June 2, 2025, 12:07 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
A Texan believes he has solved the mystery of feline longevity—with breakfast eggs, 3D movies, and a good splash of red wine. While this may sound like an eccentric tale—and even dangerous for cats—it has actually been confirmed by Guinness. But there’s more to the story than quirky methods: it’s about dedication, hope, and a man who treats his cats like his children.
Jake Perry from Austin, Texas, bred cats that lived longer than any other known house cats worldwide. His unusual diet plan, daily movie screenings, the occasional sip of red wine, and an immense amount of affection are said to be the key to cats living particularly long lives. And his method seems to prove him right, as his tomcat “Granpa Rexs Allen” and cat “Creme Puff” both held the world record in the Guinness Book category: “Oldest Cat Ever,” at 34 and 38 years old, respectively.
If a cat is healthy, it can live 15 to 20 years with good care. In “human years,” this would correspond to an age between 75 and 95 years. So how did Jake Perry manage to have his cats live to the equivalent of 151 and even 167 years?
Two Incredible World Records
Since the 1980s, he has taken in hundreds of cats, presented some at cat shows, and made two of them world record holders: “Granpa Rexs Allen,” a Sphynx-Devon Rex mix, was entered into the “Guinness Book” in 1998 at the age of 34. The record was broken in 2005 by “Creme Puff,” a tabby cat who lived 38 years and three days. For over 20 years now, she has remained unchallenged in the book of world records.
The spry cat enthusiast from Texas seems to have cracked the code for longevity for humans as well. As reported by “Meals on Wheels“–the U.S. version of “Meals on Wheels”–the 85-year-old is still fit and also takes care of his own health. “I don’t eat salt, sugar, or oil,” he asserts to the news site. What he eats directly affects how he feels. “I can’t complain,” he says about the meals he receives through the home delivery program.
The former plumber also spoke with the food delivery service about his passion for cat breeding. Over his lifetime, he has cared for over 900 cats. According to Perry, about a third of his animals reached an age of at least 30 years–more than twice as long as the average house cat. His unusual methods made him a local legend.
A Cat Breakfast Like for Humans–With Red Wine
Perry’s care for his animals went far beyond the average. In addition to regular dry food, he prepared a daily breakfast for his cats: eggs, turkey bacon, broccoli, coffee with cream–and every two days, a drop of red wine to supposedly promote circulation. He also transformed his garage into a home theater with real cinema seats and a projector. There, he exclusively showed nature documentaries–including trailers, as he revealed in an interview with the magazine “Atlas Obscura.”
However, the most important factor in Perry’s theory of longevity was the emotional bond. “I love them,” Perry explains. He remembered every single cat’s birthday–for “Granpa’s” 34th birthday, he even invited then-U.S. President Bill Clinton, who responded with a greeting card.
Giving Coffee and Alcohol to Cats Questionable
The scientific basis of Perry’s “anti-aging” recipe is highly questionable. Coffee and alcohol are not known to be suitable for cats–in fact, they are generally considered toxic. Feeding them is therefore strongly discouraged.
“It’s not what we learned in college,” said Bruce Hardesty, the owner of the veterinary clinic that cared for Perry’s animals for 15 years, to “Atlas Obscura.” The veterinarian can only speculate why many of Perry’s animals lived so long. “The kidneys are one of the weakest systems in cats,” he says. “If you were to give them a small diuretic, which caffeine is, that might help.”
Diuretics are medications used in humans to increase urine output, sometimes referred to as “water pills.” Common methods to get cats to drink more water include unsalted chicken broths and specially formulated soups for cats from pet stores. More tips can be found here: 7 Tips to Get Cats to Drink More Water.
Experts clearly advise against giving coffee and alcohol, as both substances can be extremely dangerous for cats. As nutritionist and diet expert Beke Enderstein wrote in her article on Foods Cats Should Avoid for us, even small amounts of alcohol can throw the animals off balance.
“Typical side effects of a ‘drunk’ cat include coordination disorders, nausea, and vomiting. If the dose is too high, life-threatening symptoms such as respiratory distress, coma, and cardiac arrest can occur. If the cat even looks too deeply into the glass more often, the cell toxins produced during alcohol breakdown can lead to chronic organ damage.” – Beke Enderstein, PETBOOK author and nutrition expert.
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How Long Will Creme Puff Hold the World Record?
There are always reports in the media about special diet concepts for cat longevity. For example, “Rosie,” who was considered a contender for the oldest cat, reportedly only drank bottled mineral water, as “Metro” reported. The cat also reached an extreme age and died in 2024 at 33 years old–though this was not officially confirmed.
Another legitimate contender is already in the starting blocks. “Flossie,” also from England, is currently the “oldest living cat in the world” (PETBOOK reported). Her secret to a long life? Owners who take good care of her and food suitable for senior cats.