Risk Of People Spreading Sars
People can spread SARS-CoV-2 to animals, especially during close contact.
Reports of animals infected with SARS-CoV-2 have been documented around the world. Most of these animals became infected after contact with people with COVID-19, including owners, caretakers, or others who were in close contact. We dont yet know all of the animals that can get infected. Animals reported infected include:
- Companion animals, including pet cats and dogs and one ferret.
- Animals in zoos and sanctuaries, including several types of big cats, otters, and non-human primates.
- Mink on mink farms.
- Wild white-tailed deer in several U.S. states.
For information on how to protect pets and animals:
What If I Dont Have Anyone To Attend My Cat
If you work or have to leave for a trip, you can try and arrange for someone to come and spend a bit of time with your cat. At least this way, your cat gets some sort of attention, mental stimulation, and love. It can be difficult to arrange for someone to come cat-sit every day, and the next best thing you can do is catify your house. What we mean by this is to make your house entertaining for your cat.
You can set up a cat tree, automatic feeders, and food puzzles, and can scatter toys around the house. This will at least keep your little feline friend busy until you get back. Another thing you can do is give your cat a companion by adopting another cat. This way, they have companionship and can keep each other busy.
So how long is too long to leave a cat alone? There is no straightforward answer to this. But the best advice would be to try and not leave them home for too long. Yes, you need to go to work or maybe go shopping, but at least try to provide some entertainment for your cat.
Heres a useful article about how to keep your house cat entertained: “How to keep a house cat entertainedFor hours and hours!“
And if youre going away for a vacation, then you might get someone to stay in and keep your cats company and not just feed them and change their litter box. Better yet, you could even take them with you on vacation.
Facebook image: Vlue/Shutterstock
References
What Is The Average Life Expectancy For An Outdoor Cat
The average outdoor cat lives between two and seven years old, according to WebMD. The reason outdoor cats face shorter lifespans is that they face greater challenges. As Rover previously reported, outdoor cats can be attacked, leaving them with scrapes and scars, and theyre more likely to contract viruses like the feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus.
Read Also: Why Would The Cat Talk Rick And Morty
How Old Is The Oldest Cat In The World
The record age of the oldest cat in the world today is 38, owned by the cat Creme Puff in the USA, born in 1967 and died in 2005. Apart from him, other small felines have distinguished themselves by their extraordinary longevity. This was the case with Chatreux Moun and Sarah from New Zealand among others.
The record for the oldest surviving cat in the world is held by the Maine Coon Rubble. Alive in Devon in England, he blew out his31st candleJune 2019.
Create An Indoor Cat Garden
Just because you have a house cat, it doesnt mean that they have to miss out on all the joys of outside. Create a garden inside your home and plant a variety of cat-friendly plants such as: catnip, cat grass and valerian. As they love to interact with these types of plants, plant them in large planters and trays so they can take full advantage of their indoor cat garden.
Recommended Reading: Croton And Cats
Risk Of Animals Spreading Sars
Based on the available informationto date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low.
Based on the available informationto date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low. At this time, there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to people. More studies are needed to understand if and how different animals could be affected by SARS-CoV-2.
Some coronaviruses that infect animals can be spread to people and then spread between people, but this is rare. This is what happened with SARS-CoV-2, which likely originated in bats.
Potential Risks Of Keeping Cats Indoors
Although there are numerous benefits to keeping cats indoors, there are also a few risks you need to consider before making your choice:
- Cats may develop behavioural problems and become stressed as for some, inside life is far too boring and theyre not given the opportunity to escape from stressors in the home.
- House cats have less opportunities for exercise and will seldom exercise themselves, which could lead to them becoming overweight.
- While your cat will be kept safe from toxic substances outside, there are plenty of things which are toxic to cats in your home, such as household cleaners and medications.
- There are many house plants which are toxic to cats, including common ones like lilies, aloe vera and daffodils make sure you do plenty of research and remove any plants or flowers that could harm your cat.
- As youll become your indoor cats source of entertainment and exercise, they may become overly dependent on you and wont like being left alone for too long.
- If you have more than one cat in the home which are both kept inside this may cause tension and fighting.
You May Like: Cat Ages Compared To Human Years
What Affects The Average Lifespan Of A Cat
Certain cat breeds seem to live longer than others. Burmese, Siamese and Manx cats have some of the longest cat lifespans. On the flipside, much like humans, some cats simply get unlucky in the genetic lottery and are more susceptible to diseases that shorten their lifespans, like diabetes, heart disease or cancer.
But whats more important than breeds or genetics in determining the average lifespan of a cat? The care that cat receives, including nutrition, veterinary care and plain old TLC. One of the most significant factors in extending the average lifespan of a cat is whether she lives indoors or outdoors.
As well as breed and genetics, some factors affecting the cats lifespan are whether hes indoor or outdoor, says Dr. Leanne Landau Kasitz, a veterinarian at Stilwell Animal Hospital and Equine Center in Stilwell, Kansas. An outdoor cats average lifespan is significantly decreased. This can be due to trauma , nutrition or lack of veterinary care leading to disease or dental problems.
Humans Vs Cats In Running Skills
Its kind of humbling to think that your cat, a purring little fluff ball, without so much as a warm-up, could out-sprint the worlds fastest human runner. The fastest a human can run is about 27 mph, and that speed has been reached by only a scant few talented, well-trained athletes in top condition. Your average athlete may run up to 22 mph, and most of us ordinary folk would have trouble out-running an elephant, which can clip along at around 10 15 mph.
;Your average healthy housecat, however, with no training, no conditioning, no stretching, and no carb loading can bolt at an amazing speed of about 30 mph. All the cat would need for such an athletic feat is a little motivation, such as fleeing prey before her or a big dog after her.
;You may say thats not a fair comparison a cat has four legs and people have just two. True, but our legs are much longer! It would seem we should be able to keep up!
;According to Peter Weyand, an assistant professor at Rice University, in the Forbes article, Whats the Human Speed Limit?, four-legged animals use the same materials to run as we do bones, muscles, and tendons, which are no different from ours. Apparently what makes the difference in speed is not how many legs we have, or how fast we can move our legs, but how much muscle force the legs can exert on the ground. Cats have very muscular legs. They also have very flexible spines that arch and straighten as they run, giving them an enormous stride.
Also Check: Do Neutered Male Cats Run Away
How Long Do Cats Live Outside Versus Inside
Another important factor in how long a cat will live has to do with whether theyre allowed to go outside.;
Now, there are some benefits for your cat being able to enjoy the fresh air; it gives them an opportunity to exercise and seek out mental stimulation. But, theres a major reason why most vets will recommend against unsupervised outdoor time: it significantly lowers a cats life expectancy.
Cats who are able to explore the great outdoors on their own are at high risk of contracting diseases from roadkill, prey, or parasites. Theyre also vulnerable to predators, cars, and other territorial cats.;
And, while our cats may want to go outside, that doesnt mean that doing so wont expose them to stressful situations. Close encounters can be traumatic to our feline friends, and high levels of stress are a silent killer for cats.
If you want your cat to be able to stick their whiskers in a flowerbed or sharpen their claws on a tree trunk, you can provide them with supervised time outside. Youll want your cat to be under your control at all times, either by providing them a fenced area to roam or putting them on a leash.
Debating Keeping Your Cat Indoors Or Letting Them Outside
Many cats love the great outdoors. But humane associations agree that an indoor life is far healthier for them; theyre safe from outdoor hazards, and their people tend to pay closer attention to them and notice signs of health problems earlier.
The upshot of being an indoor cat? A much longer life span. An all-indoor cat lives an average of 13 to 17 years, whereas a cat whos allowed to roam is likely to survive just two to five years. That said, they may live longer depending on a few factors, like where they live.
The one absolute rule when making the indoor-outdoor decision: declawed kitties should be kept inside. We dont recommend that you ever declaw a cat, but sometimes people adopt cats who are already declawed. Declawed cats cant defend themselves from dogs, other cats, or predators, making the outdoors even riskier.
But if your kittys got their claws, and youre still on the fence about whether to let them outdoors, here are a few things to consider.
Don’t Miss: What Did Lovecraft Name His Cat
How To Keep Your Cat Healthy
While some factors of a cats health are out of your control, like genetics and accidents, there are plenty of things you can do to keep your cat as healthy and long-lived as possible.
1. Keep your cat indoors
As we already discussed, a cats average lifespan increases dramatically when theyre kept indoors, away from diseases and physical trauma. If you want your cat to get some outdoor time, consider an outdoor enclosure such as a catio, or training your cat to enjoy leash walks.
2. Keep your cat at a healthy weight
Obesity in cats is associated with several diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and osteoarthritis. It also more than doubles their mortality rate compared to lean cats, according to VCA Hospitals. Keep treats to no more than 5-10% of your cats daily diet, advises the ASPCA.
3. Get your cat plenty of exercise
Exercise helps keep your cats weight down, helps her burn off excess energy, and gives your brain something to do. PetMD recommends bursts of playtime that last 10-15 minutes, using toys like feathers, strings, and lasers, as well as providing climbing opportunities on cat towers.
4. Spay or neuter your cat
Spaying prevents several cancers, including uterine and breast, especially if you spay your cat before her first heat . Male cats benefit from neutering by preventing testicular cancer. Altered cats are also usually better behaved. Female cats wont go into heat and seek out a mate, and male cats tend to mark less.
Working Out The Average Cat Lifespan: How Old Is My Cat Cat Years Vs Human Years
Trying to figure out your cats age can be quite tricky. Often a trained veterinary professional can determine a cats age.
Before we give you some tips on how to tell how old your cat isin cat yearsyou will first need to familiarize yourself with their growth cycle.
Female cats become sexually mature when they reach about 80% of their adult weight. Now, this can be anywhere from 6 to 10 months. Males, on the other hand, reach sexual maturity at 5 months of age. During these few months, both male and female cats are considered to be in their teenage years!
According to the American Animal Hospital Association, a cat can be considered a senior when they pass 10 years old.
So, how do we tell how old our cat is?
The best and most trusted way of determining a cats age is by looking at their teeth. Now, if you dont know the anatomy of the feline jaw, then chances are you wont be able to determine their age. However, if you do a little anatomy, then heres how you can tell a cats age.
Don’t Miss: How To Keep Cats Off Outdoor Furniture
What Is The Average Lifespan Of A Cat
One of the toughest parts of loving a cat is acknowledging the fact that the average lifespan of a cat is much shorter than the average lifespan of a human. This, unfortunately, means that your kitty will most likely pass away before you do. The comparatively short average lifespan of a cat can be difficult to accept. My beloved gray tabby, Bubba Lee Kinsey, passed away from cancer last summer, and I still miss his naptime snuggles, persistent headbutts and delicate meow, which always sounded too sweet and meek to come from such a handsome and robust predator. Still, I feel lucky to say that Bubba was my best friend and companion for 17 years, which is actually a fairly long cat lifespan .
When it comes to determining the average lifespan of a cat, several factors play significant roles. While genetic factors do influence the average lifespan of a cat, many other lifestyle variations are even more important which is actually good news, as it means you can do a lot to make sure your kitty lives a long and happy life.
Neighbours Friends Or Family
If youre planning to leave home for a longer period of time, its always worth asking responsible neighbours or friends and family to look after your cat in your own home.
This will allow your cat to stay in the safe place they feel most comfortable, with regular check-ups to feed them, play with them and change the litter tray. This is the least disruptive option, not to mention the most cost-effective. Its even better if your cat knows the person looking in on them, as they will feel more secure.
Also Check: How To Get Cat Pee Out Of Mattress
What Age What Stage
Cats can live for an amazingly long time considering their small size. In general, smaller mammals have shorter lifespans, but cats are a little different. For example, although cats are smaller than most dogs, they generally live longer. Also, they are only slightly larger than rabbits, yet again live a great deal longer. The average lifespan for a pet cat is probably around 13 to 14 years. However, although their lifespan varies, a well cared for cat may commonly live to 15 or beyond, some make it to 18 or 20 and a few extraordinary felines even pass 25 or 30 years of age.
Cats Live Very Happy Fulfilling Lives Indoors
With spring comes kitten season.
Many households will be adding a kitten or a cat to their family over the coming months. Even though life began in the great outdoors for many kittens, they can live very happy, fulfilling lives as an indoor-only cat.
On average, indoor cats live longer and healthier lives than outdoor cats and even indoor/outdoor cats.
Cats were domesticated by humans around 4,000 years ago. Their domestication is very different from that of a dog so some would argue that they arent truly domesticated. Cats can still hunt and they are better at surviving in the wild, unlike most modern breeds of dogs.
Even though cats are less dependent on humans, they have a higher quality of life when living inside as a companion pet. And, even though cats are more adept at living outside, there are many dangers that they face and they have a drastically shorter lifespan compared to an indoor cat.
According to the ASPCA, indoor cats have a lifespan of 13 to 17 years compared to their outdoor counterparts with a life expectancy of 2 to 5 years.
The dangers that outdoor or indoor/outdoor cats face include predation, dog attacks, traffic, fighting and injuries from other outdoor cats, increased risk of infectious diseases, poison by toxins such as antifreeze or rat poison, increased parasite load, becoming lost, or unintentionally ending up as a stray in a shelter.
They help educate their clients on keeping our bird populations safe while being a wonderful pet owner.
Read Also: Rainbow Kitten Surprise When It Lands
Dont Smoke Around Your Pet
Secondhand smoke affects cats, too! VCA Hospitals says that cats who live in a smoking household are at a much higher risk of developing lung cancer. Cats living in smoky homes are also 2x more likely to develop lymphoma , which is often fatal. Because cats spend so much time grooming themselves, licking off toxic particles that land on their coats are also likely to develop tumors in their mouths.;
If you are a smoker and want to protect your cat from secondhand smoke, avoid smoking inside the home. The longer cats live in a home with smoke-filled air the more likely it is that they will develop any of the above-described cancers. Help your cat live a long, happy life by giving them a smoke-free home!
Our furry friends cant live forever. But, we can do everything we can to make sure their time with us is the best it can be! Along with the above tips, take your cat into the vet for yearly checkups. Early detection of dental disease, kidney disease and other common maladies is another great way to extend the life of your pet and increase their quality of life to boot!;
Check out how old your cat is in human years with this cat age calculator!
Madeleine Brown is a student at the University of Chicago studying English literature. When shes not studying, her passions are reading, baking, and spoiling her two kitties, Harper and Mr. Bingley.