World’s oldest cat dies AGED 31 as heartbroken owner, 52, pays tribute to her beloved Rubble

World’s oldest cat dies AGED 31 as heartbroken owner, 52, who was given him as a kitten for her 20th birthday pays tribute to her beloved Rubble

  • Rubble became oldest feline in world at 31 – the equivalent of 150 human years
  • Geriatric moggy lived in Exeter, in Devon, with his owner Michele Heritage, 52 
  • The pet had no specific health issues but became ‘very thin’ and died of old age 
  • Maine Coon beat the record of 30-year-old Scooter who died in Texas in 2016

The ‘world’s oldest cat’ has died at the age of 31 as his heartbroken owner, 52, who was given him as a kitten for her 20th birthday pays tribte to her beloved Rubble.- 

Michele Heritage, 52, got Rubble as a kitten on her 20th birthday and they have been inseparable ever since. 

Rubble, a fluffy Maine Coon became the oldest feline in the world after reaching 31 years old – the equivalent of almost 150 in human years – in May last year.

The geriatric moggy had no specific health issues but passed away from old age, becoming very thin, and went across the road ‘but never came back’, said his owner.

The world’s oldest cat, Rubble sadly passed away at the age of 31-almost 150 in human years. Pictured with owner Michele Heritage,52

Rubble when he was just a kitten in 1988, when Michele first met him

Rubble at his 30th birthday, almost two years before he passed away

Michele got Rubble as a kitten for her 20th birthday, in May 1988 and they have been together ever since.

But Michele, from Exeter, has revealed that sadly he died before turning 32. 

She puts his incredible longevity down to the fact she never had her own children and pampered him like her child.  

She said: ‘He would have been 32 in May so it was such an achievement. He was an amazing companion that I had the pleasure to live with for such a long time.

‘I got him just before my 20th birthday when he was a kitten.’

Michele puts down his longevity due to her treating him like a child as she hasn't had her own children

Michele puts down his longevity due to her treating him like a child as she hasn’t had her own children

Rubble beat Scooter's record, a  30-year old Siamese Texas cat who died in 2016. The fluffy moggy died just before reaching 32

Rubble beat Scooter’s record, a  30-year old Siamese Texas cat who died in 2016. The fluffy moggy died just before reaching 32

Rubble as a kitten

Rubble aged 31

Rubble pictured when he was a kitten, left and aged 31, right. He had been left with his owner since she got him as a kitten on her 20th birthday and the pair had been inseparable

Why do cats live longer than dogs?

Science suggests that the solitary nature of cats prevents them from catching and spreading a disease.

As dogs are more sociable, they are prone to picking up an infection, with an average lifespan of 12 years. 

Cats socialise less, increasing their lifespan to 15 years. 

Cats also have more natural defence against attack. 

While dogs boast a fearsome set of gnashers, cats have sharp claws and ‘tremendous’ agility.

Source: University of Alabama 

Rubble beat the oldest living cat record of Scooter, a Siamese Texas, who was named as a record breaker at the age of 30 by the Guinness Book of World Records before he died in 2016.

The oldest cat of all time according to the record books is Creme Puff who was born on August 3, 1967, and lived until August 6, 2005 – an amazing 38 years and three days.

Michele added: ‘We never went down the route of Guinness Book of Records. I didn’t want to do that given his age. The record wasn’t of interest to us.

‘He grew old very quickly towards the end, I said to my husband at Christmas that I think it would be last we spend with Rubble. He had started to stop eating and only drank water.

‘He became very thin. I went to work as usual and when I got home my husband said Rubble had gone over the road as he did every day and never came back, so we believe he went off to die as cats do. 

‘He was a creature of habit, had his favourite places to sleep and liked his food so when that stopped happening, we knew.’ 

Michele said she remembers the exact moment that she first met Rubble and claims to be 100 per cent certain of the dates – because it was her 20th birthday.

She added: ‘He was part of a litter cat that my sister’s friend had and I had just left home.

‘I was lonely living on my own so got him in as a kitten. It was in May 1988.

‘I have always treated him like a child – I don’t have any children and had another cat called Meg – who passed at the age of 25.

‘If you care about something, no matter what it is, it does last.’ 

Hall of fame: Top five record holders for world’s oldest ever cat

1. Creme Puff

After her death aged 38 years and three days, Creme Puss from Austin, Texas, remains the oldest ever cat to date.

Her owner Jake Perry, who also took care of Granpa Rexs Allen, the fourth ever oldest cat, put her old age down to a diet of dry cat food along with broccoli, turkey bacon and coffee. 

She also had an eyedropper’s worth of red wine every two days. 

Creme Puff, pictured

Creme Puff, pictured

2. Baby

Born in 1970 Baby, a black domestic shorthair breed from Duluth, Minnesota, passed away at 38 years old in March 2008.

Baby, pictured

Baby, pictured

3. Puss

The male tabby was born in the UK and died aged 36 years and one day.

4. Ma

The tabby domestic shorthair in the UK passed away aged 34 years and five months in November 1957.

Ma, pictured

Ma, pictured

5. Granpa Rexs Allen

The male Sphynx-Devon Rex, from the US and taken care of by the same owner as Creme Puss, died aged 34 years and two months in April 1998.

Granpa Rexs Allen, pictured

Granpa Rexs Allen, pictured

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk