A Handsome ball of fluff named Rubble sadly died last week after reaching the impressive age of 31. The Maine Coon cat was given the oldest cat title when he reached 31 years back in May 2020. His owner, Michele Heritage, was given Rubble as a kitten for her 20th birthday and the pair enjoyed a close bond ever since. Rubble would have been 150 years old in human years.
When asked about how Rubble lived such a long life, Michele said she believed it was down to the fact that she had never had children. This meant that Rubble was given a lot of pampering as she didn’t have children to take away any of the focus from her cat. Michele happily said that she treated Rubble as her child along with her other cat Meg, who passed at the age of 25.
Rubble enjoyed a healthy life, but his health deteriorated very quickly towards the end. He became quite poorly and went off his food. At Christmas, Michele said to her husband that she believed it would be their last together with Rubble. Rubble began to lose weight and one day he crossed over the road taking his usual route and then didn’t return as he normally would. Michele believed she decided to take himself off to die, something cats are believed to do.
Rubble loved routine, like cats do. He would have his favourite places to sleep and liked his food, which is why Michele and her husband knew something was wrong when he stopped eating. His vets were very impressed with his longevity, even throwing him a party to celebrate turning 30 in 2019. Rest in peace, Rubble.
Cats often outlive dogs, but the average lifespan of a cat is between 14 and 17 years old. However, the oldest cat on record is thought to be Crème Puff, who lived for an astonishing 38 years. Some cats will live into their 20’s, which is more common for cats that do not live in busy areas. Do you share your home with an elderly cat? Come and tell us all about them over on our Facebook page.