A tabby cat who just might be the world’s oldest cat has just celebrated his 31st birthday.
His name is Nutmeg and he’s been with his current owners since way back in 1990 – when he turned up in their back garden as a stray.
Liz and Ian Finlay found the cat 26 long years ago. He had an abscess on his neck, and so, they took him to their local Cats Protection where they told them that he was at least five years old.
‘We celebrate his birthday in March every year so we know it was around March 1990 when we got him,’ stated Ian.
‘I sorted out the abscess on his neck and then we took him to the Cat Protection League to check him over. The vet there said he was an adult, around five years old.’
That would certainly make him the oldest cat in the world – taking the crown from 26-year-old (121 cat years) Cordroy who currently holds the Guinness World Record.
In order to qualify for the Guinness Records, a cat’s owners must be able to verify their cats’ ages with documentation…which bearing in mind Nutmeg came to the Finlays as a stray, might be difficult.
They’re now looking for anything that can prove the date that they took Nutmeg to the Cats Protection.
However, even if they can’t verify that he was five at the time of the appointment, he was still identified as an adult – making him at least two years old.
Today, that would make him 28 years old (129 cat years) – and would still be old enough to claim the oldest cat title.
So, what’s the big secret to his longevity?-Well, the answer is – Sunday Roasts!
Nutmeg loves nothing more than chowing down on roasted chicken with gravy, or a Felix Meaty loaf.
‘He only has three teeth left but he loves chicken so much he stands at the fridge door when he wants to be fed,’ stated Ian.
Proving that he really does have extra lives, Nutmeg suffered a serious stroke just one year ago and ended up having life-saving treatment at Westway Veterinary Centre in Newcastle.
And now, he’s fit as a fiddle!
‘He comes in every morning at 5am from his bed next door and we get up and feed him. Then he goes back to bed,’ explained Liz.
We have no children so he is our baby. Even if we go away, we have people come in and look after him. He had a lovely brown coat when we got him and now he is going grey, but he is doing well for his age.’
The oldest cat ever recorded was an American named Creme Puff who died in 2005 aged 38 years, 3 days – or 168 cat years.
Happy Birthday, Nutmeg!
