Sphynx cats have the shortest life expectancy among domestic feline breeds, study finds

The cat breed lives an average of 6.7 years after its first year of life as a kitten, researchers said

Sphynx cats don’t live as long as other domestic cat breeds, according to a new study.

Earlier this week, researchers from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan published work in Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgerywho found that the cat breed lives an average of 6.7 years after its first year of life as a kitten.

Burmese and Burmese cats have the longest life expectancy after their first year of life (14.4 years), followed by mixed-breed cats, which typically live 11.9 years longer, compared to purebred cats, which live longer 10.4 years. (88% of cats are mixed breeds, according to the study.)

Siamese cats were next with a life expectancy of 11.7 years after their first year of life, followed by Persian cats (10.9 years), Ragdoll cats (10.3 years), Norwegian Forest cats (10. 0 years), Maine Coon cats (9.7 years), Russian cats (9.7 years), British cats (9.6 years) and Bengal cats (8.5 years).

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The researchers calculated the average life expectancy for different types of felines using data from 7,936 vet-registered cats in the UK that died between January 1, 2019 and March 31, 2021.

The study found that the average life expectancy of cats after the first year of life is 11.7 years in total, with a higher value, 12.5 years, for females and a lower value, 11.2 years, for the males.

Researchers have also found that cats that have not been neutered have a reduced life expectancy. They estimate this is because felines are more likely to have the procedure as they age.

Cats with average body weight, the study found, have a longer lifespan than those who weigh more or less.

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In a statement, Dr. Dan O’Neill, co-author of the RVC study, said by The Guardian“Essentially, what we are doing is providing some level of statistical certainty, where previously it was just guesswork.”

“Essentially, this is now empowering the public,” he added. “If someone’s priority is to want a cat that will postpone death for as long as possible on average, we now have evidence to say [get a] female and mixed race.”

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Read the original article in People.