How Old In Cat Years?

Is it still the practice to estimate a cat's human age by multiplying how many years old the cat is by seven? Mister Washburn Foo was born a year ago. So, he is seven years old in people years. Maria has been enjoying this calculation, and comparing Foo's personality, energy, schemes, and intelligence with that of seven-year old people. He is playful and exuberant. He can be overly-rambunctious, and sometimes {often} single-mindedly determined for things to go his way. Now! Maria thinks that Foo is very much a seven year old.

And what about Chango? Our old man cat is ninety-eight people years old! And sometimes {often} he very much seems like a very old man, but a spry old man, a fit-as-a-fiddle old man. He talks a lot. He converses over his empty water bowl, and calls us to the kitchen for breakfast. He will reach, with a paw, claws retracted, barely, and tap a thigh, then ask for love, or to be let out, or both. His meow has become more plaintive, the quality more gravelly. Sometimes he sounds like a tired child, or a strange bird. He sleeps a lot. He stares at me for long minutes, and I begin to feel he can read my thoughts, and that he is not impressed. He can elicit confessions and profuse apologies from me with just a two minute stare down. He's a powerful old man cat.

When Mister Foo stares at me, I laugh. Or I question the sense of inviting predatory carnivorous seven-year old beasts into our homes, and hearts.