Our pets are an important part of our life, so it’s fair we sometimes wish they could live forever.
Some pets do outlive expectations, however. The world’s oldest dog is Bobi, a 31-year-old Portuguese pooch who is “very sociable” and loves roaming the forests and a good nap by the fire.
Cats typically live longer than dogs, but not by much. So who’s Bobi’s feline counterpart? Meet the oldest living cats according to Guinness World Records, plus the breeds with the longest lifespans.
How old is the oldest cat?
The oldest living cat is currently Flossie, a 27-year-old British tortoiseshell cat. Flossie is roughly 120 human years old and has lived in four homes. Her owner, Vicki Green, told Guinness World Records she is affectionate and playful and in good health, despite being deaf and poor-sighted and occasionally needing help grooming or using the litter box.
Flossie was adopted in 1995 by an employee at Merseyside Hospital in Liverpool, where, as a young stray, she lived in a colony of cats close to the hospital.
Flossie will turn 28 in December 2023.
Cat to human years:An illustrated guide to feline lives
What is the oldest cat to ever live?
The oldest cat to ever live was Creme Puff, a Texas cat who lived to be 38 years old and 3 days. Creme Puff was born in August 1967 and died in August 2005, according to Guinness World Records.
Creme Puff’s owner, Jake Perry, also owned Grandpa Rex Allen, the cat who previously held the Guinness record for the world's oldest cat.
How long do cats live?
Most cats live between 13-17 years, according to PetMD, but some domestic cats can live up to 20 years if they’re well taken care of. A pet’s lifespan depends on a number of factors, including health care, diet and environment.
Indoor cats typically have much longer lifespans than outdoor cats. Burmese cats are often regarded as the longest-living breed, though many types of cats can reach 20 years. Here are the breeds that live the longest, according to Grass Valley Veterinary Hospital:
- Burmese cats: 18-25 years
- Ragdoll cats: 15-25 years
- Balinese cats: 18-22 years
- Persian cats: 15-20 years
- Sphynx cats: 15 to 20 years
- Russian blue cats: 10-20 years
- Siamese cats: 15-20 years
- Munchkin cats: 12-15 years
How old is my cat?:Here's how owners can tell
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