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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

What is the oldest aged cat you have known

47 replies

PositiveCattitude · 18/05/2018 09:36

My oldest girl cat is 14.
I hope she will be around for many years to come.
What is the oldest cat you have known?

OP posts:
Dfg15 · 18/05/2018 09:42

We recently had our cat pts, she was 21. She had a tumour, and the vet said it was the kindest thing to do. She was a gorgeous cat, so friendly and playful

CarcerDun · 18/05/2018 09:43

My DCat who I got as a kitten when I was 6 years old died when I was 28. He was an amazing cat.

weebarra · 18/05/2018 09:45

My parents' cat is still going at 20. She's not exactly leaping about but she is still functioning!

JurassicGirl · 18/05/2018 09:48

My parents cat is 21 & although has a few minor health issues is still going, looks beautiful, eats & sleeps well :)

Lightsong · 18/05/2018 09:49

My childhood cat died at 24. Her name was Willow and my mum got her the same year that my youngest brother was born. She was a tiny little thing that was still fighting seagulls up until 6 months before she died

Allergictoironing · 18/05/2018 09:59

Interesting timing you asking this - yesterday I was reading a copy of Fortean Times from earlier this year (February) and it had a short article about old cats. The oldest ever officially recorded (they can only be official if the birth is documented as well as the death) died at age 38 in Texas USA. There are various cats in the item reaching late 20s and into their 30s, including a few strays who were in a bad way when rescued.

SpectacularAardvark · 18/05/2018 10:17

My last cat was 21, I miss her but she was ready to go. She had a great life and only really went downhill in the last year.

Want2beme · 18/05/2018 10:18

I've had two 20 year olds and I knew a 23 year old.

thecatneuterer · 18/05/2018 10:30

I used to specialise in taking on old cats. I had loads in their early 20s and quite a few got to 25. Someone I knew decided she wanted to adopt a pair of oldies and we found her a pair that had come to us after the death of their owner. They were 23 and 25 and came with all their vet papers going back to the 80s, so the ages were definitely correct. They both live another two years.

So the answer to your question is 27.

CaseStudyResearch · 18/05/2018 10:41

DH’s family cat is now 22 - her brother was put to sleep last year at 21. Despite a tough start in life (multiple operations and allergies), she’s still going strong.

DH’s sister is 24 and doesn’t remember life without her.

PositiveCattitude · 18/05/2018 15:04

Thanks for your replies,they have given me hope.Someone mentioned to me that she would only have a year or two left and it saddened me.
So sorry for those of you who recently lost your cats.

OP posts:
Furano · 18/05/2018 16:02

My old one got to 18 but DPs was 21!

By other two went at 13 and 16 which felt a bit early really.

Kocerhan3 · 18/05/2018 16:07

My MILs cat is 21, he's an old man but still going strong!

TheWorldAsh · 18/05/2018 16:07

We had three cats. One mine, two the wife's.

Cat 1. 19
Cat 2. 23 (my cat)
Cat 3. 24

Whatever we fed them seemed to work...

TimeIhadaNameChange · 18/05/2018 16:21

My childhood cat lived til he was 18. We had my second 15 years, but she was a rescue and could have been 7 when she arrived, so possibly 22.

My current boss is 7 so I'm expecting to be kept on the straight and narrow by her for many years to come yet!

lorisparkle · 18/05/2018 16:26

My cat I had as a child lived until he was 24. I had had him since I was a toddler and I was so upset when he died. We thought he was on his last legs a couple of times but when we got some kittens they seemed to spur him on and he lived for a couple of years after that. He was a determined cat having dragged himself up into my bedroom after a car accident and then removing his cast when it stopped him jumping over the fence.

MadCap · 18/05/2018 16:32

We had a cat as a child that had to be pts at 27. She snored so loudly people would think there was another person in the house!

SneakyGremlins · 18/05/2018 16:33

I knew one that made it to 28.

Redboxonwheels · 18/05/2018 16:37

My childhood cat was half Siamese and a tiny, skinny thing. She had two lots of kittens before we could get her neutered, an amazing yowly miaow and lived to 21 (have seen quite a few 21-ers on here).

Second cat was tabby boy who almost made it to 19. He was a real talker and did that high-speed chattering noise whenever he saw a bird. Didn’t ever catch one, as far as we know. He preferred mice.

Awaiting cat number three ......

Thatsalritehun · 18/05/2018 16:46

My mum’s childhood cats went at 11 and 12. My childhood cats went at 15, 16 and 19. Nowadays, it’s far from uncommon to hear of cats living into their 20s, just as the number of 100+ year old humans is going up and up as medical care improves.
My friend had a cat who was about 26 when he died, but that’s the oldest I’ve ever known.

flumpybear · 18/05/2018 17:10

Two oldest cats were 18 and 19/20 when they died - try not to worry and just enjoy your kitty 🐱

madsiemoomoo · 18/05/2018 17:46

24 but she got dementia and wondered out of the garden, and an interfering nasty old bag neighbour took her to be put down because they thought she was neglectedAngry (24 year old cats do not look or smell good!!)

This was in the 90's so no chips and needless to say we were devastated when she 'disappeared'. We found out what actually happened a few years later and even now I'd happily kill that woman if I ever ran into her....

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 18/05/2018 18:47

Oldest cat we had was 20 (lovely old boy finally pts last year) prior to him previous cats had lives anywhere from 13 to 17 years.

Cheeseislife · 18/05/2018 18:53

My oldest cat is 19 and a half and apart from being rather arthritic is doing great - doesn't help he's rather chunky when he's feeling rather stiff bless him. He's on steroids for his gums which are helping him overall

Pompom42 · 18/05/2018 18:54

My cat was 17 but I knew someone that one that was 20