Cat, 26, could be record breaker

[Sash]

A 26-year-old domestic cat from Shropshire could be one of the oldest in the UK.

Pussywillow lives in Ratlinghope and is still "sharp in her mind and her eyes", according to owner Lin Brown.

The black cat, who now enjoys curling up by the stove, lived off animals she caught herself until she was 22, Ms Brown said.

Healthy cats can normally live to about 18, with previous world record holders only reaching their early 20s.

Pussywillow was near-feral when she was first taken in by the family.

"When Willow came my son was four. He is now 30," Ms Brown said.

"I know from my local vet that they've always been absolutely astonished and said they have never known a cat that old."

The family only started feeding the elderly feline after she survived an attack by a fox four years ago.

"Because of her wildness when she came she was pretty much an outdoor cat and had an organic diet and I hardly fed her anything," Ms Brown said.

Marion Micklewright, from Shropshire Cat Rescue, said she had not heard of any other cats living for 26 years.

"Cats are living longer, but I'd love to know what they fed it on. It's a bit of a rarity."

[Detomah]

The shame about cats, dogs and all domesticated pets is that under normal circumstances we will always outlive them. It's nice to hear about a cat being healthy and stil with it at 26, but to me that would just make it even harder to have to let go when it dies, 26 years of having a friend like that would be horrible to have to let go. I hate the idea that i'm going to lose Beeka and Bandit one day, but I wouldn't swap them for the world. If it came to my dogs surviving off the fat of the land, I reckon they'd do just fine though, they are gits for catching and ragging grey squirrels and pidgeons and what ever other critters they've had that Robyn hasn't told me about.

[Sash]

I know what you mean. Lots of marriages don't even last that long. Look at Harv and his cat. Vin must be at least 15 years old and he's still here and Harv's hagged old ex isn't! lol

(she's not dead btw, I wasn't being really mean, honest!)