'World's oldest cat' only drinks bottled water

A man who claims to have the world's oldest living cat has put her long life down to "lots of treats and cuddles" along with a diet of prawns, salmon and bottled water.

Leslie Greenhough, 70, believes Millie, a 30-year-old tortoiseshell, is the oldest feline alive but cannot be certain of her exact age.

He said Millie was first owned by his late wife Paula, who got her as a three-month-old kitten in 1995.

Leslie recently celebrated Millie's 30th birthday with a special cream cake.

Leslie, a former storekeeper from Stockport in Greater Manchester, said: "It was a fantastic day - it is such an achievement that she has turned 30."

He said his beloved moggy had savoured "licking all the cream off" her cake.

"My life ambition is to get her in the Guinness Book of Records," he said. "But I can't prove her age.

"The only person who can do that is my late wife, who sadly died five years ago."

In 2022, Guinness World Records reported that the oldest cat in the world died in 2005 aged 38 years and three days

Creme Puff, who was born on 3 August 1967, lived with his owner in Austin, Texas.

Leslie said he met his late wife on a dating site in 2012, and was introduced to Millie after overhearing her meowing in the background while they were chatting on the phone.

The happy couple got engaged on Valentine's Day in 2013 and married the following year.

Leslie said: "Millie was such a sweet cat when I first met her.

"Over the years Millie was bullied by other cats in her neighbourhood, so she stopped going out and became more of an indoor cat.

"She's developed a cautious attitude - she's very shy.

"I think that's helped her live longer."

Leslie's wife Paula died, aged 55, in 2020 after contracting Covid-19.

He said: "Millie and I had bonded before she died - she would sit on my lap and my wife said she could see how much the cat loved me.

"I think Millie knew my wife wasn't well."

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