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Photo: Alisa Morris
Way back in 1979, Alisa Morris adopted a 5-week-old feral kitten born near her mother's house. Thirty years later, Caterack the cat is still kicking, reports People Pets.
When Caterack was born, Jimmy Carter was president and the Village People's "YMCA" had just debuted on the charts. Five presidents and loads of bad songs later, the 30-year-old indoor cat -- that's 137 in cat years -- is starting to show her age. She doesn't hear so well these days, and she's been blind in her left eye her entire life. But she still gets around. Caterack likes to dance to loud music on the stereo and comes running whenever the vacuum cleaner is on, Morris tells People Pets.
There must be something about the Lone Star state that breeds long-lived kitties. Caterack lives with Morris and her husband in Midlothian, Texas. The oldest cat ever recorded, according to the Guinness World Records, was Creme Puff, who hailed from Austin, Texas. Creme Puff died in 2005, three days after her 38th birthday.
Caterack has a few years to go before she can challenge Creme Puff's title and she's got competition -- including Tizzie, of Lancashire County, England, who is purported to be 36. (Although there's evidence that Tizzie may not be as old as her owner claims.)
Records aside, Morris says she counts her blessings that she's had her beloved cat so long. "I've tried getting myself ready for when it's her time and I even given [sic] my okay to her if it's that time now," she told People Pets. "I told her it's okay, I'll be okay."
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That's so sweet. I'm glad the owner has been able to share so much time with her sweetheart. Mine will turn 7 next year, and I love him dearly!
Hey i agree with you. but there isnt proof that it is 30.
How can anyone tell if it's the same cat? Cats are like goldfish. If they look the same, they pretty much are the same. It's possible her original cat died, and this one just walked into the house.
What a great name for a one-eyed cat! It's also funny her last name Alisa Morris, was the name of that famous cat for "Nine Lives" cat food co. Looks like Caterack has all nine and more! Long live Caterack!
137? Aren't "cat years" just like "dog years", seven years for every human year? Shouldn't she be 210?
No! Cats age differently! The vet told me they age the 7 yrs per one human year to start, but after they get older it drops because their bodies aren't aging quite as many years, drops to 5 or so years as they get older. I had to have my 16 yr old female put down in Aug. She was such a beautiful and wonderful cat, and I still miss her dearly!
Au contraire, cat years are much different than dog years. Most of a cat's growth occurs during their first two years of life. The first year is comparable to 15 human years, because by the end of their first year they are almost full grown, like kitty "teenagers." For their second year, add 9. Then every year after that is equal to 4 human years.
:)
You're right, but so are these two above me; cats and dogs both age quickly in the beginning of their lives, and slow down as they grow older. 7 years is a common average, and works well for dogs and cats around 10 years old. If you get more than 3, 4, and 5 years away from that mark and the "7 years" multiplier doesn't hold very well.
Cats and Dogs age way differently... im not sure how it works with cats but recently its been shown that dogs age roughly 17 yrs in their first year... then they age about 8 yrs to our one year till they turn five... then its about 4 years till they die... and its due to a dogs metabolism not sure about cats
Just called my vet. It's obviously a slow Friday afternoon news-wise but I thought the age in the article was way off. It is. That cat is way closer to high 100's, if not actually210, than the mere whipper-snapper age of 137 listed!
I'm an elder citizen and I, for one, feel sorry for the cat. Ah, those platinum years!
Ahhhhh, what a beautiful cat! My Rufus and Blu are the furry loves of my life!
I agree totally! My oldest lasted 17 years. I thought THAT was old. Mine was a kitten by comparison. She would have lasted longer if she had not been a mostly outdoor cat.
Go Caterak...may you have several more and break the record. I can't even imagine loosing a pet that I had for that long. I lost a dog that was only 2 1/2 yrs old a few months ago, and I still cry almost everyday. I can't imagine life without pets.
Do you have a secret for the longevity of your cat's life? Any special foods, treatment, etc.
My best advice is to keep your cat indoors. That's the best way to lengthen the cat's life - to keep him safe from harm and communicable disease. Also be aware of abnormal behaviors that can mean the cat is sick, then follow-through PROMPTLY with a veterinarian checkup. I feed my cats a good diet - no table scraps and no special supplements.
My oldest kitty lived to be 22 years old, and the other 4 range in age from 12-17.
My cat is 19. He has a better sense of smell than when he was young, still climbs a block fence, and has taught himself how to get into the cabinets. He catches roaches and lizards, but the birds are safer now.
Mine was half blind and I saw her in the yard playing with a snake! She was still spry enough to dodge its' strikes! Needless to say I got her out of the quickly, just to be on the safe side. She didn't know enough to be scared!
I had 2 cats that were siblings that lived to 21 and 22 years. I believe the secret to their long lives was feeding them fresh uncooked fish that I caught. They were given the fish at least 2 times per week for their entire lifetimes. They would come running when I yelled out "FEESH". They would actually growl while eating it. It was hilarious.
Mine would do the growling thing depending on the kind of food I gave him. Little Friskies? Nope. Anything like fresh game, whether it be fish or dove or deer or even liver would prompt the growling response. And you're right, it was funny to see!