How old is your dog or cat in human years?

Read time: 3 minutes

As an avid pet lover, you’ve likely long heard the popular saying that one year of a pet’s life is equal to seven human years.

But wait … this is a myth not supported by science.

It’s thought that the popular “one year to seven years” calculation came about to show that pets just age faster than us. Unfortunately, that saying (and myth) has stuck around.

Most experts agree a one-year-old kitten or puppy is about 15 years in human age. For year two, pets age about nine human years. And after that it varies by breed, but averages about four years each year thereafter.

For details about your pet and aging, take a look at these charts:

How old is my dog?

Size of Dog	Small 20 lbs or less	Medium 21 to 49 lbs	Large 50 lbs+
Dog’s Age	Age in Human Years	Age in Human Years	Age in Human Years
1	15	15	15
2	24	24	24
3	28	28	28
4	32	32	32
5	36	36	36
6	40	42	45
7	44	47	45
8	48	51	55
9	52	56	61
10	56	60	66
11	60	65	72
12	64	69	77
13	68	74	82
14	72	78	88
15	76	83	93
16	80	87	120

How old is my cat?

Life Stage	Cat Age	Human Age
Kitten, birth up to 1 year	1 month	1 year
	3 months	4 years
	6 months	10 years
Young adult, 1 to 6 years	1 year	15 years
	2 years	24 years
	3 years	28 years
	4 years	32 years
	5 years	36 years
	6 years	40 years
Mature adult, 7 to 10 years	7 years	44 years
	8 years	48 years
	9 years	52 years
	10 years	56 years
Seniors, 10+ years	11 years	60 years
	12 years	60 years
	12 years	64 years
	13 years	68 years
	14 years	72 years
	15 years	76 years
	16 years	80 years
	17 years	84 years
	18 years	88 years
	19 years	92 years
	20 years	96 years
	21 years	100 years

Teeth tell a lot

Checking the teeth of both cats and dogs is a great way to estimate age. Both of these furry friends have similar aging signs when it comes to their teeth. Check out these bow-meow tips:

8 weeks: All baby teeth are in.

5-7 months: All permanent teeth are in.

1 to 2 years: Teeth may appear a little dull with some tartar buildup.

3 to 5 years: Teeth show more tartar buildup and some wear.

5-10 years: Teeth show increased wear and disease. Cats may show some pigment on gums.

10-15 years: Teeth are worn and show heavy buildup. Some teeth may be missing.

Help your pet age well! Work with your vet to maintain a proper diet for your beloved furry family member, make sure they get appropriate exercise. Plus, love them lots!