The Paw Plan
Home / Guides / Cat years to human years
Food & health

Cat years to human years: chart and life stages

Cats grow up in a hurry, then age about four human years for every cat year. Here's the chart.

2 min readUpdated September 2026

The chart

  • 1 cat year = about 15 human years
  • 2 cat years = about 24 human years
  • Each year after: about 4 human years

So a 5-year-old cat is about 36, a 10-year-old cat is about 56 and a 15-year-old cat is about 76. Check any age with our cat age calculator.

Cat life stages

  • Kitten (0-1): vaccines, spay or neuter, lots of play
  • Junior (1-2): finishing growth, settling into adult habits
  • Prime (3-6): yearly checkups and dental care
  • Mature (7-10): watch weight and dental health closely
  • Senior (11-14): checkups often every 6 months
  • Super senior (15+): gentle care, comfort and close monitoring

Signs to mention to your vet

Changes in appetite, drinking more water, litter box changes, weight loss or hiding more than usual can all be early signs of health problems in older cats.

Pet Health Record printable
From our shop · $3.49

Never lose track of vaccines and vet visits.

Our printable pet health record keeps vaccines, meds, weight and vet visits together. Instant download.

Free tool

Try the numbers for your pet

Our free cat age calculator works it out in seconds. No sign-up.

Open the calculator

Questions people ask

How old is my cat in human years?

About 15 at one year, 24 at two, then add about 4 human years for each cat year after that.

How long do indoor cats live?

Many indoor cats live into their mid to late teens, and some live past 20.

When should senior cats see the vet?

Many vets suggest checkups every 6 months for cats 11 and older.

Cat years to human years: chart and life stages

Save this for later.
Pin it to your pet board so it's there when you need it.

Save to Pinterest

The Paw Plan shares general information, not veterinary advice. Every pet is different, so check with your vet about your pet's health, diet and care.

Keep reading

More guides you'll like

All guides →
Free weekly email

One easy pet-care tip a week.

Short, practical and friendly. Join free and get our printable pet emergency contact card right away.

FREEFree printable pet emergency contact card