Our pawpals age much faster than hoomans — we know that much. We cherish the time we spend with our pets especially because of how fleeting it is. So let’s take a moment to remember the doggos and felines who lived longer than most.
Bluey
Our first gub doggo is Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog. Born on 7 June 1910, she lived on a cattle ranch with her pawrents, Les and Esma in the Rochester region of Victoria, Australia. Guinness World Records crowned her The Oldest Dog In The World when she passed on 14 November 1939, making her 29 years and 5 months old (that’s 133 years in Human years).
Australian Cattle Dogs on average live slightly longer than most other doggos (roughly 1 full year longer). On top of that, Bluey had a different diet from the dogs of today — living in the early 1900s on a ranch in Australia, she didn’t eat any of the commercial pet foods available today but her nutritional needs were well met.
Funny Fujimura
Holding the current title of “Oldest Dog Alive” is Funny Fujimura, a Miniature Dachshund from Japan. Funny is currently 22 years old (remarkable for her breed) and was verified by Guinness World Records in 2020. Born in Sakai, Japan on 27 May 1999, Funny has been under the loving care of pawrent Yoshiko Fujimaru.
Miniature Dachshunds are hounds that were bred to sniff out and locate small animals like rodents. Unfortunately, they face several potential health concerns due to their long back. One of these is spinal problems which can be made worse by obesity or intense exercise.
Creme Puff
Living to a ripe old age of 38 years and 3 days (168 years in Human years) is Creme Puff, a domestic cat from Austin, Texas. Creme Puff lived her free feline life with pawrent, Jake Perry since 3 August 1967 and was officially the oldest cat ever recorded in the Guinness World Records 2010.
Creme Puff’s had a very normal diet: dry cat food with broccoli, eggs, turkey bacon, and coffee with cream. Every two days, she would get “an eyedropper full of red wine”, supposedly the secret to her long life. Jake Perry also ensured Creme Puff had a very active lifestyle, installing steps into his walls for her to climb on and making a backyard enclosure so Creme Puff and her siblings can play outside as well.
Great Grandmother Wad
The current candidate for “Oldest Cat Alive” goes to a Siamese cat in the land of smiles. Known by many as “Great Grandmother Wad”, the feline was born in 1986 after her pawrent found her mother in Chantaburi the year before. Great Grandmother Wad is now 35 years old (152 years in Human years), and not only did she have children and grandchildren (four children, and six grandchildren and great-grandchild), but she also outlived them too.
Going by the other name Srisawad, the feline also has her own Facebook page and YouTube channel where her 57 year old pawrent Wanna Kodkarika and family offer advice to fellow cat lovers. Wanna says Wad has not been seriously ill for four years but is now on a canned food diet to be mindful of her weak teeth.
Photo by Jean Alves from Pexels