer lives.
Second, playtime is something that will make your cat happy. It’s a treat for their mental health. A happy cat doesn’t get into as much trouble and behaves better. By scheduling regular playtime and exercise into the day, your cat will get a workout and be content by the end of it.
Stressed Out Cats Get Frazzled
Just like some humans have bad reactions to too much going on, cats also experience stress. Siamese cats can handle short bursts of sensory overloads, much like most humans can but long-term stress is a different matter altogether. It has been proven that too much stress can shorten lifespans - both human and feline.
Cats have funny ways about them as some seemingly normal things can become a source of stress. This can be something as simple as you touching your cat too often or the cat having to share a food dish or water bowl with other cats in the household.
The Breed Of Your Cat Determines Lifespan
Again, as we look at answering the question How long do Siamese cats live? We have to factor in the breed. We have already indicated that Siamese cats are known to live longer on average than any other breed of cat. But this depends on some things that are purely genetic and beyond your control. For example, purebred Siamese cats have a shorter lifespan than non-purebred. That’s just one of those genetic issues.
Disease Can Play A Huge Role In Siamese Cat Lifespan
There are illnesses that a visit to your vet can remedy. But some diseases are irreversible and inevitable. Some breeds are susceptible to certain ailments and diseases and other breeds are not. You must do some homework about Siamese cats to become more familiar with what you are getting yourself into with one of these types of cats. Don’t get us wrong, but the Siamese cat age can bring on new challenges for both you and your feline friend and it helps to have some basic knowledge so that you are prepared for when things start to change.
In Conclusion
The oldest cat on record is a Main Coon that lived to 32 years in the UK. In answering the question How long do Siamese cats live? You can bet that 32 will be out of reach for the majority of cats. However, Siamese cats are one of the oldest breeds and are known for longer than average lifespans.
As explained, several factors will affect how long any cat will live. The key is to keep yours healthy and strong, happy and comfortable and he or she will be a companion for you for many, many years.
