Socks lived to be 20. How long can cats live?

[rug]

http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2009/02/20/Former_first_cat_Socks_dead_at_20/UPI-39331235171456/

[cherish44]

1. Awwww RIP Socks

They can live to be in their 20s...I think 15 is average. My cats are 15 and 17 and still doing great.

[rug]

3. That's good to know.

My cat Homer is 7 and doesn't move much so hopefully he has a lot of time.

[Critters2]

2. 20 is a good long life. A few make it past 20, but not many and not by much.

I lost my first cat at 19. He'd never been to the vet for anything but shots and check-ups until his hyperthyroidism started when he was 17.

My second cat died at 16 of chronic renal failure. He lived 2 1/2 years after diagnosis, most of it a good quality life.

Apparently, Socks was pretty healthy until near the end.

[rug]

4. My old cat lived to 12 but had leukemia. I'll have to recalibrate my expectations.

[Critters2]

6. Chronic illnesses like diabetes and crf do tend to throw off the averages. nt

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

5. A friend of mine had a cat that lived into

his mid-20s. The cat's mid-20s, that is, not my friend's.

[LNM]

7. I think 20 is pretty old, although Socks probably wasn't an outside cat.

I have an 18 year old diabetic and a 13 year old. They've both been outside although not much anymore. Most cats don't live that long, although they do, on average, live longer than dogs.

[Exilednight]

8. 20 is a nice long life for a cat, but socks probably had better health care than most Americans. n/t

[HopeHoops]

9. 15 is good, 20 isn't unheard of, and I've known at least one 25.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. R.I.P., Socks.

My ol' cat Charles lived to be 21. It's pretty old, but not too uncommon. I'm sure Socks had a great life. So did Charles.

[femmocrat]

11. We have a cat who will be 20 this spring.

He lives outdoors in all weather. When he was younger he would disappear for up to 10 days and always came back. He's old and rickety but keeps on surviving. The only vet care he gets is annual booster shots. I keep saying this is his last winter, but he keeps proving me wrong.

[Brother Buzz]

12. A nineteen-year-old cat in our neighborhood has used up eight lives and...

I'm not convinced he'll see twenty, like Socks.

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. Mine will be turning 15 in May. I pray they make it to 20 or beyond. :^)

[rurallib]

14. We had a Siamese that hit 22, but she had so many problems

Had to be about the hardest decision of my life, but her life was kind of bad.

[Left Is Write]

15. Feliz, our Maine Coon, lived to be 17.

[Blue_In_AK]

16. That's close to the max.

My daughter had a cat who lived to be 20 and would have probably continued on for a while, but she had an open sore on her face that wouldn't heal, and with a crawling baby, my daughter was concerned about health risks. It was a hard thing for her to put the cat down, but it had to be done.

My current kitty is about 14 and she's still going strong.

[Roon]

17. I have a kitty that is 24

My ex got her as a kitten when he was 15. She looks every day of 24 too!! She eats, drinks, and sleeps most of the time. When the weather is warm, she will go outside to take a dirt bath.

[stuntcat]

33. 24!

Wow what a good cat :loveya:

[Roon]

35. Here's her picture

Taken about 4 years ago.

[stuntcat]

39. oh she's lovely!

Kitties love a good dirt bath.. she must feel spunky to roll around that way!

I'm hoping the lovin' I give my Tonka will help him live longer.

[Roon]

42. I think that is why Daniel is so tough

I give her lovings every day and spoil her rotten. Poor thing has moved 30+ times in her life,my place here is the longest she has ever lived anywhere. I am moving upstairs soon but that doesn't include a kitty carrier and a hairy car ride across town! I think she will be fine.

Barney is just a brat,he's too mean to go anywhere. I will just let him roam the compound while I am moving stuff upstairs and then bring him up when I get settled in.

[leftyclimber]

18. My grandmother had a pair of applehead Siamese that lived to 23 and 25.

Littermates.

Most of my cats have made it to 17 or 18. This must mean I am old.

[Darth_Kitten]

19. My cat lived to be 21.

Had her from 9 until 30.

RIP Treeka

[GoneOffShore]

20. Had a tuxedo cat that lived to 21.

We also had a calico who was 23 when she died.

[Withywindle]

21. According to the Guinness Book of World Records

A cat named Cream Puff of Austin, Texas is the record holder; she passed away in 2007 at the age of 38. There was also one named Granpa, photographed in Cat Fancy magazine in 1997, lived to be 34.

Here's a entertaining article about Energizer-bunny cats: http://www.messybeast.com/longevity.htm

I think the average is about 15 or 16, but I've known more than one cat who made it to 20. It's definitely a ripe old age, to be respected.

RIP, Socks. They're playing "Hail to the Chief" at the Rainbow Bridge.

[Tom Kitten]

22. 38 is amazing

I read a few years ago of an English woman who had a cat who lived to either 31 or 33 and she attributed it to her giving it an aloe vera gel capsule daily in his or her food. I thought that was long lived! A college friend of mine had a little black cat who lived to be 21 even though she had leukemia from an early age. My first cat, Cat, died at ten from it, and Felix passed at 17, probably from living life to its fullest.

[hobbit709]

32. Both those cats belonged to a client of my vet

The guy's youngest cat now is 26, his oldest is over 30. He gives them coffee and beer every day.

[Zomby Woof]

23. My parents have one cat approaching 20 in April

I remember when they brought her home in 1989, a tiny kitten which fit in my hand. Her brother made it to 19, and two previous cats made it to 16 and 17. My aunt had one who lived until 22. But those are long lives. 13-15 is the norm.

RIP Socks. I admitted that the news got to me. I grew up with cats, and our household has two which will make it to 12 and 13 this year. But they are active and eat well, so hopefully will have similarly long lives.

[JeffR]

24. We have a 20 year old Siamese.

And by all indications, he's not going anywhere soon except to the couch for his 12th nap of the day.

[Adsos Letter]

25. Mewie is 19...deaf as a doorpost, and sleeps alot...

seems to have good weight and good appetite, though.

Can't make the top of the hutch in a single leap anymore...

[Arugula Latte]

44. Awwww .... Mewie

So pretty. :loveya:

I love that name, too.

[davsand]

26. Cat Fancy magazine had an article one time about cats at 25.

Had some pictures in the article of some absolutely beautiful cats.

My vet told me that in a lot of cats they see problems turn up at around 16 or 17 years of age. Sadly enough, the vet was right because the cat she was holding at the time she told me that (named TillieYouBitch)died at 17 of kidney failure. I miss her still.

You have to figure that feral kitties average a lifespan of 18 months to three years (not sure where I got that from so it could well be wrong) so any cat making to ten or eleven is doing pretty well. High quality nutrition and an indoor/controlled environment make a huge difference, too.


Laura

[SeattleGirl]

27. My oldest cat lived to the age of 18

She was a wonderful cat; I still miss her.

[Skittles]

28. my mum's many, many cats have all lived 20+ years

I don't know how she does it and neither does her vet

[Jamastiene]

29. I hope Sunday Girl makes it to 20 years old.

She turned 16 last October. God, I love that cat. It's going to kill me when she does go. I honestly might not make it through that. We are very close.

[suninvited]

30. My tuxedo cat lived 21 years

RIP, Ghengy

[old mark]

31. My wife's cat, Emma, made it to 20, started out tough, and

had a pretty good life overall.
She was a tiger that my wife found in an alley in Philadelphia when she was a tiny kitten (the cat, not my wife).
Emma had a pretty strong personality and was never much of a cuddler, but her purr sounded like an idling fire truck.

mark

[WinkyDink]

34. Apparently at least until 20!

[kedrys]

36. My Caesar had a stroke the day after his 16th birthday

Imhotep was 12 or 13, maybe 14, when the FIV finally caught up with him.

My old boss had a couple of siamese-burmese mixes who lived to be 21 and 23 (brother and sister kitties).

[TommyO]

37. We had one that lived to 27

She was one of the best darned kittehs in the whole world.

[applegrove]

38. We had one live to 16 or so.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

40. My first two cats lived to be 15 years old each

The last six months for each was rough...rapid downhill slide. Both were indoor cats exclusively, which adds to the lifespan.

[tabbycat31]

41. my 15 yo kitty's doing great.

[Itchinjim]

43. Too long.

[Ava]

45. they're immortal night creatures

:rofl:

[Lavender Brown]

46. Mine lived to be 19 1/2... she was the same age as Socks

born in early 1989.

[Whoa_Nelly]

47. Cool article re: Oldest cats on (and some kind of on) record

http://www.messybeast.com/longevity.htm


Just a tiny 8< from the article:

8< ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >8
According to Guinness World Records, the oldest cat ever was Creme Puff, born August 3, 1967 and still living at the age of 37 in 2004. Creme Puff was owned by Jake Perry of Austin, Texas, USA.

Al and Mary Palusky of Duluth, Minn, USA claim their black cat, Baby, was born in 1970 and was 37 years old in 2007. This age will be recognised by the American magazine Cat Fancy. To be a Guinness world record, the owners will need to provide proof of their cat's age, for example continuous veterinary care over his lifetime.

After Creme Puff and Baby, the oldest cats ever are generally reckoned to be Puss (36 years, 1 day), Ma (34 years) and Granpa (34 years, 2 months). Puss was born in 1903 and was owned by Mrs T Holway of Clayhidon, Devon. Puss died on 29th November, 1939, one day after his 36th birthday.

Puss's case is not very well documented and doubts have been cast on its authenticity. The oldest reliably recorded cat was a female tabby named Ma, owned by Alice St George Moore of Drewsteignton, England. Ma was put to sleep on November 5, 1957 at the age of 34 years. Although 2 years younger than Puss, Ma's case is more reliably recorded. As a small kitten, Ma got her paw caught in a gin trap (steel jaw trap) and it was doubtful that she would survive. Though she survived, the injury worsened with age and Ma was cared for especially carefully. This was believed to be the secret of her longevity. Ma's natural diet of meat from the local butcher and a relaxed lifestyle (her owners were classical musicians) were also considered factors.

Granpa Rexs Allen, a Sphynx adopted from a Texas Humane Society, reached 34 years, 2 months and 4 hours old in 1998 (pedigree cats have the advantage of detailed birth records). He was adopted from the Humane Society of Travis County, Texas by Jake Perry on January 16, 1970. Granpa had been found as a stray in danger of being run over. Realising that Granpa was a Sphynx (then a rare breed), Perry put up posters in case anyone had any information about him. He received a call from the cat's former owner, Mme Sulinaberg from Paris, France. Sulinaberg had been visiting her daughter in December 1969 and her cat, Pierre, had escaped through an unlocked screen door. Sulinaberg checked the cat and agreed to let Perry keep the cat. She gave him Pierre's pedigree papers although by that time Perry had registered the cat as Granpa Rexs Allen with TICA as a household pet. The pedigree papers stated that Pierre had been born in Paris, France on the morning of 1st February, 1964. His sire was a Devon Rex (a permitted outcross for the Sphynx breed) called Pierre II and his mother was a Sphynx called Queen of France. Like Ma, Granpa was a cosseted cat, but his diet included bacon and eggs, broccoli, asparagus, mayonnaise and coffee with lots of cream!