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You Won’t Believe How Long the Oldest Cat in History Lived—And the Longevity Tricks His Owner Swore By

If you’re a pet owner, you probably know how it feels: Cats don’t live long enough. Wouldn’t it be great if they stayed at our side longer?

Well, a man in Texas named Jake Perry appears to have discovered the secret to cat longevity. He came up with a special diet for his cats, along with some other quirky tricks we’ll get to in a minute, and two of them lived to be more than 30 years old. Most domestic cats only live to about 13 to 17 years of age, although some can live past 20 with good nutrition.

But over 30? It’s almost unheard of. And incredibly, not just one but two of Perry’s cats landed in the Guinness World Records.

The oldest cat in the world was named Creme Puff

The cat currently holding the Guinness age record was named Creme Puff. She was a mixed tabby born on Aug. 3, 1967, and she lived until Aug. 6, 2005, which made Creme Puff 38 years and three days old when she died.

There is some dispute over this title, as there was a Welsh cat named Lucky who supposedly lived to age 39. However, that cat’s age lacks documentation, so Guinness honors Creme Puff. Perry, a plumber, owned Creme Puff as well as the previous record holder, a cat named Granpa Rexs Allen, who lived to be 34.

Why did Perry’s cats live so long?

Looking for the secret to cat longevity, Atlas Obscura went to Perry’s home back in 2015 to find out why his cats enjoyed such long lives. Then 85, he attributed it to three main things:

  • Diet: Perry fed his cats dry cat food, which he supplemented with eggs, turkey bacon and broccoli. He also, controversially, fed them small amounts of red wine and coffee with cream. He believed the wine would “circulate the arteries,” but the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists says caffeine can be toxic to cats and should be avoided. (Dairy products are also not recommended.)
  • Habitat: Perry kept his cats in a garage where he constantly played nature documentaries for them. He even built them their own home theater with real seats!
  • Love: Perry believed that his cats lived so long because he showered them with loving affection, remembering every single one of their birthdays.

We’re not saying that your cats will live as long as Creme Puff and Granpa (and we’re not endorsing their diets!), but we can definitely get behind showering your feline companions with love.

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The post You Won’t Believe How Long the Oldest Cat in History Lived—And the Longevity Tricks His Owner Swore By appeared first on Reader's Digest.



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