They say cats have nine lives, and one cat in Oregon has certainly lived a long one. This cat is so old, it could be inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records, according to KPTV.
Samm is a 26-year-old feline that lives with his owner Charly Briggs in Turner, Oregon. Briggs told reporters her friends gave her the idea to check with Guinness about Samm's age. When she asked if her cat's age is significant, officials with the organization confirmed that it was.
“I asked Guinness, and they were like, 'The oldest living cat we have on record right now is 24,’” Briggs recounted. “I'm like, 'What? He's older than 24.' I was like just freaking out. Then I was putting it to my friends on social media like, 'Guys, he could do it. He could win.' They're like, 'Go for it, go for it!' Yeah, we're going for it.”
A veterinarian also confirmed that Samm is 26 and rather healthy for his age, Briggs added.
The Oregon resident says she found Samm back in 2002. The cat was a stray wandering around Memphis, Tennessee, at the time, she told KPTV.
The last time Guinness gave the oldest living cat title to a contender was in 2016 when they crowned 30-year-old Scooter, a Siamese from Mansfield, Texas.
The oldest cat ever recorded was Creme Puff, a pet that lived in Austin, Texas. Born on August 3, 1967, this renowned feline lived a stunning 38 years before passing away on August 5, 2005. Creme Puff was added to the 2010 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.