Up until recently, the world’s oldest cat as officiated by the Guinness Book of World Records, was Corduroy, a 26-year-old half Maine Coon from Oregon. Originally awarded the title in 2014, Corduroy was briefly overtaken by another cat, Tiffany Two from California, before retaining his crown after she sadly passed away in 2015. Unfortunately for Corduroy, as of last week, he has been dethroned once again. This time by a Siamese cat named Scooter.
Born on March 26th 1986, Scooter lives in Mansfield, Texas with his pet parent Gail Floyd, who has taken care of him since birth. From his 6am wake-ups to his charming habit of waiting for Gail to return home from work, Scooter has been a strong presence in his pet parent’s life for the entirety of his thirty years, even riding with her to visit her mom’s nursing home.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing to reach this milestone, though In October 2014, Scooter broke his leg; his recovery was attributed by veterinarians, to his “strong will to live” and Gail’s dedication to him.
To what does Scooter’s pet parent attribute his longevity? According to Gail, Scooter has always been kept active, and enjoys getting blow-dried after a warm bath and being treated to chicken every other day. This pampered pet is also a huge fan of travel, having visited 45 of the fifty states. “He likes to see new places and he likes people,” Gail told the Guinness World Records officials.
While Scooter may be basking in the glory of his official title now, he has a little way to go before he can be officially recognized as the oldest cat to have lived; that accolade goes to Crème Puff, a feline from Austin, Texas, who died in 2005 at age 38 years and three days.
Do you have a pet that could rival Scooter in age? How do you keep your cat or dog fit and healthy? We’d love to hear from you!
Photo by www.youtube.com/channel/UCJmSX7ghommK3pwMLGNUvPA
