Me-wow! Texas woman says cat is 30 years old

***Calvin*** · 09-30-2009, 06:15 PM

Although she can't hear or see very well, Caterack the cat is still purring

Alisa Morris' indoor cat Caterack, who Morris says is now 30 years old, can't hear very well and only has vision in her right eye but still lives a very mobile life.

Quote:

When Alisa Morris adopted a kitten that she named Caterack in the summer of 1979, she had no idea that the 5-week-old ball of fluff who was blind in her left eye would still be staring back at her some 30 years later.

"Feral cats were born around my mother's house, and there was one she begged me to take from her," says Morris, an abstract artist. "She said 'there is something special about this one.' "

She wasn't kidding. The indoor cat, who Morris says is now 30 years old, lives a simple life with her owner and her husband, Jim Wesbrooks, in a three-bedroom house in Midlothian, Texas. Though she can't hear very well and only has vision in her right eye, Caterack is still mobile, though sometimes shaky on her feet, and enjoys life to the fullest — and likely could be among the oldest housecats in the world.

"I exercise in the house and she comes in ... If I put the stereo on loud enough, she reacts," says Morris. "She'll let me do lifts with her and I don't go around in circles because I don't want to make her nauseated. But she gets right in the middle of it."

Unlike most cats, Caterack enjoys confrontations with the vacuum. "When I've got the vacuum cleaner running, she comes to that. She does like it because she can hear it," she says.

Morris, who "celebrates and thanks God every day Caterack is here," takes special care to make sure her senior pet is comfortable in her old age. "She let's me hold her and brush her. I brush her every day and I watch TV and I hold her," she says, adding that the cat loves to lay on jeans. "She'll let you do anything to her."

What's the secret to the cat's longevity? Nothing special that Morris can think of. The cat has dined on Purina Cat Chow most of her life, until recently when Morris switched her to wet food because she was having trouble chewing. "I've had to go to the little package stuff that's wet," she says. "That's the only thing that she can get down."

The oldest cat ever recorded was a 38-year-old feline named Creme Puff, according to a rep from Guinness World Records. The cat, who was born in 1967, lived with her owner Jake Perry in Austin, Texas, before passing away in August 2005. This past August, the Burnley Express newspaper ran a story about Tizzie, a cat in Burnley, England, whose owners claim she is 36 years old. Some later reports suggest it could be a hoax.

Morris, who says she hasn't spent a night away from Caterack in five years, definitely worries about the day that she'll have to say goodbye to her fair-weather friend, who has been there to watch her two children (Casey, 33, and Sheree, 31) grow up and saw her through a 1981 divorce. "I've tried getting myself ready for when it's her time and I even given my okay to her if it's that time now," she says. "I told her 'it's okay, I'll be okay.'"

Me-wow! Texas woman says cat is 30 years old

Wow...30 years old?

Bottesini · 09-30-2009, 06:27 PM

She is really lucky to have her pet live so long. My longest living pet was a Lhasa Apso that lived for 16 years.

rockin'robin · 09-30-2009, 08:43 PM

Amazing!

greggypetty · 10-01-2009, 06:54 PM

The longest I ever had any cats, beside the tom cat that lived about 8 years, was 1.5 years. Cats never did well at my house growing up, which is why I don't have any right now.

But it is amazing that any house cat could live this long. I am glad for the owner, and hope that they will have many more years together.

Sosie · 10-01-2009, 07:16 PM

Wow...
God bless them!

The Lhasa Apso is a long-lived breed, with some living in good health into their early 20s.

Miss-Delectable · 10-08-2009, 12:24 AM

That's cool! I hope my cat will live to see his 20's.

***VamPyroX*** · 10-08-2009, 12:35 AM

Wow... impressive.

I wonder if she has any documentation to prove this?

I won't be surprised if it gets brought up on whether the cat is really 30 years old.

Liebling:-))) · 10-08-2009, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VamPyroX

Wow... impressive.

I wonder if she has any documentation to prove this?

I won't be surprised if it gets brought up on whether the cat is really 30 years old.

Yes I am wondering the same.

I have almost 23 years old Sussi's "birth certifcate" by the Vet after examined 6 weeks old Sussi in 1986. I still keep her birth certicate. I would like to see her "birth certificate" either the cat is really 30 years old or not.

Grummer · 10-08-2009, 04:32 AM

quite handsome for such an old cat. Siameses tend to live a long time too, so Id have to be prepared in case they outlive my expectation.

Frisky Feline · 10-08-2009, 05:43 AM

Let's hope that would become too common for cats to live longer.

Royale · 10-08-2009, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frisky Feline

Let's hope that would become too common for cats to live longer.

Mrs Bucket · 10-08-2009, 07:44 AM

Yes I would love to have my two babies with us for 30 years.

This apartment community has so many cats and they do "cat dates" with other tenants. We have Anakin because he loves what we feed our babies. The catnip and our toys. He parks himself outside our window & really MEOWs loudly! He will sit for a long time & scratch at our window, he's already damaged one screen so we know to let him in when he starts to scratch!!

We also have a sweet cuddle date with Baby Weat, a 20 year old cat. He was Weaties until he got older and had severe kidney failure. His name became Baby Weat because he's fragile. Baby Weat just loves to cuddle, purr and be picked up. This Friday, we go next door and I just clap my hands together and say "Baby Weat please!"

Anakin will make a dash for my door but that's when I'll have to break his little heart and say "no playdate.. tomorrow baby!!"

I'll have to take pictures and show you all.

I'll give you a secret.. I buy a big tub of catnip and empty it ALL outside! I just love seeing all the cats and EVEN the squirrels go crazy on their trips! I will have to take a video of this one.

sequoias · 10-08-2009, 02:13 PM

If she was telling the truth, then her cat is 210 years old in human years.

Frisky Feline · 10-08-2009, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs Bucket

Yes I would love to have my two babies with us for 30 years.

This apartment community has so many cats and they do "cat dates" with other tenants. We have Anakin because he loves what we feed our babies. The catnip and our toys. He parks himself outside our window & really MEOWs loudly! He will sit for a long time & scratch at our window, he's already damaged one screen so we know to let him in when he starts to scratch!!

We also have a sweet cuddle date with Baby Weat, a 20 year old cat. He was Weaties until he got older and had severe kidney failure. His name became Baby Weat because he's fragile. Baby Weat just loves to cuddle, purr and be picked up. This Friday, we go next door and I just clap my hands together and say "Baby Weat please!"

Anakin will make a dash for my door but that's when I'll have to break his little heart and say "no playdate.. tomorrow baby!!"

I'll have to take pictures and show you all.

I'll give you a secret.. I buy a big tub of catnip and empty it ALL outside! I just love seeing all the cats and EVEN the squirrels go crazy on their trips! I will have to take a video of this one.

aww cat dates. thats cute!!

yesssss I am looking forward to seeing pictures and prehaps video.

Jiro · 10-08-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sosie

Wow...
God bless them!

The Lhasa Apso is a long-lived breed, with some living in good health into their early 20s.

so that's why there's so many Apso at my condo.......

***VamPyroX*** · 10-09-2009, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sequoias

If she was telling the truth, then her cat is 210 years old in human years.

I thought that applied to dogs, not cats?

sequoias · 10-09-2009, 04:46 AM

My bad...I researched....actually 136 years old at 30 years. They calculate them at 15 years at 1 and 24 at 2 years....and after that 4 years at each year older....20 year old cat is 96 years old.

Sosie · 10-09-2009, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiro

so that's why there's so many Apso at my condo.......

Same here, some of my neighbors have Apso, too.

Sosie · 10-09-2009, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs Bucket

Yes I would love to have my two babies with us for 30 years.

This apartment community has so many cats and they do "cat dates" with other tenants. We have Anakin because he loves what we feed our babies. The catnip and our toys. He parks himself outside our window & really MEOWs loudly! He will sit for a long time & scratch at our window, he's already damaged one screen so we know to let him in when he starts to scratch!!

We also have a sweet cuddle date with Baby Weat, a 20 year old cat. He was Weaties until he got older and had severe kidney failure. His name became Baby Weat because he's fragile. Baby Weat just loves to cuddle, purr and be picked up. This Friday, we go next door and I just clap my hands together and say "Baby Weat please!"

Anakin will make a dash for my door but that's when I'll have to break his little heart and say "no playdate.. tomorrow baby!!"

I'll have to take pictures and show you all.

I'll give you a secret.. I buy a big tub of catnip and empty it ALL outside! I just love seeing all the cats and EVEN the squirrels go crazy on their trips! I will have to take a video of this one.

Aww.. cute.. Yes, please show us some pictures and a video.. We'd love to see them!

KarissaMann05 · 10-09-2009, 07:53 PM

That kitty is lovely and looks so healthy. Kudos to the owner for took care of her pet!

09-30-2009, 06:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bottesini Bodhar agus leath dall Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Middle of dog pack Posts: 16,083	She is really lucky to have her pet live so long. My longest living pet was a Lhasa Apso that lived for 16 years. __________________ It's a joke Nathan!

10-08-2009, 12:24 AM	#6 (permalink)
Miss-Delectable Capt Tony Nelson, Jeannie Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: No.1 Shopping Capital in Australia Posts: 10,238 Blog Entries: 3	That's cool! I hope my cat will live to see his 20's. __________________

10-08-2009, 12:35 AM	#7 (permalink)
*VamPyroX* bloody phreak from hell Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Hell Posts: 31,473	Wow... impressive. I wonder if she has any documentation to prove this? I won't be surprised if it gets brought up on whether the cat is really 30 years old. __________________ Check out my city... CLICK HERE! (If you already visited yesterday, visit again today!)

10-08-2009, 04:32 AM	#9 (permalink)
Grummer Burn fat off your soul Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: North Island in the South Posts: 3,249	quite handsome for such an old cat. Siameses tend to live a long time too, so Id have to be prepared in case they outlive my expectation. __________________ Some people will tell you that slow is good - and it may be, on some days - but I am here to tell you that fast is better. I've always believed this, in spite of the trouble it's caused me. Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube. That is why God made fast motorcycles. Hunter S Thompson

10-08-2009, 07:44 AM	#12 (permalink)
Mrs Bucket has retired from AllDeaf. Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2,348	Yes I would love to have my two babies with us for 30 years. This apartment community has so many cats and they do "cat dates" with other tenants. We have Anakin because he loves what we feed our babies. The catnip and our toys. He parks himself outside our window & really MEOWs loudly! He will sit for a long time & scratch at our window, he's already damaged one screen so we know to let him in when he starts to scratch!! We also have a sweet cuddle date with Baby Weat, a 20 year old cat. He was Weaties until he got older and had severe kidney failure. His name became Baby Weat because he's fragile. Baby Weat just loves to cuddle, purr and be picked up. This Friday, we go next door and I just clap my hands together and say "Baby Weat please!" Anakin will make a dash for my door but that's when I'll have to break his little heart and say "no playdate.. tomorrow baby!!" I'll have to take pictures and show you all. I'll give you a secret.. I buy a big tub of catnip and empty it ALL outside! I just love seeing all the cats and EVEN the squirrels go crazy on their trips! I will have to take a video of this one. __________________ My new nieces/nephews are arriving soon!

Today
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09-30-2009, 08:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
rockin'robin Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Jacksonville, Florida Posts: 2,782	Amazing!

10-01-2009, 06:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
greggypetty Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 2	The longest I ever had any cats, beside the tom cat that lived about 8 years, was 1.5 years. Cats never did well at my house growing up, which is why I don't have any right now. But it is amazing that any house cat could live this long. I am glad for the owner, and hope that they will have many more years together.

10-01-2009, 07:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
Sosie Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: The North Shore Area Posts: 1,677	Wow... God bless them! The Lhasa Apso is a long-lived breed, with some living in good health into their early 20s.

10-08-2009, 05:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
Frisky Feline Provoke, Pounce, Purr Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 5,702	Let's hope that would become too common for cats to live longer.

10-08-2009, 02:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
sequoias Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: A little trip to the extraordinary. Posts: 16,296	If she was telling the truth, then her cat is 210 years old in human years.

10-09-2009, 04:46 AM	#17 (permalink)
sequoias Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: A little trip to the extraordinary. Posts: 16,296	My bad...I researched....actually 136 years old at 30 years. They calculate them at 15 years at 1 and 24 at 2 years....and after that 4 years at each year older....20 year old cat is 96 years old.

10-09-2009, 07:53 PM	#20 (permalink)
KarissaMann05 The Deaf Cougar Join Date: May 2007 Location: Salem, Oregon Posts: 4,463 Blog Entries: 13	That kitty is lovely and looks so healthy. Kudos to the owner for took care of her pet!

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