Is this the world’s oldest cat? Owners of rescued feline Nutmeg claim their pet has reached his 31st birthday (making him 141 in human years!)
A couple have claimed the cat they rescued in 1990 is the world’s oldest after he reached his 31st birthday.
Liz and Ian Finlay, from Newcastle, rescued Nutmeg 26 years ago when he turned up in their back garden with an abscess on his neck.
After taking him to the local Cats Protection League they were told he was at least five years old.
Nutmeg (pictured) was rescued in Newcastle in 1991 when he was about five years old. This means he is now 31 years old or 141 in human years
Owners Liz and Ian Finlay (pictured right) want to prove their pet is a world record holder. Nutmeg proved he had more than nine lives when he suffered a serious stroke last year but was saved by a vet at the Westway Veterinary Centre in Newcastle
If true, that would make the tabby the oldest cat in the world at 31 years old, or 141 in human years.
He would take the crown from 26-year-old Corduroy who currently holds the Guinness World Record.
Mr Finlay told the Newcastle Chronicle: ‘We celebrate his birthday in March every year so we know it was around March 1990 when we got him.
‘I sorted out the abscess on his neck and then we took him to the Cat Protection League to check him over. The vet there said he was an adult, around five years old.’
But, in order to claim the world record Nutmeg’s owners would have to verify his age age with documentation.
The Finlay’s are now looking for anything that proves the date that they took Nutmeg to the Cats Protection in 1990.
Even if they can’t verify that he was five at the time he was still registered as an adult – making him at least two making him a minimum of 28 years old today.
The Finlay’s (pictured right) claim it a love of roast dinners that keeps their cat healthy. Nutmeg (pictured right) even stands by the fridge when he wants to be fed
Corduroy (pictured) born in Central Oregon on August 1, 1989 currently holds the Guinness World Record title of oldest cat
The couple claim the secret to Nutmeg’s long life is his love of Sunday roasts.
Mr Finlay added that despite only having three teeth left Nutmeg loves chicken and stands at the fridge door when he wants to be fed.
He said: ‘He comes in every morning at 5am from his bed next door and we get up and feed him. We have no children so he is our baby.’
The elderly feline proved he had more than nine lives when he suffered a serious stroke last year but was saved by vets at the Westway Veterinary Centre in Newcastle.
The oldest cat ever was Creme Puff from Austin, Texas.
She died in 2005 aged 38 years, 3 days – or 168 in human years.
