The world's longest cat has died at the age of eight. Stewie, a Maine Coon cat was 48.5 inches, or more than 4 ft, long and died after a battle with cancer on Monday.
The BBC reported that Stewie who lived in Reno, Nevada received the record for world's longest cat in 2010 when he was measured from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail by the Guinness Book of Records.
The Maine Coon was a certified therapy animal and often frequented the Reno senior center.
"Stewie was always very social and loved meeting new people," Hendrickson said to The Associated Press. "He has touched many lives, and for that I am grateful."
Maine Coons are the largest breed of cats. Stewie's breeder Valerie Horton has been breeding the cats since 1980.
"It's the luck of the draw," Horton said to the AP. "We mostly breed for type and temperament, and then hope for the size. Stewie's father came from some very large cats."
Stewie attended the International Cat Show in Portland, Oregon last month and Horton said she did really well.
"He did really well at the show, even though he wasn't feeling totally perfect," said Horton who is also the International Cat show's entry clerk. "He loved being there because he loved the public. He always did."
Stewie was diagnosed with Lymphosarcoma in 2012 which is a malignant type of cancer. Stewie received chemotherapy and was declared cancer-free but then a vet found another tumor on her kidneys.
"I knew that although we could fight it, the end was near and so I wanted to simply make him comfortable and let him enjoy the time he did have," she said.
The previous record of longest cat when to Leo who was 48 inch long Maine Coon who passed away in Chicago several years ago. Guinness World Records have not yet released a successor to Stewie's title.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
