What cats live long - long-living cat breeds

A cat in the house is an amazing pet.
Always with your own character, habits and preferences. When we take a kitten into our home, we rarely think about how much time we will spend together, but the older the cat is, the more often the sad thought pops up in our heads that the pet is getting old and will one day leave the house. The owner’s optimism can be increased by the thought of cats and long-lived cats who have set records for the longest cat life. By human standards, a cat's life is incredibly short, usually 15 years. Then the cumulative effect of the cat’s quality of life, breed characteristics, and personal aspects comes into play. But it will not be possible to prolong a cat’s life forever, and by the age of 17 the cat usually leaves the family.

But it is reckless to put up with dry statistics. Everyone knows that in addition to good care and maintenance, a cat’s longevity is influenced by its breed. Some breeds of cats do not have longevity at all; they are destroyed by heredity, no matter how much you care for them. But about other breeds, more and more often you can hear how long the pet lived.

Siamese cat

This beauty can be put in first place in terms of life expectancy. The smartest breed, even trainable. Siamese are proud animals and will not tolerate familiarity. Animals are able to put both the owner and other family members in their place. One blow from a clawed paw is enough to protect yourself.

Most Siamese have established themselves as pets with a complex and vicious character. This is a misconception; cats are very affectionate and loyal. But they find it difficult to get along with other relatives and have an extremely negative attitude towards competition.

With good care, Siamese can easily live up to 20 years.

Oriental cat

Graceful, long-legged, with huge ears and expressive eyes. Looking at the Oriental, it seems that the animal is unearthly. Representatives of the breed look as if their ancestors were aliens.

In addition to their unusual appearance, nature has endowed these animals with an interesting character. Living with an Oriental in the same apartment is like living on a powder keg. These charming creatures are so unpredictable, active and extraordinary.

Pets are unusually human-oriented. And when a beloved owner works from dawn to dusk, the animal begins to get bored. As a result, Mamai walks through the apartment, because the pet destroys everything that gets in his way. This is not out of malice, it just splashes out energy in this way.

Orientals love to “talk” with the owner. They follow him everywhere and meow lowly. Also, cats are huge fans of checking out what their dear owner eats. Putting your nose into his cup or plate is easy.

Orientals are distinguished from Siamese cats by their color and eye color. In principle, the differences are only in one gene.

This miracle lives for a long time, on average 15 – 20 years. There are pets that have safely lived up to 27 years.

Third place No. 3 Tiffany II

The top three longest-living record holders are closed by the oldest mustachioed-striped on the planet as of 2014 - then Tiffany II celebrated its 26th anniversary. The animal died this year in its sleep at the age of 27 years and two months. By our standards, she was already 125 years old.

The owner of the unique cat, Sharon Voorhees, still remembers how she bought Tiffany for $10 at one of the pet stores. The cat lived in the USA, San Diego, for the entire measured century. As we can see in the photo, Tiffany looks great for her age. The cat retained sharp eyesight and excellent hearing until the end of her life. She ate special cat food, spent time in the apartment and only occasionally went out for street walks.

The owner noted the cat’s courage and bravery, because she could calmly walk past the dogs, proudly raising her tail. In her 27 years, Tiffany has been in hundreds of fights, but has never been seriously injured, Sharon notes. And one day the cat disappeared for 2 whole years! Sharon no longer hoped to see her, but the cat suddenly returned as if nothing had happened. That's why some people call Tiffany the traveler cat.

In this video you will meet the oldest cat in Russia, 23-year-old Pushko.

Abyssinian cat

A real dog. Abyssinians enjoy walking, communicating with their own kind, and are able to fetch a ball and give a paw. As for the relationship with the owner, Abyssinian cats love their owners dearly. In terms of devotion they can compete only, perhaps, with the Siamese.

The intelligence of the breed has been known for a long time, especially in felinological circles. The breed is recommended for families with children and people who love an active lifestyle. You will never be bored with an Abyssinian; the breed is active and extremely curious. That’s why you should hide anything related to wires and current from your pet. The cat will have to take a sample from the wires, which is fraught with consequences.

Abyssinians live about 20 years, this is the average duration of their earthly existence.

Serval

In Russia, there are very few nurseries where servals are bred. This is explained by the high cost of the breed; the average person can hardly afford a kitten, the cost of several hundred thousand.

Serval is an African, large (up to 80 cm in height) predator. Of course, it is quite possible to raise an easy-going and kind cat at home.

But a number of rules will still have to be followed. Firstly, you cannot physically punish representatives of this breed. The response will be fast, harsh and immediate. The second point is games. Servals simply love to run and frolic, and given their speed, they are a little hurricane in the house.

Pets must be played with on the floor and never allowed to jump on the owner from a height. Excited by the game, a serval may forget that it is domestic and use the skills of a predator.

These exotic cats are distinguished by their curious disposition and excessive playfulness. And their life expectancy in captivity is 20 years.

Mekong Bobtail

All such cute, curious tailless creatures. And what unsurpassed cleanliness! As soon as you leave something uncleaned, it will immediately refuse to go into your pet’s bowl. Mekong Bobtails are born washerwomen, they wash everything that is in bad shape. More precisely, they are soaked in their own bowl, and the owner then discovers the little thing.

Despite its love of washing, the breed is better known for its appearance and character. The latter, as befits Eastern citizens, is distinguished by pride and self-esteem. Somebody, a bobtail won’t obsessively ask for the owner’s attention. Mekong will come only when he wants affection. In other cases, he prefers to maintain a polite distance.

The average life expectancy of tailless cats ranges from 15-18 years. Long-livers - from 20 to 23 years.

Table of cat age according to human years of life

Turkish Angora

White, fluffy cats are often mistaken for not purebred Maine Coons. In fact, Angora has nothing to do with the latter.

Representatives of the breed are very good-looking. A sort of snow-white cloud with a proud look. Such a beauty lies on the bed and looks around contemptuously. It seems as if the Turkish Angora is a real queen.

And his character matches his appearance - royal. Running and playing is not about this breed. Only if, as a kitten, the angora takes part in the game. An adult animal prefers a quiet pastime, preferably away from prying hands.

He loves affection, but constant hugs and petting are not for these pets. Angora must be given an independent life, taking care of timely replenishment of food and cleaning of the tray.

A snow-white beauty can delight its owner for 15-18 years, on average.

Maine Coon

Maine Coon
A native of New England, the Maine Coon is distinguished by its impressive size, mouse hunting skills, and adaptability to any vagaries of nature. This cute giant cat captivates with his shaggy thick hair, touching tufts on his ears and a huge fluffy tail, giving him a resemblance to a raccoon. Maine Coons have a good disposition, they are flexible, intelligent, and love affection. These cute creatures have outstanding vocal abilities, and they willingly demonstrate their talent to their owners.

Maine Coons reach full maturity between 3 and 5 years of age, and many can weigh over 20 pounds at this age. They like to live in pairs, while the males are prone to wonderful funny antics, and the females try not to lose their dignity. Maine Coons are friendly towards other animals in the family and children. The cost of kittens of this breed can reach $1000.

Maine Coon

Himalayan cat

Beautiful phlegmatic people - this is how the representatives of the breed can be characterized. The ideal life of a Himalayan cat is a comfortable bed by the fireplace and gentle owners.

In a noisy family with children, the animal feels restless and tries to find a place for privacy. And if your pet is constantly touched, it can get sick from nervous tension.

Luxurious wool requires constant care. The animal tolerates brushing several times a week. With the condition that after this, the pet will be left alone.

Those who want to have an unobtrusive, beautiful pet should pay attention to the Himalayan cat.

Official list of the oldest cats in the world

In Europe and the USA, an official list of all the oldest cats has been compiled. Many of these centenarians had to go through difficult trials.

Cream Puff (translated from English as “cream puff”)

This tabby-mix outbred cat was one of the oldest in the world. It was even included in the Guinness Book of Records (2010 edition). Cream-Puff was born on August 3, 1967, and died on August 6, 2005 - at 38 years old. There lived a cat in the small town of Austin, Texas, in the family of Jake Perry.

The owner developed a special diet for his pet, which consisted of asparagus, eggs, turkey bacon, broccoli and coffee with cream. In addition, once every 2 days the owner gave the cat a dropper of red wine to drink. Jake Perry also supported the physical activity of his pet - the owner built wooden steps into the walls of his house, and built an aviary in the backyard. Jake made a movie theater in the garage and constantly played various documentaries about nature.

Baby

This mongrel black cat from the USA was born in 1970 and died in March 2005 at the age of 35.

Al Paluski found Baby on the street as a kitten when children threw him and firecrackers into the trash can. The fear of children did not leave the unfortunate cat for the rest of his life.

The baby ate regular cat food. He also loved fresh grass and often begged for food from the master’s table: steaks, peas, pasta, corn, cheese.

Throughout his long cat life, the Kid did not go outside. The only exception was a trip to the vet at age 28. This cat did not like other pets, and once even kicked a huge Great Dane out of the house.

Kitty

Another tabby outbred cat with an unusual name lived exactly 36 years and 1 day. Pussycat was born in England on November 28, 1903, and died on November 29, 1939.

Ma

A tabby shorthair cat named Ma was born in Great Britain in 1923. The long-lived cat died at the age of 34 on November 5, 1957 on Guy Fawkes Night.

Granpa Rex Allen

This Devon Rex cat was born on February 1, 1964 in Paris, and died at the age of 34, on April 1, 1998 in the USA. After his death, he was included in the Guinness Book of Records.

Granpa lived with a long-living cat named Cream Puff and 17 other cats in Jake Perry's family. According to the owner, Rex Allen ate vegetables, fried foods and other foods that are considered not very healthy for cats. However, this diet helped the cat live a very long time.

Sarah

A mongrel longhaired cat from New Zealand received the title of the oldest cat in this country. Sarah was born in March 1982 and died in September 2015, when she was 33.5 years old.

Mitz Maz

The long-lived Mitz Matz was born in 1979. At first he lived with his owners in Tegerwilen, Switzerland. However, he later ran away and settled at a local railway station, whose employees fed the cat.

According to eyewitnesses, in February 2012, a passer-by saw an elderly Mitz Matz and believed that the cat was very sick. The woman took the centenarian to the nearest veterinary clinic. The veterinarians did not know the animal’s history and euthanized it as a stray. Mitz Matz died at the age of 33. The doctors' actions caused a huge wave of indignation among station employees and local residents.

Nutmeg (Nutmeg)

Another long-lived cat with the unusual nickname Nutmeg lived for 32 years. True, this cat was not included in the Guinness Book of Records, since the owners did not have documents that would confirm the declared age. Nutmeg was born in Great Britain in 1985–1986. The cat wandered into his owners, Ian and Liz Finlay, by accident in 1990.

In 2015, Nutmeg suffered a stroke. Thanks to the timely help of doctors, he was saved. In the last years of his life, the cat only had 3 teeth left. The furry old man did not leave the house at all and spent time in his own room. On August 29, 2017, he began having breathing problems due to heart failure. Despite the efforts of veterinarians, the centenarian died at the age of 31–32 years.

Kitty

Short-haired black cat Kitty was born in July 1957 in the English county of Staffordshire. At 30 years old, she gave birth to 2 kittens and was registered as the oldest female cat mother. Kitty died in June 1989 - just shy of 32 years old, but she was also awarded the title of “long-liver.”

Spike

The long-haired red and white cat Spike was born in May 1970. In the same year, the owners purchased the future centenarian at the market in London for 2 shillings and 6 pence. At the age of 19, the cat was bitten by a fighting dog. Thorn developed blood poisoning, but veterinarians operated on him and saved his life. The cat died in July 2001 in the arms of his owner at the age of 31.

Scottish fold cat

Scottish Fold is the second name of the breed. Judging by their appearance, we can conclude: cats are calm, like tanks. Calmness and Scottish fold are diametrically opposed concepts.

Representatives of the breed have a difficult character, are active, and need to check everything. And most importantly, they react violently to any infringement of their rights. At best, they can hit you with their paw.

“Scots” are often taken into families with children. Of course, there are calm cats among the representatives of the breed, but... It is better to get a Scottish Fold for those who are ready to put up with its independence.

The average life expectancy of a Scottish Fold cat is 18 years. They can live 20 years if they are given proper care.

Mitz Matz - 33 years old

It is possible that Mitz Matz would have lived longer if he had not been euthanized by mistake in Switzerland. The cat was considered the oldest representative of the “felines”; he lived for 33 years. Veterinarians euthanized him, mistaking him for a stray animal, although this was not the case. For a long time, this fluffy cat lived at the railway station in the Tegervilen commune - the station employees loved Mitz Matz, took care of him and fed him.

One day Mitz Matz decided to go for a walk outside the station - a woman passing by took the cat to the veterinarian, mistaking him for a stray. After examining the animal, the clinic specialist decided to euthanize the cat. The news came as a shock to those who cared for Mitz Matz. The veterinary hospital staff did not feel guilty, reporting that the cat was already very old: he could hardly see, his ears and teeth hurt.

Russian blue cat

Gentle, shy, delicate - this is how representatives of the breed may seem. Shyness is not their lot at all; animals have a sense of self-esteem. And they don’t impose themselves with affection, not at all because they are shy. They just don’t feel the need for it at the moment.

Pets who love to sit on your lap whenever they want. If you pick up a Russian Blue and start squeezing it, the animal will become indignant. When it comes to something that your pet doesn’t like, he will be able to fight back for himself.

Otherwise, blue cats are cute and unpretentious creatures in everyday life. On average, they live 15-16 years.

When talking about the lifespan of a particular breed, several factors should be taken into account. In the first place is genetics, in the second place is a predisposition to diseases, in the third place are living conditions.

How to make your favorite pet long-lived?

In order to extend the life of a pet or set a record for a long-lived cat (there are photos of them in the article), you should follow certain rules. Namely:

1. Don't refuse vaccination. Vaccinated pets live longer.
2. Spay or neuter, which will protect the cat from infections, oncology and hormonal imbalances.
3. Nutrition should be rational. It is better to cook your own food or use ready-made food from the premium segment.
4. Watch out for excess weight, which can cause diabetes.
5. You should not self-medicate.
6. Maintain water balance. Your pet's water should always be clean.
7. Monitor the condition of the oral cavity.
8. Avoid street walks. Indoor cats that don't go outside live longer.
9. Get your cat moving using toys or special play pens.

The main key condition is unconditional love and care.