Is Wallace, 27, the oldest cat in Shropshire?

His owner Lynn Davies, 57, of English Frankton, near Ellesmere, thinks he could be the oldest moggie in the county after her daughter spotted an online post by Shropshire Cat Rescue about a 24-year-old cat from East Yorkshire.

She said: "We were looking on the site to see about getting Wallace another cat for company and we spotted this post, but our cat was older.

"He is an ex-Army cat and the owner was going on a tour of duty and he was all set to be re-homed, but when he went to his new owners he scratched the dog's nose so they didn't want him. So I ended up with him.

"The vet said he'd heard of one cat getting to 34 and he said Wallace should live quite a bit longer.

"He said he's really well for his age, he is on medication but he's doing well on it."

Wallace, who weighs more than 5kg, has been in the family for 11 years. He suffered a broken pelvis after being run over about a year ago and now doesn't leave the house.

He's also suffered heartbreak when his playmate, 22-year-old Duchess, passed away on New Year's Eve. "We'd only had her three years but she got on well with Wallace and he went off his food when she passed away," Ms Davies added.

"He's like a little shadow to me since we lost Duchess and he's been sleeping on the pillow next to me in my bed."

Ms Davies' daughter Louise Carter, 24, is a veterinary nurse and had spotted the post on Shropshire Cat Rescue's Facebook page. Marion Micklewright, shelter manager at Shropshire Cat Rescue, said there was a good chance that Wallace was the oldest cat in Shropshire.

She said: "I'm not surprised as veterinary medicine, flea and worm treatments and nutritious, purpose made cat food certainly have made major advances and the differences in terms of length of life speak for themselves."

Is your cat older than Wallace? Email newsroom@shropshirestar.co.uk

• Featured local business - The Black Lion Hotel in Ellesmere