Dog and cat age calculator
Find out your pet's real age in human years and which stage of life it is in. No sign-up, in 10 seconds.
1. Which pet do you have?
3. How old is it?
An indicative calculation based on the most widely accepted equivalence tables (AKC/AAHA). Every animal ages at its own pace depending on breed, genetics and health: it does not replace your vet's assessment.
How is a dog's or cat's real age calculated?
The "one dog year equals seven human years" rule is a myth. Animals do not age in a linear way: they grow enormously in their first two years and then the pace steadies.
The most widely accepted equivalence works like this:
- The first year equals about 15 human years.
- The second year adds about 9 more (24 in total).
- From the third year on, each year adds between 4 and 7 years depending on size: 4 in small dogs, 5 in medium, 6 in large and 7 in giant ones. In cats, around 4 per year.
That is why a giant dog is considered senior at 6 and a small one not until 10. Knowing your pet's life stage is useful because, from the senior stage on, the recommendation is to move from an annual check-up to check-ups every 6 months: many diseases are caught earlier and treated far better.
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that 1 dog year equals 7 human years?
No, it is a myth. The first year of life is roughly equivalent to 15 human years and the second adds about 9 more. From the third year on, each year adds between 4 and 7 human years depending on the dog's size: large dogs age faster than small ones.
Why do large dogs age sooner?
Large and giant breeds mature and age faster: a Great Dane is considered senior at around 6 years old, while a Chihuahua is not until about 10. That is why the equivalence depends on size and not only on age.
How is a cat's age calculated?
A cat's first year equals about 15 human years and the second adds around 9 (24 in total). From then on, each cat year adds approximately 4 human years, regardless of its size.
At what age is my pet a senior?
It depends on species and size: giant dogs are senior at around 6, large ones at 7, medium ones at 8 and small ones at 10. Cats are usually considered senior from 11. At that stage it is best to move from annual check-ups to every 6 months.
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