The oldest kitty on record

I have been trying to organize my photos, which are piled into boxes. I have the best of intentions when I take them out, but somehow they seem to multiply. In one of the boxes, I ran across the cutest pictures of Troutie, my kitty. Troutie was a beautiful calico who didn’t meow but had a strange hum like a Persian cat. Troutie lived to be 23 years old before she fell asleep and never woke up.

Looking at the old Troutie made me wonder what the record is for the oldest cat. The oldest cat in the Guinness record book was named Cream Puff. She lived to be an astounding 38 years old, which would be 165 years old in human years. Cream Puff was born August 3, 1967, and she lived until August 6, 2005.

The second oldest cat was Grandpa’s Rex Allen. He lived to be 34 years old, which translates to about 133 human years. He was born in 1964 and died in 1998. Both cats were owned by a gentleman named Jake Perry, who lives in Austin, Texas. Just reading about him reaffirmed my faith in human kindness.

Mr. Perry treats his cats like kin. He cooks them a breakfast of eggs, turkey bacon, broccoli and coffee with cream. He shows them movies and celebrates holidays. Over the years he has adopted hundreds of cats. His veterinarian Bruce Hardesty, who has treated 40 to 50 of the cats, believes at least six of them have reached 30 years old and several 25 years old.

One factor that prolongs a cat’s life is sterilization. Spaying or neutering a cat eliminates certain infectious disease risks and reduces the desire to roam, making them less likely to be at risk for things that cause death. The average life expectancy of pet cats in general increased from 11 years in 2002 to 12 years in 2012.

Another important factor is to keep your cat indoors. Indoor cats are protected from the elements that contribute to early aging and death. We may never know Mr. Perry’s secret for long feline life but everyone can get their cat spayed/neutered and keep them indoors.

I forgot to mention the main ingredient that Mr. Perry advised, “I love my cats like they are my kids.” So, along with taking care of your cat, sprinkle in a lot of love.

WHO’S WHO

Kevin Porteous is Who’s Who. One of the handymen at CAPS, Kevin is a good friend to both two-and four-legged critters. If we need upgrades or repairs, all we need to do is call Kevin, and he pitches right in. When our kennels were undergoing changes, he was right there with a handyman’s touch. We are looking forward to his skills when we build our kitty sunroom. Our heartfelt thanks go out to Kevin. We think you are the cat’s meow!

WHO’S NEW AT THE CAPS’ ZOO?

We have four male and four female kitties ready for their new homes. Make this a new year to remember with a new pet to enjoy life with. Policy, however, prohibits adopting out puppies or kittens under the age of six months to a home with children under five years of age. This is to protect both the children and the animal.

CAPS’ NEWS AND EVENTS

The 2016 Happy Endings calendar can be purchased at the Flower Tree Nursery. Don’t delay because, at the time when I wrote this, only one was left.

Flower Tree Nursery is again raffling a 15-gallon tree. The drawing date is March 15, and the winner doesn’t have to be present to win. Raffle tickets are available at Flower Tree, and they are $1 for one ticket and $5 for six tickets.

CAPS will be at Walmart tomorrow, along with Ki and Urtle at our Kissin’ Booth. Please come by and give our boys a big hug and kiss. We have hoodies, sweatshirts and caps, so please check them out before or after greeting our canine volunteers.

CAPS’ mailing address is P.O. Box 5128, Fallon, NV 89407. CAPS’ phone number is

775-423-7500. Please visit the CAPS website (www.capsnv.org) and Facebook page (Churchill Animal Protection Society). Be sure to “Like” CAPS on Facebook because we are really likable.

Do you have questions, comments or a great story? Contact me jkwmil@outlook.com.

Kathleen Williams-Miller, a CAPS volunteer, contributed this week’s column.