The cats my ex grew up with lived to 20 and 21. For the last two years, they slept most of the time, so it was sort of like having cat pillows that occasionally relocated themselves. At Christmas, however, they would arouse themselves to go slowly over to the Christmas tree and whack one ornament.

You'd think that sometime during the decades that glue has been sold, someone would have figured out a top that doesn't glue itself shut. Come to think of it, the glue companies don't have much incentive, since their customers are driven to buy more glue when they can no longer get the glue out of the bottle.

Gracie was 22, and it was only in the last year or so that it was at all apparent.

So true Ginger. Glue bottles are like mascara bottles. You always have to toss it before it's empty.

Yeah, see, I always hear about these 20 year old cats, but when Homer was dying the vet said 15 was about average.

I feel like 20 year old cats are unusual, though I have personally met several.

And Wednesday only made it to 5, so, who knows with averages.

Shadow made it 14/15, but my Koogie Lich Cat was something like 19. But I think he was the Professor Binns of cats anyway.

Yeah, I wouldn't say it's normal, but it's not all that exceptional either.

The indoor vs outdoor makes a big difference wrt to cat age.

Gracie was mostly outdoor until about 15, when she apparently decided to retire and stay inside full time. While my father appreciated the reduction in chipmunk parts in his living room and dead snakes on the lawn, his allergies suddenly became an issue, which is how I ended up with her.