Posted on 08/29/2009 6:39:22 AM PDT by Daffynition
A CAT is feline fine despite being a candidate for the world's oldest moggy.
Tizzie was found dumped in a bag on a railway line by two girls in 1973 and 36 years later she is still going strong.
Owner Jim Cowell is now trying to verify his pet's age to determine if the cat is a record breaker.
Jim said: "She really is a fantastic cat and is still as fit as a butcher's dog. She still looks like a young kitten and moves around perfectly well.
"The vet said that her organs are as healthy as they would be in a younger cat."
Jim's mum, Winifred, first gave Tizzie a home when the girls found her. But in 1990 Jim took the cat in when his mum could no longer care for her.
Old timer
Unfortunately, Tizzie's vet records were lost almost 20 years ago so Jim is trying to trace the two girls who found her.
Jim, of Burnley, Lancs, said: "There is a photograph of Tizzie with my mother and obviously we would like the two girls who found her, if they still live locally, to get in touch to help verify her age."
He added: "It's a shame the vet records were lost because that would have definitely proved her age. The photograph though shows my mum aged 62 holding the cat and that was 36 years ago."
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Granpa was the longest-living cat.
He lived to be 34 years and two months but died in 2001.
The average life expectancy of cats is between 13 and 17 years and Jim says there are no signs of black and white-coloured Tizzie slowing down.
He said: "She still goes out, although not as far as she used to. She still manages the garden wall and ventures on to the street.
"There was another cat down the road who died recently which was around a similar age so it must be something in the water around here."
My son found a cat walking with my dad when my son was about 6 years old. They took him home and we lived on the 6th floor at the time. Mommy Cat (MC) fell out the window 2 separate times. Both time we found her or rather she found us. first time she was under a car near the house and just meowed so loud as we passed. My son was ecstatic she was still alive. We brought her home and a few months later she did it again. Second time we gave her up for good after 2 weeks of searching. Neighbors knew she was missing and no sightings. Then one day we were walking up to the building to enter and there was MC a little battered & limping but it was her! (She had a blond spot just over her nose so we always knew it was her) She meowed my son meowed to her and she limped over to his leg. I carefully picked her up and brought her upstairs. My father was in shock that we found her again. After that she stayed with my dad while my son was in school but when he came home she was his shadow.
MC died at the old age of 22 years old. She was a personable cat the knew when you needed comfort or just help to get out of bed. My son didn’t need an alarm clock. MC would go in the morning and walk all over his body and lick his face to wake him up. She was cremated and now sits on my sons’ mantel at home. He was already in the Marines and his wife told me later he cried like a baby when she died. He still can’t talk about her without getting teary. MC, we still miss you and look foward to seeing you at that bridge.
Sorry for going on but she was a BIG part of our family. Yes cats live longer than expected. I suspect love is a big part of it. BTW, we did get screens after the first fall. She liked to climb up and over them.
Don’t know if it’s true or not. It could be possible.
As for being the same cat in both pictures; probably not; however, my last cat was a torteshell siamese. I bought her at 6 weeks and had her until she died at 19 years. I can swear that some cats do change colors throughout their lives especially torts. Eloise looked like a seal point with only the colored points and white body at 6 weeks; but as she aged; she became the most beautiful color combination of seal point, white and red. I am not aware if this happens with other cats. Same thing with my other tort.
G$&*@$% Mongorians!!
I hear you. Don’t feel bad about going on. It’s a heartwarming story, and most of us can relate to it. I have furbabies at the rainbow bridge too.
Did they really? That's depressing. Back when I was in college, I ran a shop in the basement of the dorm called "The Joint," and we sold snacks, gave out change for laundry, and had a TV and VCR - it was a cool hang out place, and everyone showed up there now and then. Once or twice a week, I'd hit the grocery store to get some big bags of chips, and I'd always get the latest edition of WWN. I used to keep it on the counter for people to browse. Our motto? "Why would they print it if it weren't true?" Just hearing the name brings back good memories. It was a great way to start conversations with cute girls!
Mark
Cats and dogs that we’ve had, that get old, only seem to gray about the face. Nothing even comes close to this alleged critter’s age.
What an interesting experience you had with your tort.
No way do I question the intelligence of some cats...but when someone tells me their (prolly somewhat deaf &/or blind) 36 yr old cat “ventures” out to the street, it makes me cringe.
ps: I love your cat’s name! If you don’t mind, I’d like to borrow it for my next kitty.
We also call her Kômori, which means "bat" in Japanese.
I don't have a recent photo of Bat online right now, but here's on from a couple of years ago, leeching warmth from sleeping peacefully with a then-newborn Baby Chan. As you can see, she grew into the ears!
Ah, both are so cute.
What a wonderful story.
Is that photo from 73 supposed to be the same cat? WHere did you find that picture?
OMG what year is that from?
The picture is in the article if you follow the link.
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