Cat sets new world record for longest fur

GhostWalking · Post time 4-11-2014 12:37 PM

Cat sets new world record for longest fur

With fur measuring more than 10 inches long, Sophie  now holds the Guinness World Record for longest fur on a cat, a title that  previously belonged to Internet sensation Colonel Meow.

                  By:       Laura  Moss
Mon, Nov 03, 2014 at 06:00 PM

Sophie came into her owner's life in a serendipitous way. (Photo: Guinness World Records)

Sophie, a 2-year-old cat from Oceanside, California, recently set a new  record for longest fur on a cat. At its longest point, the fur on her tail  measures 10.11 inches.

The title was previously held by Colonel  Meow, the Internet-famous cat that was known for his love of scotch and  disdain for dogs.

Colonel Meow, who passed away in January, had 9-inch  long fur.

Sophie's owner, Jami Smith, had no plans to adopt a cat when Sophie came  into her life.

"I was out walking my dog one Sunday afternoon when a truck drove up with a  couple of guys in it," she told Guinness  World Records. "They stopped and held a small paper bag out of the window  and asked if I wanted a kitten."

The guys told Smith that someone had left the kitten on their doorstep and  they were looking for someone to take care of it.

"I wanted to make sure it was safe and cared for, so I told them I would  take it."

Smith considered taking the 3-week-old cat to the local animal shelter  where she volunteered, but she said that idea only lasted a few minutes because  she fell in love with Sophie.

The tiny kitten  required medical attention and bottle-feeding, but Smith nursed Sophie back to  health, and as the kitten grew, so did her fur.

Smith said she'd often joke that Sophie's fur had to be some kind of  record, but one day she looked up the world record holder and then measured  Sophie's fur.

The feline wasn’t very cooperative, but Smith finally managed to take a  ruler to Sophie's tail while she slept.

When she realized that some of Sophie's fur was longer than Colonel Meow's,  she made an appointment at her veterinarian where some of Sophie's fur was  removed and measured with witnesses on hand to verify the proceedings.

Not long after, Sophie was officially named a Guinness World Record  holder.

"There are so many cats and dogs in the world that are thrown away every  day that are just as special in their own way as my Sophie," Smith said. "I  thank God she was handed to me."

Read more: http://www.mnn.com/family/pets/stories/cat-sets-new-world-record-for-longest-fur#ixzz3I4VLG3h6