The average lifespan of a saber-toothed tiger is not precisely known as no living specimens exist today. However, based on comparisons with modern-day big cats and paleontological evidence, scientists estimate that the lifespan of Smilodon (the most famous genus of saber-toothed tigers) ranged between 10 to 15 years in the wild.
Factors such as predation, competition for resources, disease, and injuries likely influenced the survival and longevity of saber-toothed tigers during their existence, which spanned from the Late Miocene to the late Pleistocene epochs (approximately 11.2 million years ago until 10,000 years ago).