Feline great at 182

4:04pm Friday 4th March 2005

AS cats go he is old, very old in fact he could be just a few years short of being the oldest cat in the world.

But even at the grand age of 26, ginger tom Hamish could still have a few years left in him yet.

Hamish is being cared for at the Chestnut Cat Sanctuary, Thornwood along with six-year-old George and four-year-old Charlie, after their disabled owner finally decided that she could no longer care for her much-loved pets.

She had owned Hamish since he was five and, according to Chestnut Cat Sanctuary manager Jackie de Friz, has the vets bills to prove just how old he really is.

She said: "He's the oldest we've ever had, and we home 600 cats a year. In human years he's 182. He's got one eye and looks like Nelson"

Hamish lost one of his eyes when he was poked with a stick when he was four. After the incident he was treated by the Cats Protection charity, but had to have the eye sewn up.

And that is just one of several scraps he has had. He had to have his hip pinned after he was involved in a road accident.

Jackie said: "Surprisingly though he is still very active.

To look at him you would be surprised that he is as old as he is. He is a large ginger male with lots of love to give, looking for a patient, sympathetic owner."

The High Road sanctuary is looking to home Hamish on his own, with George and Charlie rehomed together.

Jackie added: "Hamish is a good looking chap, he's more independent, but he's king of the group. He would want to be on his own."

Last year he underwent surgery to have a thorn removed from his good eye - and despite his age pulled through the trauma of surgery.

"He's made a full recovery." Jackie said. "To have an anaesthetic at 25, his organs must be fairly good. He's still got teeth which is amazing.

"He could go on for a few more years. At that age you don't know, but he looks fine."