Why do cats and dogs not live longer?

Question

Why is it they can only live to around 12/13/14.

Answer 1

Well that is the span of their lives and we can only

try to look after them well while we have them, so that

we can hopefully have them around for a few extra years.

As you have heard from some people here , they have

lived longer that expected.   My dog is a Mix and she is

around 15 years.

Answer 2

Cats and dogs metabolisms are quicker than ours. They therefore age quicker and die sooner.

Answer 3

My boyfriends old doggie ( a mutt) lives till it was 20. My friends cat lives till it was 19. It would be cruel if they were to live any longer.

Answer 4

i'd put it down to diet, when you think about what humans eat, ie fruit, veg such a wide variety of things, and then compare that to cats/dogs who have some mushy meaty jelly stuff and some crunchy biscuity things and some water if their lucky, it isn't really that great everyday of their lives, and they only get to exercise when their owner feels like taking them out.

Answer 5

My sisters yorkshire terrier is twenty years old now and still fighting fit for every year of a dogs life thats seven of ours

Answer 6

why dont we live longer? its the same they get old and sick and die we get old and sick and die unless we get shot by other people if the war continues then they might start attaking here and then we will die but yeaj the get old

Answer 7

i like this boy's way of thinking...

Why dogs don't live as long as people

by Robin Downing, DVM

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owner, his wife, and their little boy were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family there were no miracles left for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, the owners told me they thought it would be good for the four-year-old boy to observe the procedure. They felt he could learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. The little boy seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on.

Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion.

We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

The little boy, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "Everybody is born so that they can learn how to live a good life - like loving everybody and being nice, right?" The four-year- old continued, "Well, animals already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Answer 8

I read that all mammals get the same amount of heartbeats. The smaller the animal, the faster the heart beats, and so the faster they run out. I guess their perception of time must be different too, and we humans must seem like slow lumbering giants to them.

Answer 9

It is so sad that they have such short lives. I love my furry babies. Over the years I have had 4 dogs and a cat die of old age.  It is so difficult to get over losing them.

Answer 10

Cats and dogs have a faster metabolic rate than humans.  The faster the metabolic rate, the shorter the life in such cases.

Give your pets a healthy diet, plenty of exersize and a lot of love and care and it will live a long and happy life.

*SL

Answer 11

I know I wish they did. I adore my dogs and I will be extremely upset when they are no longer with me...they are my life I love them

Answer 12

Cuz that's their life span.