Meow: Cats Live Longer in Montana Than Anywhere Else in America

THAT'S not something I would have guessed about Montana, but according to Readers Digest, Montana cats have an average lifespan of 14.3 years!

Who knew that's a full two years LONGER than the national average for cat lifespan? Seriously, Montana is a pretty wild place with some drastic weather. How on earth is MONTANA conducive to a long cat life?

(Montana is also a really great place for dogs in terms of long life span but that didn't surprise us one bit.)

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When you do a simple Google search, the interwebs will tell you that a domesticated cat typically has a lifespan of 12 to 18 years...some breeds can live a lot longer than others, hence the large span.

Cats live longer in Montana, Colorado, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Nebraska. Interestingly, just 8% of cats are not spayed and neutered in Montana. (Mississippi is apparently the WORST place for a cat to live, and 20% of their cats are not spayed or neutered.)

Perspective on the averages: Indoor cats typically live between 10 and 15 years. Outdoor cats have a significantly shorter lifespan of 2 to 5 years. That certainly makes sense given the predators and weather issues that Montana has. (Don't forget - The Bridger Mountains is part of the migration route of the larges number of raptors in America!)

Have you been thinking about adopting a cat? Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter can help with that. (You'll need to make an appointment for adoptions at this time, FYI.)