CAT lover Cecilia Watkins from Nythe may have Swindon's most senior moggy.

Her Pippa is 22-years old and she believes there must be something in the cat's genes as Pippa's kitten Mandy has also reached a ripe old age of 18.

Pippa was taken in by her 63-year-old owner when she was three after she was abandoned on a main road.

"The Cat Society had rescued her and she was loaded with kittens," said Mrs Watkins. "She was so friendly though I just had to have her.

"I took her home and let her keep the kittens one of whom was Mandy before I took her to be spayed.

"Pippa's age is very unusual for a cat and Mandy is pretty old too. We can check Pippa's age because she was born before the Falklands War."

The secret of Pippa's longevity is put down to her daily diet.

"I don't feed her or Mandy on cat food," said Mrs Watkins. "She has sardines or pilchards mixed with porridge oats and a few treats when we are eating something special. It seems to have done the trick."

Do you have an older cat? If so contact the news desk on mdrew@newswilts.co.uk