How old is a 3-year-old cat in human years?

A 3-year-old cat is about 28 in human years on International Cat Care’s chart. Its life stage is adult. The AVMA’s “Pets age faster than people” chart gives the same number.

Patient recordCat
Age
3 years
Stage span
3–6 years

Human age

28years

International Cat Care chart

Vet guideline stageAAHA/AAFPYoung adult
“Times 7” rulewhy it’s wrong21

First two years count as 24 human years, then 4 for every year after. The AVMA chart gives the same number.

Life stage (International Cat Care)

  • Kitten
  • Junior
  • Adult (this stage)
  • Mature
  • Senior
  • Super senior

AVMA calls cats senior after about 10 years. The AAHA/AAFP guidelines add that some healthy older cats are best treated as mature adults.

For years and months, use the cat age calculator.

The math

24 + 4 × (3 − 2) = 24 + 4 = 2824 for the first two years, then 4 for each of the next 1.

Times 7 would say 21, which is 7 years too low next to the chart.

Life stage at 3 years

International Cat Care: Adult (3–6 years). 2021 AAHA/AAFP guidelines: young adult. By the adult stage a cat is physically and behaviorally mature, and International Cat Care stresses regular exercise and mental stimulation.

Nearby ages

Cat ageHuman yearsLife stageTimes 7
1 year15Junior7
2 years24Junior14
3 years28Adult21
4 years32Adult28
5 years36Adult35
6 years40Adult42
7 years44Mature49

See all ages in the cat years chart, or compare a 3-year-old dog.

Sources

  1. International Cat Care, “How to tell your cat’s age in human years.” The cat age chart (to 25 years) and its six life stages.
  2. 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines. Kitten up to 1 year, young adult 1 to 6, mature adult 7 to 10, senior over 10.
  3. AVMA, “Pets age faster than people” (PDF). Dog column for a medium-size dog of 21 to 50 lb, ages 1 to 16; cat column, ages 1 to 16. AVMA adds that pet ages are approximate and that weight and breed may influence aging.
  4. AVMA, “Caring for senior cats and dogs.” Dog size groups by weight, the age each group becomes senior, cats senior after about 10, and the statement that dogs don’t age 7 human years per year.