MOST cats are doing well if they reach the grand old age of 17 - but at 21, Tiggy the dark brown tabby is an example to them all.

Although not yet the oldest cat around, she is still lively and playful, and just a few months short of her 22nd birthday.

According to her owner Susie Wimpress, Tiggy's longevity is down to all tender loving care she gets.

Every five weeks she goes along to the vets for a check-up and is pampered with a manicure treatment.

Tiggy was once a fearsome mouser but now prefers the quiet life at home in Ripon.

"She loves nothing more than resting and lapping up the warmth by the Aga in the kitchen," said Susie.

However Tiggy has some way to go before she can claim a place in the record books.

The oldest cat is believed to be a 27-year-old living in Australia.