Tabby cats are one of the most common or domestic cats. In fact, one of our childhood favorite cartoons characters, Garfield, is actually a Persian Tabby.
What is a Tabby Cat?
Tabby is not exactly a breed of cat, but rather, it refers to cats with a stripe-patterned coat or coat with color patterns. In fact, all domestic cat breeds have the tabby gene. You can easily recognize a tabby cat if it has the “M” pattern on its forehead.
And due to them being one of the most common, these cute stripe-patterned animals are pets to many people. And if you own one, you may actually be wondering how long do tabby cats live.
How Long Do Tabby Cats Live?
Well lucky for you, this type of cat, much like other cats, can live with you for around 20 years or so. The average lifespan of a tabby cat ranges from 12 to 18 years of age, which is not far off from normal cats which have a lifespan of 10 to 16 years of age.
However, depending on many factors like its breed, a tabby cat may last longer than even 20 years. Certain breeds of tabby cats, such as the Burmese, Siamese, and Savannah breeds actually have a longer lifespan compared to others. However, some tabby breeds have a shorter lifespan such as Manx tabbies who have a lifespan of 8 to 14 years of age.
Improved Health for a Longer Life
However, if you want your cat to stay with you for that long, then it is important to mind the health and diet of your cat. And that is one of the reasons why tabby cats with a longer life expectancy live longer. It’s because they tend to have better health and suffer fewer health conditions.
Things That Can Help Improve Your Tabby Cat’s Lifespan
Always make sure that your tabby cat is eating properly and is receiving proper care including regular medical and dental checkups. A physically active cat that exercises regularly also gives it a better life expectancy. Proper grooming may also help increase a cat’s life expectancy as it may prevent or treat infections and infestations such as ticks, fleas, and lice.
Attention and care are also a must for tabby cats for better mental health and always feed them veterinarian-approved foods and do not forget to give them water to keep them healthy.
Speaking of keeping a tabby cat healthy and feeding them, indoor cats have a longer life expectancy than outdoor or stray cats. This is because they tend to receive more food and care. And, also because they are exposed to less danger like getting in a fight with another cat or dog. Outdoor cats may also suffer due to not having good access to shelter or residing in an unhealthy environment. Outdoor cats are also more exposed to diseases, infections, and pests like fleas, ticks, and lice.
So there are the factors that affect the life expectancy of a tabby cat. Keep your tabby healthy and indoors to improve its chances for a happy, long life!
