英國24歲寵物貓獲封世界最老 相當人類114歲
Chasing mice is a distant memory, and her fur isn’t as fluffy as it used to be.
But at the grand age of 24, Poppy has reason to celebrate – after being crowned the oldest cat in the world.
對於老貓波比來說，捉老鼠已經是很久以前的記憶了，它的毛也早已不再蓬鬆。波比已有貓齡24歲高壽，登上世界最老貓咪寶座，它完全有理由慶祝一下。
Guinness World Records announced that the tortoiseshell pet has clocked up 114 ‘cat years’ since her birth in February 1990.
吉尼斯世界紀錄宣佈，這隻玳瑁色的寵物貓自從1990年2月出生以來，現今已達24歲貓齡，這相當於人類114歲高壽。
Poppy is now frail and spends most of her time indoors, but she has been recognised by Guinness World Records - and is two years younger than Misao Okawa of Japan, the world’s oldest person.
波比現在很虛弱，大部分時間都呆在室內。它已被吉尼斯世界紀錄收錄入冊，此前收錄的人類最高壽記錄保持者是來自日本的大川美佐緒，而波比的貓齡換算下來僅比這位老人小兩歲。
The cat - who was originally called Popsy and had two owners in her early days. When she was ten she went with Jacqui, who had moved in with future husband Andy West.
這隻貓曾叫過Popsy 這個名字，早年曾有過兩屆主人。十歲的時候，貓咪有了新主人雅基，女主人當時與未婚夫安迪·韋斯特住在一起。
She is deaf and blind, but despite her age and frailty she is still said to be the boss of the house.
她雖然已經老得耳朵失聰、雙目失明、身體虛弱，但據說它還是被一家人看做家裏的老大。
Mrs West, 43, said: ‘People always ask what we put Poppy’s longevity down to and I guess she has a good diet and lots of exercise. She keeps herself fit by walking around and she eats a lot. She has biscuits in the morning and tinned food later on. She’s never been a big cat though. We sometimes give her a bit of KFC chicken, fish and chips and even the odd bit of kebab meat.’
韋斯特夫人今年43歲，她說：“人們總是問波比是怎樣做到如此長壽的，我猜是因爲它飲食健康並且有充分的運動。它吃的很多，並且經常走來走去，這樣身材保持得肥瘦勻稱。波比早上吃餅乾，隨後吃一點聽裝貓食，但它從來沒有變成一隻肥貓。有時候我們會給它喂一點肯德基的雞肉、魚肉、薯條，甚至零星的烤肉串。”
Mrs West, an accountant, wrote to Guinness World Records in February after Poppy turned 24, submitting her into the category of ‘Oldest Cat Currently Living’.
韋斯特夫人是一名會計，她在二月份波比24歲生日之後寫信給吉尼斯世界紀錄委員會，爲它申報“世界現存最老貓咪”紀錄。
They investigated their claim and have now confirmed Poppy as the world’s oldest living cat.
委員會查證了韋斯特夫人的陳述，現在宣佈波比是世界現存最老的貓咪。
Craig Glenday, Guinness World Records editor-in-chief, said: ‘We’ve been overwhelmed with claims for the “oldest living cat”, with owners from across the globe making applications on behalf of their cats.
世界紀錄總編輯葛倫迪說：“我們被‘世界現存最老貓咪’的陳述打動了，全球有很多人爲自己的貓咪申請這項紀錄。”
‘Today, though, I’m pleased to confirm that we’re recognising Poppy from Bournemouth in the UK as the world’s oldest living cat, at the age of 24 years.
“而今天，我很高興告訴大家，來自英國伯恩茅斯的貓咪波比今年24歲，吉尼斯世界紀錄委員會將授予波比以‘世界現存最老貓咪’的稱號。”
‘There have been times in this last year when her health has declined and I’ve thought it was the end on several occasions but then she recovers and carries on,' said Mrs West, 'I’ve said goodbye to her a few times but she keeps on going. It brought a big smile to my face when I was told that Poppy was officially the world’s oldest cat.'
"今年有那麼幾次波比的健康狀況不大好，我以爲它的生命快要走到盡頭了，但是每次它都康復了。"韋斯特夫人說道，“曾有幾次我與它道別，但它堅持下來了。當我得知波比得到‘世界現存最老貓咪’的稱號時，臉上露出了大大的微笑。”
