Col Meow laps up longest fur record

A cat that became an internet sensation because of his fearsome appearance is set to become an even bigger hit after securing a world record.

Colonel Meow already has a large online presence, with his own website, a YouTube channel with more than 1.3 million views and a Facebook page with almost 180,000 likes.

And now he has broken the world record for the cat with the longest fur.

The two-year-old Himalayan-Persian cross-breed has hair that reaches 9in (22.87cm).

He became an online hit after photographs of him were posted with captions expressing his desire for world domination, a love of Scotch whisky and a hatred of birds.

His owners, Anne Marie Avey and Eric Rosario, are holding a celebration of the record today at their home in Los Angeles, USA.

Ms Avey said: "We already knew that he was the best cat in the world, but to be recognised in the Guinness World Records book takes it to the next level."

She added: "Literally everything in the house has hair on it, including us. I feel like I'm always vacuuming."

Colonel Meow will be featured in the Guinness World Records 2014 book, which is released on September 12.