Drummond cat is no baby at 25 years old
Published Thursday November 12th, 2009
GRAND FALLS - His name may be Baby but he left behind his days as a kitten long, long ago. The formidable feline with soft, dark eyes has officially celebrated his 25th birthday.
Wendy Morin, an advertising consultant with the Victoria Star, adopted Baby from the Presque Isle animal shelter in 1987. Shelter staff estimated the cat's age to be up to six years, although a veterinary check suggested he was probably a little younger.
"So we decided to go with three," Morin said.
Whether Baby is 25 or 28 years old, it is an extraordinary long life for a domestic cat. Animal experts estimate that a 22-year-old cat is the human equivalent of 100-plus years. Several cats have attained 30 years of age - about 136 years in human terms - while the Guinness Book of Records holder was a cat named Crème Puff that lived to be 37.
Baby has enjoyed a long, happy and contented life with Wendy and her family in Drummond. He loves to go for drives in the car and has been known to sport sunglasses and a hat when the sun is hot. He's not much for table scraps, preferring to stick with his favourite pet food and milk made especially for cats. Although he tipped the scales at between eight and nine pounds for most of his adult life, he's gained some girth in recent years and now weighs in at 21 pounds.
"I think he's really slowed down quite a bit," Morin commented of her long-time companion. "He's changed a lot this year."
Like many seniors, Baby has a little Metamucil now and again to help keep things regular. He doesn't have any other health problems, however, and he has all of his own teeth.
"Up until he was 15, we used to get his teeth cleaned," Morin said, noting the process was no longer recommended after that milestone. The family continued to do teeth and gum care at home, however.
Grand Falls vet Dr. Julie Rouillard was able to confirm Baby's advanced age due to a change in the eyes that occurs once a cat has surpassed the 20-year mark. Baby no longer has to have a full set of vaccinations because of the immunity he has built up over time, but he continues to have checkups and has a clean bill of health.
"His vision and his hearing are fine," Morin commented.
Although he was declawed, Baby had no trouble catching prey in his younger years. Morin recalled that when her daughter Ashley was younger, she pleaded for a pet bird although her mom firmly declared that having a dog and a cat was enough. That very day, Baby brought home a bird unharmed, leading Morin to think Baby might understand a lot of the conversations that were going on around him.
While Baby likes to play, Morin said he was never a fan of toys and has been known to sit with his back to people and ignore their calls if he is annoyed with them. He enjoys sitting on the windowsill and watching the lights at night and always enjoyed his trips in the car.
"He's more like a little dog that way," Morin said. "He always drove with me."
Although there have been birthday cakes in past years, Morin said Baby stuck to his hat, balloon and his cat food for this celebration. While he is making good use of all of his nine lives, Baby's continued zest leads Morin to hope there will be more birthdays in his future. Morin said the oldest cat on record was 37.
"So you never know!" she smiled.
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