The 9 Longest-Living Cat Breeds

Written and verified by the biologist Cesar Paul Gonzalez Gonzalez

Written by Cesar Paul Gonzalez Gonzalez

Last update: 21 June, 2023

Cats are one of the most popular animals as pets, as they are sociable, loving and quite curious. Although they’re good companions in the home, they aren’t immortal and their life has a limit. Therefore, it’s quite normal that owners seek to adopt cats that belong to the longest-living cat breeds.

In general, the average lifespan of an animal depends a lot on its quality of life, its breed, and its care. It’s true that the cat’s lineage counts a lot in determining the maximum age it can reach, but it shouldn’t be the only thing taken into account. Keep reading and discover the longest-living cat breeds that exist.

The longest-living cat breeds

The longevity of felines is usually linked to the genetic variation in their lineage. Because of this, both mixed-breed and hybrid cats tend to reach a longer average lifespan than pure breeds. Listed below are some of the longest-lived cat breeds in existence.

1. Birman

The Birman isn’t only one of the most beautiful and friendly breeds, but also has a great longevity. It’s characterized by its white or beige coat, with dark spots on its face, ears, and paws. Its average lifespan is between 14 and 16 years, although with the right care it could even exceed this estimate.

2. Burmese

The Burmese breed is the product of a cross between a pure Siamese and a hybrid of Siamese called wong mau, so it preserves certain considerable characteristics of pure Siamese.

Thanks to the genetic variability of its origin, this cat has an average lifespan of between 9 and 15 years. Of course, being a pure breed, it can suffer from diseases such as poly myopathy.

3. Siamese

The Siamese cat stands out for its blue eyes that match its light brown or cream coat. As if that weren’t enough, it’s also one of the longest-living cat breeds in existence, since in the right conditions it could live up to 20 years.

4. Persian

The Persian breed is cataloged as one of the showiest and most beautifully coated cats. Thanks to its elegant demeanor, it’s often associated with wealth and aristocracy. In addition, this lineage has an average lifespan of between 12 and 17 years.

5. British shorthair

The British shorthair cat is characterized by a bulky and short coat, which at first glance makes it look like a teddy bear. It’s one of the most common cat breeds in the UK, plus its longevity ranges from 9 to 18 years.

6. Ocicat

The Ocicat cat breed is one of the few that exhibits a beautiful mottled color pattern, which makes it look wild and different from other cats. This lineage is the product of a cross between the Abyssinian breed and the Siamese breed. Thanks to this, it enjoys a high average lifespan of between 15 and 19 years.

7. Egyptian Mau

The cats that belong to the Egyptian Mau breed are characterized by a slender body, in addition to their beautiful spotted coat. In fact, it’s believed that these felines descend from the ancient Egyptian wild cats, which were even revered by the Egyptian culture. To top it off, they reach an average lifespan of 15 years and are considered one of the longest-lived cat breeds in existence.

8. Savannah

The Savannah is a newly created cat breed that comes from the cross between a domestic cat and a serval (Leptailurus serval). Thanks to this, it maintains the physical characteristics of its wild ancestor, but with certain social behaviors. As mentioned at the beginning, these hybrids are usually longer-lived than other breeds. In the case of the Savannah, they live between 12 and 20 years.

9. Oriental Shorthair

The Oriental Shorthair cat attracts a lot of attention thanks to the peculiar shape of its face, which is very similar to the Sphinx cat. In addition, it’s considered an intelligent feline that’s even capable of learning to walk on a leash. For this reason, many owners choose to adopt them as companions. This cat has an average lifespan of between 12 and 15 years.

Although the breed is a fundamental factor in calculating the longevity of the feline, remember that its care, nutrition and upbringing also have an impact. If these factors aren’t taken into account, even if you adopt a long-lived breed cat, it’ll be impossible for it to reach its maximum age. The life of your pet depends entirely on you, so look after it and shower it with love!