What is the average life span of feral cats who have been fixed/vaccinated and are fed daily by caretakers?
Friday, March 12th, 2010 at
8:41 am
I have three cats which are strictly indoors and im very informed of the dangers of a cat living outside. The question refers to 5 ferals that would have had to be euthanized becuase of how wild and feral they are so I choose TNR (Trap neuter, release) as the alternative.
Thanks everyone for the answers so far!!!
Filed under: Cat Behavior
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Ryan some of mine are going on three years there are about 5 of them and I try to give them flea medication in the food if I can get a prescription from my vet. Out of those 5, two actually allow me to treat them, rashes, ears and eyes etc. and because I have pets of my own I make sure they are clean. But I have lived in this place since 2001 and some cats were already here and still around.
The dangers are car accidents poisoning and things like that
I hear 3 to five years but you never know and like you said these are years they would not have had they been taken to animal services.
We do the best we can
Thanks for that
Miriam
About 5 years average. Regardless of being fed and vaccinated, they are still exposed to outside dangers such as being hit by a car and predators. And not all contagious diseases for cats have a vaccination- Feline Infectious Peritonitis is a big killert hat currently has no vaccine. Not to mention fleas, ticks, intestinal parasites and ringworm- which can all make your cat sick.
I’ve seen a few that didn’t have that much good luck live to 2 to 5 years. Outdoor cats don’t survive the rigors of heat and freezing weather, rain and floods (here in Houston) and dogs, cars, and kids.
Also they walk through some terrible chemicals that get on their paws–anti freeze, insecticides, oil etc, and they lick it off and get poisoned.
But they can be happy in their little communities of feral cats especially if you TNR (trap, neuter, release) them.
Thanks for asking
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Cats that live indoors live longer, healthier lives. Statistically, the life span of an indoor cat averages 12 to 14 years, whereas it is only about four years for the outdoor cat. More than 1 million outdoor cats are killed each year by dogs, traffic, and exposure to disease. In the long run, keeping your cat indoors will also save you money in vet bills.
There are many risks that come with letting your cats roam free outside:
- They have a much higher chance of catching diseases and other illnesses such as: Feline Leukemia (FeLV), Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), Feline Herpes Virus (Rhinotracheitis), Feline Distemper, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), rabies, tapeworm, ringworm, heartworm, hypothermia and urinary tract infection
- Ingesting chemicals or poisons such as pesticides, home garden products and car/motor products
- Getting fleas or ticks
- Injury/death due to dangerous traffic
- Eating poisonous spiders, insects or plants
- Injury/death due to cruel humans, hunters or neighbors
- Attacks from dogs, other cats or wild animals
- Other accidental injuries
- Getting lost or stolen
This really depends upon the local environment and how safe it is for cats. Neutering and spaying definitely increase a cat’s lifespan. Vaccination and a regular food source will greatly assist their chances of survival too.
In the UK, given the right conditions, ferals who’ve been fed regularly by carers (as opposed to relying solely on what they hunt or scavenge) have reached their teens. The oldest one on record is Mark who was 28, when he died in 1997.
However, the situation in places such as North America is very different. There, cats have to contend with predators, rabies and heavier road traffic and so may not live as long. I’ve read articles stating that outdoor only cats in North America have an average life-span of around 5 years, though I do not know the source of this information as I have not seen the statistical studies.
Here in Cyprus, I’ve been feeding some feral cats for the last 5 years. I don’t know any of their ages, but none of them were kittens when I first met them. One of my work colleagues has a feral/stray cat living on her apartment complex who is 19. (The residents & holiday makers have a communal fund to pay for her food and any veterinary expenses.)