General Chat

This was in my local paper:

More contenders for oldest cat title


Two further felines are vying for the title of not only most mature moggy in Norfolk but oldest living cat in the world.

The title is now open after the animal previously believed to be the world's current longest surviving cat could not be verified by the Guinness Book of Records.

And after we featured the story of 21-year-old Alfie from Norwich, two more contenders have come forward.

One is Tigey, who it is believed turned 25 in January. She lives with owners Barbara and Trafford Scott in Great Walsingham.

The tortoiseshell and white female was taken in by Mrs Scott at slightly less than a year old when Mrs Scott herself was 28.

Tigey had been thrown out by her previous owners, who lived opposite Mrs Scott at the time in County Durham, when she was pregnant with her second litter.

Mrs Scott, who had known Tigey since she was a kitten, rehomed the litter but kept their mother, who now rules the roost of five other cats and two dogs.

She said Tigey had not had any major health scares, apart from deafness and weakness in her legs and that she was still “spritely”.

“I think if a pet is well loved and they know they are, they do last longer.

“She is the matriarch, she keeps the others in order but she is also very spritely and can jump on the sofa and her appetite is very good. She is as deaf as a post but a lovely old girl.”



She adopted Penny, who is white with black markings, from the Cats Protection League when she was two in 1987 and agreed that love was the key to a feline's long life.

Penny is also slightly deaf but “very feisty” said Mrs Laufs, adding that she used to fetch items back when they were thrown for her.

“I don't think she realises she's a cat, she thinks she is a dog. She has no fear and is so confident. We have a ginger tom who is twice her size but she will whack him on the nose if he comes too near. She can still jump a little and doesn't look her age either.”

Neither moggy has lost any of its nine lives and both owners claim they are older than Alfie, the 21-year-old male ginger cat from Norwich who featured in the Evening News recently.

A spokesman from the Guinness Book of World Records urged them to come forward.

He said the most recent contender for oldest living cat in the world was Mischief who, according to the owners from Cornwall, is 27. But documentary evidence was not provided, so the title was still open.

The oldest cat ever was Creme Puff, who was born on August 3, 1967, and lived until August 6, 2005 - three days after her 38th birthday. Creme Puff lived with her owner, Jake Perry, in Austin, Texas.

Experts say the first two years of a cat's life are roughly equal to the first 25 of ours - and each additional year equals around four for us.

One of my cats is now 20 years old and very healthy. Though she has to go to the beauty parlour every 3 months as she has trouble grooming herself now. She is a Manx and very loving, also still very fit and she visits the horses of a neighbour stables every day. The horses love her.

Gail

How lovely Gail, what a character she must be. Hope she goes on to beat these cats paws down to be the oldest cat in the world! I miss all my cats and my dog so much, can't have pets here. There was a gorgeous ginger tom kitten advertised locally recently but it wouldn't be fair to have one here, he has no idea how to care for a pet and not inclined to learn.

Lizx