Pets and Their Wild Relatives: What the Numbers Can and Cannot Say
In short: UK studies give lifespans for companion dogs and cats breed by breed, but the wild half of the comparison is thin: the available evidence on Yellowstone grey wolves and European wildcats reports causes of death and yearly survival, not lifespans.
A 1:32 short film in the series “Nature: How Long Can It Live?”, narrated by intellect_voice_01.
Sources used in this film: Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio, Springer Nature), “Life tables of annual life expectancy and mortality for companion dogs in the United Kingdom - Scientific Reports”; Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), reporting a study led by Dogs Trust, “Which dogs live longest?”; Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio, Springer Nature), “Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death - Scientific Reports”; PubMed Central (US National Library of Medicine), article from the VetCompass Programme, Royal Veterinary College, “Life tables of annual life expectancy and risk factors for mortality in cats in the UK”; Pursuit, University of Melbourne, “Why do small dogs live longer than big dogs?”; PubMed Central (US National Library of Medicine, NCBI), hosting a peer-reviewed research article, “Survival improvements of marine mammals in zoological institutions mirror historical advances in human longevity”; University of Montana (ScholarWorks at University of Montana); PhD dissertation by Brenna Jo Cassidy, 2025, “Social, Ecological, and Anthropogenic Drivers of Gray Wolf Vital Rates in Yellowstone National Park”; Academia.edu (hosted copy of a research paper on European wildcat survival), “Survival and cause-specific mortality of European wildcat (Felis silvestris) across Europe”.
Sources used in this film
- Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio, Springer Nature) — Life tables of annual life expectancy and mortality for companion dogs in the United Kingdom - Scientific Reports · View →
- Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), reporting a study led by Dogs Trust — Which dogs live longest? · View →
- Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio, Springer Nature) — Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death - Scientific Reports · View →
- PubMed Central (US National Library of Medicine), article from the VetCompass Programme, Royal Veterinary College — Life tables of annual life expectancy and risk factors for mortality in cats in the UK · View →
- Pursuit, University of Melbourne — Why do small dogs live longer than big dogs? · View →
- PubMed Central (US National Library of Medicine, NCBI), hosting a peer-reviewed research article — Survival improvements of marine mammals in zoological institutions mirror historical advances in human longevity · View →
- University of Montana (ScholarWorks at University of Montana); PhD dissertation by Brenna Jo Cassidy, 2025 — Social, Ecological, and Anthropogenic Drivers of Gray Wolf Vital Rates in Yellowstone National Park · View →
- Academia.edu (hosted copy of a research paper on European wildcat survival) — Survival and cause-specific mortality of European wildcat (Felis silvestris) across Europe · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio, Springer Nature): Life tables of annual life expectancy and mortality for companion dogs in the United Kingdom - Scientific Reports
- Also: Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), reporting a study led by Dogs Trust: Which dogs live longest?
- Also: Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio, Springer Nature): Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death - Scientific Reports
- Also: PubMed Central (US National Library of Medicine), article from the VetCompass Programme, Royal Veterinary College: Life tables of annual life expectancy and risk factors for mortality in cats in the UK
- Also: Pursuit, University of Melbourne: Why do small dogs live longer than big dogs?
- Also: PubMed Central (US National Library of Medicine, NCBI), hosting a peer-reviewed research article: Survival improvements of marine mammals in zoological institutions mirror historical advances in human longevity
- Also: University of Montana (ScholarWorks at University of Montana); PhD dissertation by Brenna Jo Cassidy, 2025: Social, Ecological, and Anthropogenic Drivers of Gray Wolf Vital Rates in Yellowstone National Park
- Also: Academia.edu (hosted copy of a research paper on European wildcat survival): Survival and cause-specific mortality of European wildcat (Felis silvestris) across Europe
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