Seven cat years for each calendar year ... Sound familiar? WRONG!

Feline development through puberty to young adulthood is accomplished over a period of about 18 to 24 months, rather than 21 years as in humans.

Thus, the cat's first calendar year is more like 16 cat years, and the cat's second calendar year is more like 5 to 7 cat years (up to an equivalent age of 21 to 23 years in humans). After that, add about four cat years for each calendar year of cat life.

**1st cat year human equivalent ... 16 years old
*2nd cat year human equivalent ... 22 years old
*3rd cat year human equivalent ... 26 years old
*4th cat year human equivalent ... 30 years old
*5th cat year human equivalent ... 34 years old
*6th cat year human equivalent ... 38 years old
*7th cat year human equivalent ... 42 years old
*8th cat year human equivalent ... 46 years old
*9th cat year human equivalent ... 50 years old
10th cat year human equivalent ... 54 years old
11th cat year human equivalent ... 58 years old
12th cat year human equivalent ... 62 years old
13th cat year human equivalent ... 66 years old
14th cat year human equivalent ... 70 years old
15th cat year human equivalent ... 74 years old
16th cat year human equivalent ... 78 years old
17th cat year human equivalent ... 82 years old
18th cat year human equivalent ... 86 years old
19th cat year human equivalent ... 90 years old
20th cat year human equivalent ... 94 years old
21st cat year human equivalent ... 98 years old
22nd cat year human equivalent ... 102!!! This is one ooooold cat!

Excerpted from "Geriatric Cats" by Alice M. Wolf, DVM, Diplomate, December 1999 Cat Fanciers' Almanac, p. 94.