Friday, October 14, 2011

  Oldest living two-faced cat: Frank and Louie sets world record (HD Video)

WORCESTER, MA, USA -- Frank and Louie the cat, 12, was born with two faces, two mouths, two noses, three eyes , setting the world record for the Oldest living two-faced cat, according to World Record Academy (www.worldrecordacademy.com).

  Photo: The World's Oldest living two-faced cat, named Frank and Louie, one name for each face, is held by the cats owner, who identified herself only as Marty, at their home in Worcester, Mass. The animal is known as a Janus cat, named for the figure in Roman mythology with two faces on one head. The owner calls the face on the left Frank, while the face on the right is identified as Louie. Photo by: Steven Senne/AP ( enlarge photo )

  The Guinness world record for the Longest surviving Janus cat was also set by Frank and Louie, from Millbury, Ohio, USA, which had reached six years of age, thereby outliving all other recorded specimens.

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the oldest cat living, set by Pinky, who was born on 31 October 1989 and lives with her owner, Linda Anno (USA), Hoyt, Kansas, USA.

   Now, 12 years after Marty Stevens rescued him from being euthanized because of his condition, the exotic blue-eyed rag doll cat is not only thriving, but has also made it into the 2012 edition of Guinness World Records as the longest-surviving member of a group known as Janus cats, named for a Roman god with two faces.

 "Every day is kind of a blessing; being 12 and normal life expectancy when they have this condition is one to four days," Stevens said, stroking Frank and Louie's soft fur as he sat on her lap purring.

 "So, he's ahead of the game; every day I just thank God I still have him."

  "The condition itself is very rare, and I think that the fact that this cat became an adult, a healthy adult, is remarkable," said Dr. Armelle deLaforcade, an associate professor at Cummings and head of the emergency services section.

   Frank and Louie's two faces have a complicated relationship. Both noses work, but one mouth does not have a lower jaw and isn't connected to his one esophagus, so he can't eat with it. Stevens discovered that only after the cat got an MRI later in life.

   The animal can see out of only two of his three eyes. The middle one can't even blink and makes Frank and Louie appear to be staring even when his other eyes are closed.

  Frank and Louie does not seem to be bothered by his condition and has developed a friendly personality. The breed is known for its soft and silky fur, docile temperament and penchant for relaxing in a person's arms like a rag doll.

  He is "very, very laid back, not afraid of people, very friendly and he's actually more of a dog than a cat," Stevens said. "He walks on a leash, he goes right in the car; he loves car rides."