Find out exactly how old your furry friend is in human years.
For decades, the common rule was to multiply a dog or cat's age by 7 to find their "human age." However, veterinary science has proven that this is a myth! Pets age much faster in their first two years of life than they do later on.
Our Free Pet Age Calculator automatically applies the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) guidelines to give you the most accurate human-year conversion based on your pet's specific species and size.
Veterinarians and researchers believe that because large dogs grow so rapidly from tiny puppies into massive adults, their bodies undergo accelerated cellular division. This rapid growth takes a toll on their bodies, causing them to age faster and generally have a shorter lifespan than smaller breeds.
Generally, cats and small-to-medium dogs are considered seniors when they reach 7 to 8 years of age. Large and giant breed dogs age faster and are often considered seniors by the time they are 5 or 6 years old.
Yes and no. Both cats and dogs mature rapidly in their first two years (reaching about 24 human years). However, after year two, cats age at a very steady, predictable rate of 4 human years for every calendar year. Dogs vary wildly depending on their breed size.