Smokey Fights Challenger

27 February 2013, 06:20 | Updated: 27 February 2013, 06:39

The world's loudest purring cat - Smokey, from Pitsford near Northampton - appears to have fought off a challenger.

Guinness World Records have told Heart they have received no evidence to back up claims published widely in the newspapers in January 2013 that a cat called Merlin, from Torquay, Devon, is louder.

Smokey The Cat was given the title of The Loudest Purring Domestic Cat In The World in May 2011 after measurements were taken in the presence of local dignitaries.

On that occasion, Smokey was able to achieve a purr of 67.7dB, taken at a distance of one metre.  That is 14 times louder than the purr of the average cat, and comparable to a hairdryer or a lawnmower.

It's understood measurements of Merlin's purr were taken closer than the required one metre distance, which would make Merlin appear louder.

Smokey's owner Ruth Adams told Heart she's relieved Smokey is still top cat: "Smokey's written a book and I've put a lot of work into that over the last year and a half so if she's going to lose her title, I'd like it to be done in a fair manner."

2 Mar 2011 - Could This Cat Become A Record Breaker?

5 May 2011 - Smokey Breaks World Record

24 Oct 2011 - Smokey The Cat Releases A Book

3 Dec 2011 - Smokey The Cat Booksigning

12 Jan 2013 - Another Hot On Smokey's Tail