Millionaire cats are nothing new. Two famous cats, Olivia Benson, from singer Taylor Swift, and Choupette, heiress to stylist Karl Lagerfeld, are two examples in the world of celebrities.
However, neither they nor any other cat received as monumental an inheritance as Blackie, the black cat that became heir to Ben Rea, a Briton who amassed a fortune buying and selling antiques, according to Guinness World Records.
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The story of this little black cat was remembered by Guinness to commemorate World Cat Day, recently celebrated on 8 August.
According to the record, the feline inherited the incredible sum of £7 million in 1988, which, in current terms, would correspond to about £ 18.5 million – or approximately R$ 115 million.
(Illustrative image: disclosure)
Ben Rea lived with his 15 cats in the county of Buckinghamshire. When he passed away, only Blackie was left alive, and he ended up becoming the heir to the substantial fortune.
Unusually, the Briton decided not to leave any of his inheritance to the family. In addition to Blackie the cat, Ben also designated his gardener and mechanic as beneficiaries of his wealth.
Concerned for Blackie's well-being after death, Ben directed the cat's money to three charities that care for cats, on condition that the cat is cared for until its last days.
The choice to associate his fortune with these institutions ended up keeping Blackie as the richest cat in the world, also leaving behind a legacy of kindness.
Although Guinness hasn't heard from Blackie since Ben's death, if he's still alive he could also hold the title of the world's oldest cat, which would be another amazing feat.
Currently, this record is owned by Flossie, a cat who was 26 when her registration was officially verified in 2022. But one thing is certain: Blackie must have enjoyed his nine lives very well.
