A beautiful story about the world's oldest cat

Guinness World Records, the global authority on record breaking, announces today, in conjunction with Cats Protection, that Flossie from London is the world’s oldest cat at 26 years and 316 days old as of November 10, 2022.

Does this tortie look 26?

Flossie was given a new lease in life when the UK’s leading cat rescue shelter matched her to a loving new home after she came into their care. What her new owner couldn’t have known was that she was giving sanctuary to a record breaker.

It’s a heartwarming final chapter to the story of a cat that had previously remained in the same extended family since being homed as a young stray in 1995. Flossie had been living in a colony of cats near a hospital, when two workers took pity on them, and each homed a cat.

They lived together for 10 years until the owner died and Flossie was taken in by her sister, who had her for 14 more happy years, until she too passed away. Flossie then lived with the woman’s son, until his situation led him to make the difficult decision to relinquish the family cat to volunteers at Cats Protection, who found her a new home with Vicki Green.

Vicki, who had experience of caring for senior felines, said Flossie is an “amazing cat”, who has settled in well, and now sleeps “snuggled on the bed” with her.

Craig Glenday, Editor in Chief at Guinness World Records said: "We were so excited to hear about the lovely Flossie and celebrate her long life - it’s not every day you come across a cat who has been around since the mid-nineties. This is the human equivalent of over 120 years old, which would put her on par with Jeanne Calment, the French supercentenarian who lived to 122 years 164 days and holds the record for the oldest person ever. We're happy to see Flossie settled and enjoying all the home comforts she deserves in her later life. A huge congratulations to Flossie, a highly deserving record-breaker."

Vicki said: “I knew from the start that Flossie was a special cat, but I didn’t imagine I’d share my home with a Guinness World Records title holder. She’s so affectionate and playful, especially sweet when you remember how old she is.

“She’s deaf and with failing eyesight but none of that seems to bother her. She’s completely with it, loves affection and has a very good appetite. She never turns her nose up at the chance of a good meal, except when she’s s snuggled on her favourite yellow blanket.”

Cats Protection Branch Co-ordinator Naomi Rosling said: “We were flabbergasted when vet records showed Flossie to be nearly 27 years old. She’s the oldest cat I've ever met; at least 120 in human years. If I’m in such good shape when I'm her age, with someone who does what’s best for me when I need it most, I shall be a very happy lady.”

The previous oldest cat living was Corduroy who was 26 years 300 days old.