The Longest-Living Cats: What Breed, Sex, and Neuter Status Say About Lifespan

Why THIS Project?

I've had cats my whole life, and like most cat owners know, the only time they truly break your heart is when they leave you forever. Over the years, I’ve noticed that some cats stay with us for many years, while others are gone far too soon. After losing two beloved cats tragically last year, I found myself asking a difficult but important question: how can we help our cats live longer, healthier lives?

What Readers Will Gain?

In this article, you’ll discover which types of cats tend to live the longest—and, more importantly, what you can do to help your cat live a longer, healthier life, no matter their breed or background. I’ll walk you through the data I analyzed, the key findings that emerged, and what surprised me along the way.

Key Takeaways

• The average lifespan for all cats is 11.74 years

• The Asian breed lives the longest at an average of 22.3 years

• On average, neutered cats live the longest.

Dataset Details

The dataset represents 7,936 confirmed deaths in cats under primary veterinary care at clinics participating in the UK VetCompass Programme in 2019 and can be found here. It contains columns such as the gender and neuter status, the breed, and the age at death.

Analysis Process

To begin the analysis, I first examined the dataset and quickly noticed that the 'mean adult bodyweight' column contained many zero values. I addressed this in Excel by imputing the missing data with the average weights for cats of the same breed, gender, and neuter status. With a cleaner dataset, I began looking for patterns. One surprising finding was that crossbreeds and domestic shorthairs—the default label for many unknown shorthaired cats—didn't rank among the top ten longest-lived breeds. I had expected mixed-breed cats to be hardier, but the data told a different story.

Visuals and Insights

Power BI Dashboard: The longest-living cats are neutered, with females tending to live a little longer than males. Among the top ten longest-lived breeds, the top four have average lifespans exceeding 15 years—and notably, every breed in the top ten is a purebred. Across all cats in the dataset, the average age at death is 11.74 years.

Main Takeaways

If you're looking for a cat with the potential to live over twenty years, an Asian breed is a strong choice—especially a female. Regardless of breed or gender, though,

one of the most effective steps you can take to increase your cat's lifespan is to have them neutered.

Conclusion and Personal Reflections

This project taught me a lot about average cat lifespans—some things I hadn’t known, and others that confirmed what I’d long suspected, especially about the benefits of neutering. Cleaning the dataset came with its challenges, but it also deepened my understanding of Power BI and sharpened my data skills. More than anything, this experience reminded me why I love both data and cats. And in the end, it’s not just about adding years to a cat’s life—it’s about making those years as healthy and joyful as possible.

Call to Action

I’d love to connect with you on LinkedIn! Please leave a comment with your thoughts or questions. Let’s continue the conversation about improving cat's lives!