Cats & World Records

Cats have been kept as pets by people for centuries with some cultures believing them to have magical, mysterious powers. The one thing that's for sure, is that cats by nature give the impression of being a cut above other animals and sometimes people too. There are some great tales about cats travelling vast distances to get back to the people they love showing just how loyal they can be. When it comes to world records, cats are  definitely the masters whether it's the lightest to the heaviest, most well travelled cat or the most expensive moggy, our feline friends take the prize every time.

Below are just a few world records that cats have achieved, some of which have earned them a place in the Guinness Book of Records!

The Heaviest Cat Ever Recorded

The record for heaviest cat is held by a moggy called Himmy, an Australian cat that weighed in at an amazing 46.8 lbs or 21.3 kg. This neutered tabby cat still managed to live to the ripe old age of 10 years old but sadly died due to respiratory failure.

However, Himmy will be the last cat to make it into the Guinness Book of Records so that owners don't get tempted to overfeed their cats in order to replace him as the heaviest cat ever! Obesity is not recommended in any animal, let alone cats!

The Lightest Cat on the Planet

The world's smallest pussy cat was a Blue Point Himalayan who went by the name of Tinker Toy. This tiny moggy lived in America and measured a mere 7½ inches long and was 2¾ inches tall at the shoulder. Tinker Toy weighed in at 1 lb 8oz and was featured in an issue of the National Enquirer in August 1993.

The World's Smallest Cat

A two year old cat called Mr. Peebles from Illinois has pride of place in the Guinness Book of Records as being the smallest living cat on the planet. This dinky creature weighs in at 3 lbs and is just a mere 6.1 inches high. It's believed he is so small because of a genetic defect!

The World's Oldest Living Pussy Cat

Most cats if well looked after can live up to 15 years or more with the average age being anything between 9 and 15. However, a cat called Pinky is now in the Guinness Book of Records as being the oldest living cat on the planet! Pinky lives in Kansas, USA and is owned by Linda Anno. As of 2013, Pinky is 24 years old having been born on the 31st October, 1989.

The Oldest Recorded Cat Ever

The title of oldest cat on record goes to a moggy called Creme Puff of Austin, Texas who lived to the ripe old age of an amazing 38 years old! Creme Puff was born in August 1967 and died in August 2005!

Two other cats that lived a very long time are Puss from Devon who reached 36 year old and Granpa from Texas who lived to the age of 34!

The Cat That Holds the Record For the Most Toes

Cats normally have 18 toes but a 5 year old pussy cat from Canada called Jake boasts having 27 toes which earned him a place in the Guinness Book of Records. However, a cat called Mooch from the USA boasts having 28 toes and another cat called Bandit has 29! All cats with 18 toes are called Polydactyl and Polydactyls are often referred to as Hemingway cats.

The Cat That Had The Most Kittens

The record for giving birth to the most kittens during her lifetime goes to a tabby cat called Dusty. The total number of kittens she had by the year 1952 was a staggering 420!  Unless you plan on breeding from your pedigree cat for the good of the breed, it is recommended that you get them neutered as soon as possible.

The Cat That Had the Largest Litter of Kittens

A Burmese cat called Tarawood Antigone had 19 kittens when she was 4 years old of which 15 survived – only one of the surviving kittens was female, the rest were all little boys! Tarawood Antigone was the pet of an English lady who lived in Oxford called Valerie Gane!

Another amazing female cat called kitty that also lived in the UK gave birth to a litter of 2 kittens when she was 30 years old! During her lifetime, Kitty managed to give birth to a total of 218 kittens!

The World's Most Travelled Moggy

Hamlet, escaped from his cat basket on a flight from Toronto in Canada and was only found 7 weeks later still on the plane behind a panel. When he was eventually discovered, he had in fact travelled around 600,000 kilometres!

The Most Expensive Cat in the World

A cat called Zeus, an Asian Leopard x Shorthair hybrid has an asking price of £100,000. He is 90% Asian Leopard and 10% Domestic Shorthair and was bred by Esmond Gay!

The Farthest a Cat Has Ever Fallen & Survived!

A cat called Andy owned by a Florida Senator fell an amazing 200 feet from the 16th floor of a building and survived!

The Cat That Survived an Earthquake

Back in 1999, Taiwan was hit by a devastating earthquake but rescuers found a cat 80 days after a building had collapsed - still alive but very dirty and hungry!

The Wealthiest Cat on the Planet

A cat called Blackie was left an astounding £15 million by his owner, Ben Rea.

The Best Mouser in the World

The record for being the best mouser goes to a tortoiseshell moggy that lived (and worked) in the Glenturret Distillery. Towser managed to catch around 28,899 mice and other creatures during her lifetime earning herself a statue erected in her honour!