SHE’S Lucky by name and clearly lucky by nature, as this pampered puss is laying claim to be the world’s oldest cat.

Owner Maureen Orchard claims she took Lucky in as a stray in 1987 and that she will celebrate her 27th birthday in October.

If this can be verified to the satisfaction of the Guiness World Records, it will make Lucky the world’s oldest cat – two years older than current record holder, Bournemouth-based tortoiseshell Poppy.

Lucky lives in Moordown with her doting owners Maureen, 76, and Len, 65. They say she has not left the house for 26 years, preferring to curl up in her own exclusive-use armchair.

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Maureen’s daughter Lorraine Anken said: “The fact she has lived so long is down to my mum and her husband and Aniwell vets in Kinson. She has fresh salmon, fresh chicken, fresh fish. She has a very healthy diet and she is thoroughly spoiled.

“My mum went out and paid £800 for a chair for her and my mum also sleeps in the lounge to keep her company. She’s that spoilt.”

Lucky is not in the best of health; she has a heart murmur, is going blind and is losing her fur due to her old age. But vets have reassured Maureen she is happy and content and not in any pain.

Maureen said: “She does still walk about the flat occasionally but mainly she is happy in her chair. I have to sleep in the same room as her, even if I just get up to go to the bathroom in the night she miaows until I come back. She’s like a baby in that respect.

“Her favourite meal is fresh salmon and because she hasn’t got many teeth left, my husband steams it and mashes it with a bit of milk. She loves that.”