A Burnley resident is trying to determine whether he owns the world's oldest cat, it has emerged.

According to the Daily Express, Jim Cowell knows that his pet moggie Tizzie is at least 36 years of age, which works out as 160 years old in human terms.

Tizzie was taken in by Cowell's mother Winifred in 1973 after being found on a railway line. He later took over responsibility for the cat after Winifred was no longer able to look after her.

Speaking yesterday, Cowell explained: "She's fantastic. She was found by a couple of girls in a bag on the railway in 1973 and they gave her to my mum to look after. She was known as the Railway Cat.

"She still looks like a kitten and moves around perfectly well. The vet said that her organs are as healthy as they would be in a younger cat."

The current Guinness World Record for the oldest cat is held by a pet called Cream Puff, who died in 2005 at the age of 38.

"We would like the two girls who found her, if they still live locally, to get in touch to help verify her age," Cowell confirmed.

He added: "We believe a cat down the road who recently died was aged 36 as well. There must be something in the water round here, because all the cats we have had have lived into their 20s."

Source: chinadaily.com.cn/agencies