The biggest cat in the world 🌎
In nature, big cats first appeared in regions with cold climates. Their size has been influenced by evolution. The larger the cat, the less its heat loss. Modern big cats have occurred as a result of interspecific crossbreeding.
Big domestic cats are characterized by grace, soft tread, and a special elegance. The representatives of the big breeds have a rather friendly and gentle nature. Most of you are probably guessing: what is the biggest cat in the world? This is a widely discussed matter and, just recently, Kefir, a Maine Coon from Russia, was named the biggest one in the world. You can read more about this beast in the article “'World's Biggest Cat' Is So Large It Gets Mistaken For A Dog - And Has Years More Before He Stops Growing.”
Some animal lovers want to have, if not a tiger, then at least one of the biggest representatives of felines. But, be aware that a big cat won’t feel comfortable in a small city apartment, so evaluate your options in advance.
Next, we'll explore felines that amaze us with their dimensions and discover which of them is the biggest cat in the world.
Maine Coon 🐈
Representatives of the Maine Coon breed traditionally claim to be the biggest house cat in the world.
“Maine Coon” means a raccoon from Maine State. This breed got part of its name due to its large and fluffy tail, which resembled a raccoon's. These magnificent felines are distinguished by their size. They are noble, massive, and broad-chested, and can weigh over 22 pounds. They have a thick, shiny, and water-repellent coat that is perfect for cold regions. There are tufts of fur between the fingers of the animal that prevent it from plunging into deep snow. Another distinguishing feature is the tassels on the Maine Coon's large ears. Maine Coons have a calm and balanced character, unlike many cats. These cute giants love children, which is often the crucial factor when choosing a pet for a family with a child.
Persian 🐈
It’s one of the most popular cat breeds in the world. These fluffy creatures are meant for home keeping. Usually, these pets are phlegmatic, balanced, smart, and friendly. Representatives of this breed prefer a measured life and a comfortable rest.
The weight of a male can reach 12 pounds, and a medium-sized female can weigh from 8-10 pounds. A Persian cat is generally of medium size, but, still, looks rather massive, and has a well-developed skeleton. Due to the huge amount of fur, they can seem larger than they are.
Savannah Cat 🐈
Pets of this breed appeared by crossing the African Serval with an ordinary domestic cat. They often surpass even Maine Coons in size and can rightfully be considered the biggest cat in the world. Bright and unusual, these cats are distinguished by wild coloring and a special elegance. The coat color has gold, silver, tan, orange, black and smoky hues.
Contrasting spots add special mysterious notes to the pet's appearance. In general, the representatives of the Savannah breed vaguely resemble small cheetahs. It’s facilitated by color, long limbs, large wide ears, graceful posture, and expressive eyes. Large males of the Savannah breed can weigh up to 33 pounds. The representatives of this beautiful breed need special attention to ear hygiene. Once every two weeks, you need to clean your pet's ears. Otherwise, there is a risk of partial hearing loss in cats.
Norwegian Forest Cat 🐈
The Norwegian Forest Cat is the official cat breed in Norway. It’s a big, muscular, and strong cat with long fur and a massive bone, and its appearance matches the name. Males can weigh up to 22 pounds, and females up to 11.
Despite the harsh appearance, this breed is very domestic, and friendly with people and other pets. Their relationship with the owner happens "on their terms". They can get on the owner's knees but will decide when it should be over. Despite their independent and wild nature, these cats will always be devoted to their owners. This is a moderately active breed. They may have bursts of energy followed by long periods of rest.
Ragdoll 🐈
This breed includes big cats, which were also bred in America, and are considered descendants of Persian cats. However, unlike Persian cats, ragdoll doesn’t have a thick undercoat. Their soft fur of medium length is similar to that of a rabbit. One of the distinctive features of the breed is their amazing big eyes. The weight of males may reach 22 pounds, and females up to 13. Translated from English, "ragdoll" means "rag doll." Cats of this breed will be happy to sit in your arms and will give you special warmth and affection for it. Pets are very loyal to their owners and are similar in temperament to dogs.
Ragdoll is the biggest house cat in the world, and many people like it for its beautiful appearance and docile nature.
Ragamuffin 🐈
This breed is rather young. It was bred in the late 60s in America, thanks to the crossing of an elite breed and an ordinary street cat. The chest of the ragamuffin has the shape of a wide rectangle, while the neck of the pet is quite short, which gives the appearance a special fluffiness, from head to tail.
These cats’ breed weight can reach 20 pounds. The coat of a pet requires special care. With a kitten of this unique breed in the house, it’s necessary to accustom the pet to combing. This breed isn’t characterized by aggressive behavior.
Chausie 🐈
It’s a relatively young cat breed. It appeared due to the crossing of a domestic cat with a wild marsh lynx. Adult males have a body weight of 8 to 15 pounds, and the weight of females varies between 6-11 pounds. The body of this breed is long and slender, and the hind legs are longer than the front ones. The coat is short or medium length.
Chausie isn’t a cat for novice owners. The animal needs constant physical activity and a lot of attention, then it’ll become an incredibly smart, good-natured, and active pet. The representatives of this breed form deep bonds with people, so moving to another family will be a huge stress for an adult animal.
What’s the world’s biggest cat?
The record holder of the Guinness Book of Records in the category "The Biggest Cat" is the Maine Coon Barivel. It’s not only the largest among the representatives of its breed but also in general among other cats, which means that Barivel is the biggest cat in the world. His dimensions are impressive: 47 inches long.
The world's longest cat was measured at rest from head to tail. The measurement, made on May 22, 2018, registered a new record for Barivel's cat. He beat the previous record holder, Ludo - the cat, who held the title since 2017, by almost 0.7 inches.
At the time of fixing the record in 2018, the cat was two years old. Although Barivel means “joker, clown” in Italian, the huge Maine Coon has a very menacing look. However, according to the owners, he is very shy.