There is at least one cat alive today that was around for Ronald Reagan’s 1986 sweeping immigration reform, Michael Jackson’s “We Are The World”, and David Bowie’s performance in The Labyrinth - and his name is Scooter.
Named the Oldest Living Cat by the Guinness Book of World Records, Scooter, 30, has lived a fruitful life in Mansfield, Texas, with his owner Gail Floyd. Ms Floyd has been with Scooter since his 26 March 1986 birth.
Scooter has unlocked the secret to longevity by keeping active, Ms Floyd tells Guinness. “He likes to see new places and he likes people,” she said.
In his 30 years of life, Scooter has set foot in all but 5 US states - more than double the national average of 20 when the feline was two-years-old in 1988.
The senior feline had a bit of a scare in 2014 after he broke his leg in an accident, according to Ms Floyd. Still, Scooter’s veterinarian has the utmost confidence in the cat.
“Scooter is quite an amazing cat, with a strong will to live,” the doctor told Guinness.
The title of Oldest Living Cat belonged to Corduroy, a 26-year-old Maine Coon. To be named the oldest cat, however, does not necessarily require the death of the previous victor.
“Their owners have to submit applications on behalf of their cat,” a spokesperson for Guinness told The Independent. “We find out after their owners apply for them; not necessarily after the previous one dies.”
According to Guinness, the review process lasts about 12 weeks.
Still, Scooter may, in fact, be very old, but he does not hold the record for the Oldest Cat Ever. That title belongs to Créme Puff, an Austin, Texas, cat who lived for 38 years and 3 months.
