The Oldest Domestic Cat
The average life expectancy
for a neutered, well looked after cat is now
15 - 17 years for a male
and 17 - 19 years for a female. However, Ma, a female tabby owned by
Alice St. George Moore of Drewsteignton, Devon, UK was 24 years old
when she died in 1957. This record was actually beaten by another
tabby - Puss, owned by Mrs Holway of Clayhidon, Devon, UK. He was 36
years old when he died in 1939.
The Largest Domestic Cat
Himmy, owned by Thomas Vyse
of Redlynch, Cairns, Queensland, Australia, still holds the title of
being the heaviest recorded cat. When he died at the age of 10 in
1986, he weighed 46lbs 15 L oz (21.3 kg). Imagine him jumping on your
knee whilst you're watching TV ! A neutered male tabby, his neck
measured 15in (38.1cm), his waist 33 in (83.8cm) and he was 38 in
(96.5cm) long. Another cat named Poppa came very close to Himmy's
record. He was a male tabby, owned by Gwladys Cooper of Newport,
Gwent, UK and weighed 44 ? lbs (20.19 kg) a year before he died in
1985.
The Smallest Domestic Cat
Tinker Toy, owned by Katrina
& Scott Forbes of Taylorville, Illinois, USA holds this record. He
is a male blue point Himalayan - Persian and measures just 2 l ins
(7cm) tall and 7 ? ins (19 cm) long.
The Most Prolific Domestic Cat
When Dusty, a tabby from
Bonham, Texas, USA gave birth to her final kitten in 1952, she had
produced 420 kittens in 17 years.
The Oldest Feline Mother
A little way behind Dusty was
Kitty owned by George Johnstone of Croxton, Staffs, UK. In 1987, she
gave birth to her last two kittens at the age of 30. When she died 2
years later, she had produced a total of 218 kittens during her life.
The Largest Pet Litter
This record goes to a
Burmese/Siamese cat owned by V. Gane of Church Westcote, Kingham,
Oxon, UK who gave birth to 19 kittens in one go in 1970.
The Best Mouser
Towser, a female
tortoiseshell owned by the Glenturret Distillery Ltd, Crief, Tayside,
UK holds this title. When she died in 1987 at the age of 24, she had
caught a total of 28,899 mice - an average of 3 per day.
The Best Climber
In 1950, a four month old
kitten owned by Josephine Aufdenblatten from Geneva, Switzerland
walked into the record books by following a group of climbers to the
top of the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps. The height of which is 14,691
ft (4478m).
