Converting the ages of animals to the growth maturing process of humans can be difficult. Since some animals will mature quicker in their early stages and then at a less rapid rate in later years the simple factoring of years multiplied by some aging factor, is not truly representative.
Take for example cats. Converting cat years to human years is not as easy as multiplying by seven although this has been the accepted theory for several generations.
The Maturing Process of a Cat
Any member of the feline species will mature quicker in the earlier years of life and then less so in its later years. Most cats will learn the skills and abilities that are needed to survive and reproduce quickly.
Maturity and growth will take place rapidly over the first two to three years and then will slow down and a more steady maturation process will take effect. What this means is that a cat who has reached two human years is not really the equivalent of fourteen human years but is well past that when compared to human maturity and skills.
Any cat that has reached two years of age is already a skilled hunter and able to live on its own. In the wild, a two-year-old cat will possess the skills of survival necessary to live a long life. If these sills had not been acquired by that time it is likely predators would have killed off the creature.
Although a two year old cat is quite capable of independence and caring for itself, a fourteen year old human still requires the nurturing care of parents and has a lot to learn before being able to go out on his or her own.
The Conversion Table
Scientific studies have created a conversion table for finding the age of a cat in human years. This takes into consideration the fact that in the first year of a cat’s life it will gain most skills needed to survive on its own.
By the end of its second year a cat will be as fully formed and have the capacities and self-preservation skills of an equivalent twenty five year old human. Calculating the conversion is never as simple as just adding years, however a conversion theory has been established to use as a basis.
Felines will reach the equivalent of fifteen human years by the end of their first year of life. During the second year, a cat will mature what is equal to another ten human years. Since the feline has, by the end of the second year, gained all the skills needed for survival, the aging process then slows down.
Adding four years of cat life for every calendar year after the second year roughly equals the maturing process of a human.
The calculations are not difficult and there is an on line calculator available at http://www.calculatorcat.com/cats/cat-years.phtml to assist in finding he equivalent human age of any cat. This useful tool will give cat owners insight into the maturing process of their cat.