Domestic cats (Felis catus) exhibit brain atrophy and neurological decline patterns similar to those seen in aging humans, providing an excellent model for studying dementia and the aging process.

Cats have a relatively long lifespan, with evidence suggesting that their aging patterns may mirror those of humans.

According to AnAge, the maximum human lifespan (122.5 years) is nearly double that of great apes, such as chimpanzees (68 years).

Domestic cats can live up to a maximum of 30 years, significantly outliving their wild relatives, like the European wildcat (Felis silvestris), which averages around 19 years.

With an estimated 600 million cats globally, these findings emphasize the relevance of studying their aging processes.

“Given the longevity and abundance of domestic cats, we concentrated on interspecific age concordance between humans and cats, focusing on the aging process,” stated Christine Charbet and her team from Auburn University.

The research examined 3,754 data points derived from humans, cats, and other mammal species.

This data encompassed brain imaging, blood chemistry, disease markers, and behavioral milestones like eye opening and play initiation.

MRI scans revealed that cats and humans undergo comparable age-related changes in brain structure, including shrinkage and ventricular enlargement—changes typically associated with neurodegenerative conditions in both species.

“The similarities in age-related brain atrophy between cats and humans were surprising,” remarked PhD candidate Briar Rigby Dames from the University of Bath.

“These findings underscore the potential of companion animals to provide critical insights into the aging process.”

Instead of using basic age ratios, the researchers employed a complex biological model based on quantifiable age-related changes.

This method showed that aging in both species does not happen at a uniform rate; instead, it accelerates and decelerates at various life stages.

According to the model, late-life aging patterns align closely—80 years in humans equals approximately 15 years in cats. While not all animals reach old age equivalents in humans, domestic cats certainly do.

Dr. Ryan Gibson, a veterinary neurologist at Auburn University, added, “An increasing number of cat owners are seeking advanced brain imaging to identify illnesses in their pets, creating a unique avenue for studying aging animals alongside humans in real-world contexts.”

“This expanded clinical access opens valuable opportunities for translational research—bridging scientific knowledge with healthcare—to deepen our understanding of aging and neurological diseases that benefit both cats and humans.”

Rigby-Dames noted, “There is potential to establish extensive veterinary health databases for companion animals, akin to human health databases like the UK Biobank.”

“Such resources could significantly enhance our ability to investigate aging and diseases using real-world clinical and owner-reported data across species.”

These findings are published in the journal Biology Open.

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Capucine Januel et al. illustrate that cat brains age similarly to humans: Revealing that pet cats live long enough to serve as a natural model for human aging. Biology Open 15 (6): bio062604; doi: 10.1242/bio.062604