Dogs normally live for an average of 10 to 13 years, and cats from 12 to 18 – while a pet tortoise can live anywhere from 50 to 150.
We asked our readers how old their pets are to try to track down the most senior in the county…
One of the oldest was 20-year-old Jet, a dog who Becky Yardley and her husband Obz rescued when she was five.
She’d been abused by two previous owners. The first would beat her with a stick and left her with a deformed tail, and the second left her “riddled with fleas”.
Becky, from Aylesford, said: “My husband said to the owners he would take her due to the lack of care. She’s now been with us for 15 years.”
The couple have 10 dogs in total, eight of which they have rescued.
“She’s the boss of them all,” Becky said. “She’s very much the matriarch of the pack – she says jump, they ask how high.
“Nowadays she’s not so bossy but will just walk over them and under them and basically just barge through and they all take no notice.
“She absolutely loves a tennis ball and it’s only recently she started struggling to chase one.
“She’s an absolute cuddle bug. She adores her dad but when it comes to snuggles she will come to me.
“She is very much a daddy’s girl though. She’s deaf, almost blind, has about four teeth and is wobbly on her legs but still has her daily walks and loves them.”
The average lifespan of a dog is between 10 and 13 years, but it can vary depending on the breed.
Smaller dogs like chihuahuas and yorkies tend to live longer – up to about 16 years – and breeds like golden retrievers usually make it to 12.
At the start of last year, the Guiness World Record for the oldest dog was awarded to Bobi the Portuguese mastiff.
He died in October at the age of 31 and five months.
However, the validity of the title is now under review after doubts over his lifespan, which equates to more than 200 human years.
An investigation has been launched after pictures of Bobi from 1999 showed he has different paw colourings to the dog that died in October.
Prior to this, the record was held by a 29-year old Australian cattle dog called Bluey.
Although she’s not quite as old, Jo Brockman also says her 18-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier Maisy is still going strong.
Her husband Trevor rescued Maisy when she was two after she was being abused by her original owner.
Jo, from Faversham, said: “He basically said he would take her off their hands and never looked back.
“She was extremely scared when he first got her, he literally would get up to get something and she’d wet herself.
“I came into her life in 2014, and she absolutely loves me. I’m her go-to now which annoys my husband.”
Maisy has always been a maternal dog, and when the pair have had kittens in the home she’s treated them as if they were her own.
Jo added: “She’s never had any pups of her own but she would’ve made an amazing mum.
“When my pregnant friends came round she would lay on their tummies, and when the kids were born she would sit by them and make sure they were okay.
“She’s really protective and so many of my friends and family who have looked after her while we’re on holiday have then bought a dog thinking they’d be like Maisy.
“But no dog has ever come close to her.”
The couple also foster dogs so Maisy has had five other dogs in her life in the last few years.
“She’s kind of just going on and on,” Jo said.
“Staffies get such a bad name but she’s the softest thing you’ll ever meet.
“She’s now deaf so she’s had to kind of learn sign language.
“Obviously she’s slowed down a lot since she’s got a lot older, but she has little bursts of energy and it’s so lovely to see her running around like a puppy again.
“Other than the deafness and being a little bit stiff, she will still run if we take her to one of the dog fields – no one’s catching up with her.
“It’s lovely to have her and lovely that she’s still going.”
We’ve compiled a list of some more of our reader’s oldest dogs…
Caroline Kirby, from Crockenhill, rescued Buster from Foal Farm in Biggin Hill when he was nearly one.
She said: “He turned 16 last September. We’ve been so lucky, he’s just the best little dog and we adore him.”
Cats tend to live for a little longer than dogs, with a lifespan of anywhere between 12 and 18 years.
However, the life expectancy for outside cats is considerably lower compared to those kept inside.
We’ve also rounded up some of our readers’ oldest cats…
As well as some honourable mentions…
Horses have an average life expectancy of 25 to 30 years, and in some cases have lived into their 50s and 60s.
Ponies tend to live even longer, usually into their 30s.
Cappuccino the guinea pig is eight – despite the fact they usually only live to about six or seven.
With an average lifespan of 40 to 80 years, Sam, an African grey parrot from Canterbury, still has a lot of life left in her despite being 65.
The oldest submission we received was Archie the tortoise who is an impressive 95 years old.
But he does have an unfair advantage compared to the usual pet, as tortoises can live in excess of 150 years.
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