All cats have something that makes them endearing and special, but one particular kitty from the UK has been around to stay special the longest. Meet Flossie, the feline that just broke a record and earned the title of the oldest cat in the world. This black and brown kitty was named the oldest living cat by the Guinness World Records. She was 26 years and 316 days old—for a cat, that’s equivalent to 120 human years—when she was awarded the coveted title on November 10, 2022.
Flossie's story began all the way back in 1995, born as a stray in a feral colony close to a hospital in Liverpool. Moved by the rough conditions the kitties had to face, a group of workers decided to adopt a cat each, which is how Flossie ended up with her first owner. Sadly, they passed away 10 years later, but Flossie was then taken in by her late owner's sister. The pair enjoyed 14 years together until the second owner died. After that, her son decided to take care of Flossie, then aged 24—already an impressive number, given that the average lifespan for a domestic cat is about 12–14 years, while a few can live to be around 20 years old.
After three years together, the third owner realized that the senior kitty had increasingly complex needs due to her age that he couldn't fulfill, and entrusted her to a Cats Protection's shelter, part of the UK's largest cat welfare charity. “It wasn’t an easy decision,” Naomi Rosling at Cats Protection told the Guinness World Records. “He sought our help when it was in Flossie’s best interests. Responsible cat ownership is when someone thinks about an animal’s needs above their feelings.”
However, that was when the organization realized what they were dealing with. “We were flabbergasted when we saw that Flossie’s vet records showed her to be 27 years old,” Rosling said.
Although at first they feared Flossie would spend her final days looking for a forever home, it didn't take long for the loving feline to be paired with her new mom, Vicki Green, who had plenty of experience caring for older cats. Green happily shares that despite being poorly sighted and deaf, Flossie is in good health. The sweet cat also loves taking naps on her cherished yellow blanket and “never turns her nose up at the chance of a good meal,” according to Green, who hopes this story will inspire more people to adopt senior cats.
“I knew from the start that Flossie was a special cat, but I didn’t imagine I’d share my home with a world record holder,” Green said. “She’s so affectionate and playful, especially sweet when you remember how old she is. I’m immensely proud that Cats Protection matched me with such an amazing cat.”
Despite her incredible age, Flossie is far from being the oldest cat who ever lived. That honor belongs to Crème Puff, a cat from Texas who reached the ripe old age of 38 years and 3 days, living from August 3, 1967 to August 6, 2005. Looking at Flossie's good spirits, we wouldn't be surprised to hear from her in the years to come.
A cat in the UK named Flossie was just given the title of “The Oldest Cat In The World” by the Guinness World Records.
This black and brown feline was 26 years and 316 days old—which is equivalent to 120 human years—when she was awarded the coveted title.
Now, she is only one month away from her 27th birthday.
Learn more about Flossie in the video below.
h/t: [EuroNews]
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