Life-stage calculator
Which life stage your dog or cat is in, on a timeline, with the birthdays coming up.
Enter a birthday to see your dog's life stage.
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How we set the stages
Dogs
Stages follow the American Animal Hospital Association's 2019 canine guidelines: a puppy until rapid growth ends, at about 6 to 9 months; a young adult to 3 or 4 years; then a mature adult. Where the guidelines give a range, we name both stages.
The senior years are the last quarter of a dog's expected lifespan, which depends on size and breed. AAHA says small dogs may not be seniors until around 12, and a large dog can be one as early as 7 to 8, so we say "mature adult or senior" from 12 for small dogs and from 7 for the rest.
Cats
Stages follow the 2021 AAHA and AAFP feline guidelines: a kitten to 1 year, a young adult from 1 through 6, a mature adult from 7 to 10 and a senior after 10.
Sources
- 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines, Table 1
- AAHA, "Senior Status? Understanding Your Senior Pet's Life Stage"
- 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines
Questions
When is a dog a senior?
There is no single age. The senior years are the last quarter of a dog's expected lifespan, and smaller dogs tend to live longer: AAHA says small dogs may not be seniors until around 12, and a large dog can be one as early as 7 to 8.
When is a cat a senior?
After 10 years, in the 2021 feline life stage guidelines. From 7 to 10 a cat is a mature adult.
What if I don't know the birthday?
A guess works. Pick the month you think they were born and the first of that month; the stage and the birthdays ahead follow from it.
Is the birthday sent anywhere?
No. Everything is worked out in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to us.