Siamese cats are one of the purr-tiest breeds of cats with adorable signature patterns that make them popular among cat lovers. Now, if you are planning to bring home a Siamese cat or already have one home then you might be curious to know how long do Siamese cats live.
Siamese cats generally have a much lengthier lifespan than most other breeds of cats found out there. They can live up to 15-20 years and even more with perfect health and fitness. As a result, Siamese cats are the perfect pets to keep as your companion since you get to spend a quarter of your life with them.
However, these are only general speculative statistics. It doesn’t work the same for all Siamese cats. Several factors determine how short or long they will actually get to live. And in this article, I will talk about them and also provide some tips on how you can ensure your Siamese cat lives long and healthy.
What’s the Average Lifespan of Siamese Cats?
In a healthy indoor environment, a Siamese cat can live up to 15-20 years with no significant problems. And if they are part Maine-Coone i.e., mixed breed Siamese cats, the number of years can even go up to 25 to 30.
Depending on the surrounding circumstances, the average lifespan of Siamese cats fluctuates quite differently.
In outdoorsy environments, there’s no fixed time limit of a Siamese cat’s lifespan as they constantly live amidst uncertainty. On average, the lifespan of a Siamese cat drops down to about one-third of the time they would’ve normally lived. That being said, there are always exceptions.
Top Longevity Factors for A Siamese Cats Life Expectancy
Cats already have a higher life expectancy than any other normal pets like dogs, rats, spiders, etc. However, factors like living standards, health issues, proper environment, etc. can highly influence the lifespan of Siamese cats. Here are a few of the longevity factors that motivate a Siamese cats life expectancy:
- Living Arrangements
Even in developed countries throughout the world, hundreds of thousands of cats end up living on the streets due to a lack of a good home. Lack of proper knowledge regarding cat population control via neutering and spaying is the main reason for this sudden outburst of stray kittens.
Cats can get pregnant and have a litter of up to eight kittens and more every few months. If they aren’t vaccinated and neutered within time, the shelters cannot accommodate or relocate the huge number of kittens. As a result, they are often euthanized or forced to live on the streets that greatly reduces their life expectancy.
Siamese cats are biologically far humbler and gentler by nature. Unlike most other street cats, they don’t have the proper fighting instincts to scare off predators easily. That’s why it’s hard for them to protect themselves out on the streets as they get hunted down or murdered by other invasive species.
So, when it comes to living arrangements, a Siamese cat living outdoors has much fewer chances of surviving or living more than a few years. Meanwhile, a complete house-Siamese cat born and bred in a caring home will possibly live up to 20 years and more as they don’t have to deal with the outdoor predators or rough terrains.
However, there’s a twist to this factor as well. Just because a cat is living indoors doesn’t always mean that it automatically has a high life expectancy. The outdoor Siamese cats develop a much tougher skin to adversities due to their constant struggle for survival – something that the indoor ones never get to experience. As a result, they live with an underdeveloped immune system and even minor inconveniences can be fatal for them.
- Feeding Activity
Cats need to have a separate title to their name for the way they nibble on literally everything. From shoes to houseplants – everything’s delicious cuisine to them except the plate full of cat food kept out specifically for them. And a Siamese is no different as well.
This weird feeding habit does make up for some fun stories at times but they can also affect the longevity of your Siamese cats in the long run. Siamese cats might be small but they have a big appetite that needs to be fulfilled by proper nutritional supplements.
Again, overfeeding is a serious issue that can lead to obesity and subsequent health problems decreasing the overall lifespan of your precious fur-babies.
That’s why, if a proper feeding schedule isn’t followed that includes all the necessary supplements for their nourishment, the longevity of your Siamese cats can drop down significantly. Similarly, if you are feeding them timely and actively, it will boost their immune system, keep them healthy and fit resulting in an increased lifespan.
- Physical Activity
Yep. Siamese cats need exercises too just like the humans they live with. Now, they don’t have to run five miles a day or go to the gym like the rest of us, but a few hours do need to be allocated in a day for playtime where they can get some much-needed exercises.
If your Siamese cats aren’t getting proper exercises, then it can turn into a case of obesity in no time. Admittedly, everyone loves a good chonky cat but obesity is actually super harmful to cats due to their affiliations to organ failure and untimely death.
So, if you let your Siamese cats exercise somehow by playing with them, it can have a really positive influence over their longevity in the long run. On the other hand, if you just let them sleep and eat all day, they will start to get fat and die of renal failure even before they reach half their expected age.
- Mental Health
Like everyone else, cats feel happiness and sadness too. In fact, Siamese cats are known to have more empathy than most other breeds of cats. Multiple studies report cases where cats experienced deep depression due to trauma or a personal loss.
The state of your Siamese cats’ mental health directly influences their lifespan. A depressed cat will slowly lose all interest in eating properly or grooming themselves which is a major tell-tale sign of their depressive episode. And if you don’t do something soon to bring them out of that negative space, your Siamese cat can pass on unexpectedly.
The opposite happens for the ones that get to experience true happiness and joys with their owners. If you play with your Siamese babies regularly and give them enough attention to lifting their spirits, they will live a long, happy, and healthy life.
- Biological Configuration
Depending on the purebred and mixed bred activities going on in a Siamese cat’s DNA, the biological configuration changes and that can significantly affect the longevity factors. To properly analyse these changes, you need to know exactly how purebred they are and if they are mix-breed Siamese cats, what breeds their parents are.
Think of it as a basic mathematical problem. Purebred Siamese kittens will live up to the expected 15-20 years as both their parents were Siamese as well. Again, Manx cats have an average lifespan of 8 years. Therefore, if a Siamese breed with a Manx, the mix-breed kitten will have half the lifespan of a purebred Siamese cat.
Similarly, if a Siamese cat breeds with a Maine-coon cat, the longevity of that mixed-breed kitten will take a hike as Maine-Coone cats live up to 30-35 years. So, the biological configuration of a Siamese cat plays an important part in determining its longevity and lifespan.
What Can You Do to Improve the Life Expectancy of Your Siamese Cats?
To cat-lovers, cats are not only pets but like babies to them. If you are one as well, it’s only natural for you to want them to live longer and healthier. Here are a few tricks that you can follow to improve the life expectancy of your Siamese cats:
- Provide Good Quality Food
This is a no brainer. The better-quality food you provide your cat the healthier they will be and the longer they will live. There are plenty of poor-quality cat foods in the market. So, do your research well, talk to your veterinarian and buy the best quality food you can.
Also, you can try preparing cat foods at home using fresh ingredients which is no doubt the healthier option of them all. Here’s a YouTube video that demonstrates how you can make nutritious cat food at home.
- Play with Your Cat
I can’t emphasize enough how important playing with your cat is. Cats are social animals and require attention and love from their owners. And what better way to show love is there than playing with them. This actually goes double for Siamese cats.
Besides mental improvements it also has some physical benefits as well. Playing with your cat allows it to get some exercise and stay fit. As discussed before, mental and physical fitness is important for cats for a long life.
- Keep Them Indoors
Cats are not dogs and they are better off staying inside. Your home is big enough for your cat to explore and move freely. So, unlike dogs they do not require to go outside.
Keeping them inside keeps them protected from outside hazards such as cars, dogs, poisonous plants and other feral cats. And I’m sure you understand how that can keep them living longer.
- Keep an eye on them
Siamese cats are super curious by nature and they often get into weird situations due to their inquisitiveness. So, keep an eye out for them so that they don’t harm themselves accidentally.
This also includes cat-proofing your house so that the Siamese cats can’t escape or get lost and fall prey to predators. Also, do proper research before bringing in houseplants and several of them are harmful and poisonous for cats.
- Regularly visit the vet
There’s no better alternative to timely vet visits to improve the overall longevity of your Siamese cats and to keep track of their physical and mental health. By vaccinating and doing regular check-ups, a vet can keep your Siamese cat fit and healthy at all times.
Again, if your cat suffers from any sudden injuries or starts to show signs of depression, like matted fur, loss of appetite, etc. consult a vet right away. Proper guidance and support from a professional vet can make all the difference in times like these.
Conclusion
So, how long do Siamese cats live? Almost up to two decades, apparently. A plethora of factors like diets, DNA, and medical conditions account for the overall life expectancy of Siamese cats. With proper care and all the love in your heart, you can give the best life to your Siamese cats no matter how long they live.
Thanks for reading and I hope this article was able to educate you on how you can best take care of your Siamese cat for the longest life expectancy.
