The largest domestic cat in the world: description of large breeds, maximum dimensions, photos

Academician
12/27/2016, 11:16, , 598, Category Interesting / Living World

The longest cat, which currently occupies a place of honor in the Guinness Book of Records, is considered to be a cat whose length is one hundred and twenty-three centimeters. However, the tail was not taken into account in these measurements. The judges measured the cat from the beginning of the tailbone to the end of the head. The cat is five years old, but his owner dares to claim that in addition to the fact that her cat is considered the longest, he is also the most gentle.

Leaders in the nomination “Largest cat breed”

Today, two fierce rivals vying for the title of “largest domestic cat breed” are: the Savannah and the Maine Coon.

It is no secret that the third competitor intended to be a representative of the Asher family. But, as it turned out, this breed was a fictitious creation of a felinologist and, as such, does not exist, but was simply given out by Savannah under the guise of an allegedly new unique Asher individual.

After exposure, this participant was disqualified from the competition, but it is worth knowing about some nuances regarding this case. Indeed, to this day no court decision has been made regarding this breed.

A thorough genetic examination is being carried out to reveal the truth about the creation of the Ashera. The owner of this newest species, Brady, assures that these two cats are completely different breeds.

He explains that the only similarity between these breeds is the serval gene, and the Asher also contains the genes of an Asian leopard cat and a predatory cat (see photo of an Asian leopard cat).

Leopard cat

Scientists were able to breed this breed relatively recently. American biotechnologists, together with colleagues from Great Britain, decided to cross the African serval, which is a wild cat, with an Asian leopard cat. As a result of this experiment, a cat with a leopard color was obtained. This breed was named Ashera. It got its name in honor of the ancient deity.

It is also worth noting that in the course of further experiments, it was possible to ensure that Ashera subsequently became a hypoallergenic cat. This was great news for those people who have terrible symptoms of an allergy to cat fur, but despite this, they would really like to have one in their family. But you should immediately understand that such pleasure will cost the owners of the house very dearly.

This breed of cats was able to gain scandalous popularity. The creator of Savannah cats disputes the rights to the authorship of this population, because he claims that back in the early eighties, it was he who bred this breed. But while these controversial cases are decided by a judge, Asherah has become the longest cat in the whole world.

I place – Savannah breed

Breed characteristics

• This species is considered a large cat in terms of weight, and is also distinguished by the height and length of its body.
• Weight: 12-15 kg (about the same weight as Maine Coons, although it is known that there are other representatives that reach more weight, about 20 kg).
• Height: about 60 cm.

One can argue for a long time about whether this breed belongs to the domestic representatives of its own kind, since it was generated by a combination of the African serval species with a simple cat. But if you think about it, the ancestors of most domestic pets were wild.

The heiress of this breed, a cat named Trouble, was the first to get into the Guinness Book of Records. Her height then reached 48 cm at the withers. Therefore, she had the title of the highest.

In addition to these achievements, this type is, by far, the most expensive compared to others, the maximum price is twenty-five thousand dollars. Also see what is the most expensive cat in the world.

Fifth place – Puma

Puma
Other names for puma are mountain lion, cougar, panther. The puma belongs to the genus Puma. Lives in North and South America. Lives in bushes, swamps and forests. Mountain lions are solitary and territorial animals, with ranges ranging from 250 sq. km up to 950 sq. km. The puma has yellow-brown fur, straight ears, and a long tail. The animal is born with spots that disappear as they grow.

Males weigh on average from 50 to 100 kg, females - 30-65 kg . Pumas have large, strong paws and proportionately the largest hind paws in the cat family. This physique helps to jump long distances (4-12 meters) and run fast (60-80 km/h).

The puma does not roar, it makes sounds of hissing, growling, whistling, screaming. Mountain lions are active at dusk, at night, and at dawn; These are predators that eat prey of various sizes - from insects, rodents to medium and large ungulates (especially deer).

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The total mountain lion population is estimated to be less than 50,000. The average lifespan in the wild is 8-13 years, in a zoo it is about 20 years.

2nd place – Maine Coon breed

Description of the breed

• Maine Coons are not only large cats, but also charming pets with sharp tufts on the tips of their ears, like lynxes, fluffy fur and a variety of colors.
• Weight: from 8-15 kg.
• Height: up to 41 cm.
• Stewie, a purebred cat from this region, broke the record and became the longest cat in the world. The length from the tip of his fluffy tail to his nose was 123 cm.

The biggest cat in the world

Tiger
The largest cat in the world is the tiger. Tigers have orange fur with distinctive black vertical stripes that help camouflage when hunting prey; There are black and white tigers with golden stripes, as well as white (albinos). The stripes on the body of tigers are individual, like human fingerprints.

Tigers live in South Asia, China and the Far East. The habitat includes a variety of places ranging from dry grasslands to tropical forests. Tigers are skilled swimmers who swim across lakes and rivers with a width of 6-8 km.

Tigers weigh from 65 to 325 kg, the largest of them - Siberian, also called Amur - weigh about 300 kg . The Bengal tiger makes up about half the tiger population.

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There are 9 recognized tiger subspecies: Bengal, Siberian (Amur), Indochinese, South China, Sumantra, Malayan, Caspian, Javan and Balinese. The last 3 subspecies have become extinct over the last century, the South China tiger is extinct in the wild, the remaining subspecies are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as their numbers are declining due to habitat loss and poaching. Since the beginning of the 20th century, tiger numbers have declined from 100,000 to 3,200.

Tigers are solitary predatory animals: they spend a lot of time alone, traveling through their territories in search of food. The Siberian tiger has the largest range - up to 10,000 square meters. km. Tigers' food consists mainly of large prey (deer, wild pigs, rhinoceroses, antelope, buffalo, elephants). The average lifespan of a tiger in the wild is between 14 and 18 years.

III place – representatives of the Chausie breed

Description of the breed

• In addition to the above two legitimate contenders for the title of “biggest cat,” one can imagine a representative of the jungle cats, the Chausie breed (also known as Chausie or Houseie).
• Weight: reaches 18 kg.
• Height: 40cm.

The main goal for creating this breed by crossing a jungle cat and an Abyssinian (see all photos of a jungle cat) was the idea of ​​the breeders to get a variety of domestic cat to protect wild cats from being imprisoned in captivity.

See also what is the largest cat in the world, its weight and dimensions.

The goal was achieved and today the Shawzi gets along well with people and is quite loving towards them.

Second place – Lion (Panthera leo)

Lion
Known for his majesty, strength, beauty and nicknamed the "king of the jungle", the lion is the second largest cat in the world . Lions live in grassy plains, savannas, open forests and bushes. The size and appearance of lions differ between the sexes: males weigh 150-250 kg, females 110-180 kg . Males have a mane that protects the neck and throat in fights with rivals. Lions have tufts of six at the end of their tail. Coat color ranges from light yellow to silvery white and yellowish red to dark brown. Lion cubs are born with dark spots on their bodies that disappear as they mature.

Historically, lions lived in most of Europe, Asia and Africa, but are now found in only two regions of the world and are divided into two subspecies:

• Asiatic lions that live in the Gir Forest National Park in India. This population numbers fewer than 500 lions;
• African lions live in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. There are fewer than 21,000 lions left in Africa.

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Lions are active at night when hunting. Their speed reaches 80 km/h, and their jump is up to 11 meters. They hunt for 2-3 hours, resting the rest of the time. Lions have the loudest roar of any big cat, which can be heard up to 8 km away .

The lion is the most social wild cat. Lions live in groups called "prides" of about 15 animals. Each group has a territory that they defend from other predators. Its area is 20-400 sq. km. Lionesses often go out hunting together. Lions live on average 10-14 years in the wild and longer than 20 years in zoos.

IV place - charming ragdoll cats

Description of the breed

• Although the Ragdoll cat breed differs in size from ordinary cats, it is difficult to call it gigantic. Considering that the big ones in this breed are mostly males, and not all of them.
• Weight: 9 kg.
• Length: 1 meter (record).
• These cats, especially their breed, are also called rag dolls. And all thanks to their genetically built-in passionless ardor, cuteness and non-aggressive behavior.

Bengal tiger

The royal representative of the panther genus, the Bengal tiger, lives in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and China. In Russia its population is 5 individuals. The predatory mammal is one of the largest cats in the world. The height of the tropical forest resident reaches 115 cm, weight - 275 kg. A terrifying roar can be heard at a distance of 3 km. The deadly fangs grow up to 10 cm. The record weight of a male killed in an Indian forest in 1967 was 388.7 kg.

Among the Bengal tigers there are amazing creatures whose snow-white fur is covered with brown stripes. All white individuals have one ancestor - the male Mohan, who was born in 1951 as a result of a gene mutation.

V place – short-haired pixie-bob (domestic lynxes)

Description of the breed

The next, but not the last, representative of the cat giants is the artificially bred short-haired pixie-bob, the domestic lynx. These cats are not much different in appearance from lynxes.

They are like representatives of these animals, but in miniature: the same sharp tassels on the tips of the ears and color. And also the pixie-bot will have a short tail (5 cm, sometimes 7-10 cm)

• Weight: males - 8kg, females -5kg

Snow Leopard

To date, the number of snow leopards is unknown. The snow leopard, which lives far from people, is the most poorly studied representative of the feline tribe. The muscular wild cat is found in the mountainous regions of Central Asia and Southern Siberia at an altitude of 1.5–5 thousand m above sea level. Short, thick paws equipped with wide pads are adapted for walking on loose snow, and the ability to make 8-meter jumps helps to overcome deep crevasses.

The four-legged inhabitant of mountain peaks resembles a leopard in posture and size. The height of the male reaches 65 cm, weight - 55 kg. Fluffy gray-beige fur reliably protects from cold and camouflages in snowy gorges. A distinctive feature of the exterior is a meter-long thick tail, which the snow leopard uses as a rudder when running and jumping.

VI place – representatives of the North, Siberian cats

Description of the breed

• Representatives of the breed are Siberian cats from Russia. Among their fellow tribesmen, they stand out for their size.
• Weight: for males the maximum reaches 12 kg, and for females up to 5-6 kg.
• The peculiarity of this individual is their external fluffy and nice appearance. They are like a big and bright ball of affection. At the same time, scientists guarantee that Siberian cats are among the hypoallergenic breeds, which means they do not provoke an allergic reaction in sensitive people.

Cat height

It is worth noting that in addition to its impressive length, the Ashera cat can reach one meter in height. Moreover, their weight reaches fifteen kilograms. But, despite its formidable characteristics as a predator, this cat is very gentle and affectionate. She will never be able to scratch a child, even if he pulls her ears and pulls her tail. She loves people very much, and can bask next to her owner for hours. She is also unpretentious in food. Can eat absolutely all foods that people eat every day.

Curious cases

One of the criteria for giant cats is also their weight. And in this case, the winner was none other than SpongeBob, who was included in the Guinness Book of Records under the category of the most plump cat.

His weight was 15kg. Today, this cat had to be put on a serious diet. And according to a certain decision of the book’s founders, this section of the record was withdrawn for the safety of the feline representatives, so that breeders would not sacrifice their health to win.

Over a long period of time, similar nominations were awarded several times, and the most impressive result was that of the Austrian cat Khiimiya. He weighed about 21 kg and subsequently died from obesity.

Of course, having the biggest cat in the house is nice and partly becomes pride, but the main thing is, first of all, love for the animal and caring for it.

The biggest and fattest pet

Cat Katie

The first place among the fattest pets is taken by the cat Katie from Russia. At 5 years old she weighs 23 kilograms. The cat has a girth of 70 centimeters.
One can only envy her diet: two fish in the morning, a piece of meat in the evening, food, milk, grass in the afternoon. Katie can eat two sausages in a minute. The cat became so big because of its owner: she was tired of cat parties and overdosed the medicine.

She doesn’t want to limit the cat’s food because she feels sorry for her. Apparently, it’s not a great pity – such weight won’t lead to anything good.

Himmy the Cat

A large wool bag from Australia weighed 21.3 kilograms. His girth was 84 centimeters.

Himmi was very lazy, moved little and ate a lot. At the age of 10 years, the cat could not even move on his own and died from problems with the respiratory system.

After this, the Guinness Book of Records canceled the title of the fattest cat, so that owners would not overfeed their pets.

The weight of the fattest cats in descending order:

1. Katie – 23 kg, Russia.
2. Himmi – 21.3 kg, Australia.
3. Snowball – 20 kg, Scotland. Spice – 20 kg, USA.
4. Tulle – 19.5 kg, Denmark.
5. Meow – 18 kg, USA.
6. Elvis - 17.5 kg, Germany.
7. Otto – 16 kg, USA. Bond – 16 kg, Finland.
8. SpongeBob – 15.5 kg, USA.
9. Lobster – 14 kg, Australia.

Savannah

catsact.com

• Average weight: for cats - no more than 7 kg, for cats - up to 14–15 kg.
• Life expectancy: up to 17–20 years.

Savannahs are strict, flexible and muscular animals that were the result of crossing domestic breeds with the serval.

These cats easily find a common language with the people they live with. They willingly make contact, follow a person everywhere and may even demand attention to themselves.

Representatives of the breed are curious, active, agile and jumping. They calmly climb the highest surfaces, quickly learn to open cabinets and enter other forbidden places. To give off energy, they need space, so they are not very suitable for keeping in an apartment. These animals also enjoy playing with water and are not afraid to swim.

Savannahs learn quickly, easily get used to a harness for walking, and can even perform simple tricks, such as fetching thrown objects.

How to raise a big cat

There are several aspects that are taken into account if you want your pet to grow up to be a real giant.

1. Purebred breed. Good genetics produce excellent results.
2. Floor. Keep in mind that cats are always much smaller in weight and size than cats.
3. Parents' sizes. Large Maine Coons are more likely to give birth to a large kitten than their smaller counterparts.
4. Hormonal background. If a cat took any medications during pregnancy, there is a possibility that the treatment will negatively affect the height and weight of the offspring.
5. Feeding. With a balanced diet, a pregnant cat has a better chance of giving birth to a strong, healthy representative of the breed with an appropriate weight and height.

In fact, giant Maine Coon cats are a reality. Many people want to buy a future record holder and are very upset if this does not happen over time. But every cat is capable of giving its owner affection and love, and the Maine Coon is no exception in this case.

You shouldn’t chase big records, learn to enjoy your pet’s devotion, because it’s an incomparable feeling.

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Cat records

Everyone knows that representatives of the cat family have the most reserved attitude towards water, and most of them cannot stand water. All except the jaguar . Jaguars love water and prefer to settle near bodies of water. They are good swimmers and enjoy spending time in cool water. They fish in backwaters, open the shells of river turtles with their paws and teeth, and eat snake eggs and the snakes themselves.

A cat, hunting mice, saves up to 10 tons of grain per year . In England, cats are used to guard granaries and other food warehouses; they are officially kept on a ration. Cats also protect books and other relics of the British Museum from mice. And in Austria, a cat that has served as a warehouse guard for several years is entitled to a lifelong pension, given milk, meat and broth.

The most fantastic record was set in Argentina by a cat named Mincho, who climbed a tree and did not come down until she died six years later. During this time, she managed to bring three litters with the same steeplejack cats.

The largest cats . According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest of the 330 cats is the ragdoll: the male weighs up to nine kilograms. For most domestic cats, the average weight of adult males is two kilograms. Neutered cats weigh slightly more on average.

The largest wild cats. The male Ussuri tiger has an average length of 3.15 m - from the nose to the tip of the elongated tail, height at the withers - 0.99-1.07 m, and weight - about 265 kg. The most massive African lion weighed 313 kg. He was killed in 1936 near Gethorspruit in the Transvaal province of South Africa.

The longest cats . After a snow-white kitten arrived at Lorna Sutherland's house, Lorna and her family became local celebrities. A kitten named Snowby was recognized as the world's longest cat in 1997. The cat reaches a length of 103 cm (from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail), while its height at the withers is only 33 cm. In 1997, Snowby was four years old, when representatives of the Guinness Book of Records drew attention to his dimensions, but first to his dimensions Snowby was brought to the attention of his owner and a local veterinarian. As the owner of the record-breaking cat said, she always had a feeling that her cat would sooner or later become famous throughout the world, and not just in his native Scotland. Unlike most normal cats, Snowby never jumps on the table, but simply sits on his hind legs and sweeps away what he likes. Snowby's diet is very high in calories, and consists of turkey, tuna, rice pudding and... coffee!

The smallest cats. Tinker Toy, a Himalayan Persian cat owned by Katrina and Scott Forbes of Taylorville, NY. Illinois, USA, is only 7 cm high and 19 cm long.

The lightest cats. The smallest breed of domestic cat is the Singapura. The male Siamese hybrid, owned by Angelina Johnson from the USA, weighed only 0.79 kg. He was then 23 months old.

The smallest wild cats. The rusty-spotted cat, which lives in South India and Sri Lanka, has a body length with a head of 35-48 cm, and a tail of 15-25 cm. The average weight of a female is 1.1 kg.

The fattest cats The fattest cat, just included in the Guinness Book of Records, lives in Denmark. The cat's name is Tulle, he is 6 years old, and he has no more or less - 19 and a quarter kilos of live weight. Tulle is absolutely healthy and has gained a record weight only thanks to his monstrous laziness. In the next house lives his twin brother, who is known in the area for his nocturnal adventures - also a very respectable cat, but twice as thin as Tulle. The champion himself cannot be classified as a ladies' man; you cannot push him out of the house. The owner, 12-year-old Tabina Pedersen, says that the family's favorite is incredibly calm, good-natured and majestic. Most of all, he loves to lie curled up on the floor next to the chair, absolutely motionless - and all the guests mistake him for an ottoman on which they rest their feet. The owners admit that Tulle will never be able to catch the mouse. “He is completely unable to take care of himself, and if we stop feeding him, he will die of hunger!” - assures the kind Pedersen family. The fact is that the fat man is too lazy to even walk - he has learned to slowly roll from place to place. In the near future, the champion may part with his title: on the advice of a veterinarian, the owners will send the pet to weight loss courses, where the sloth will first of all be prescribed daily exercise. The fattest cat in history was the tabby cat Himmy, who belonged to Thomas Wise from Cairns (Queensland, Australia). By the time of his death on March 12, 1968, at the age of ten years and four months, Himmi weighed 21.3 kg and had a “waist” of 84 cm. The length of the cat with a tail was about a meter. He was so big that he could not move on his own; he had to be carried in a wheelbarrow.

A cat has the largest number of toes . From Canada, the Guinness Book of Records office received a message about a cat with 26 toes. The Siamese named Nabu has seven toes on his hind paws and six on his front paws, which is one more toe than the previous record holder. Typically, cats have 18 toes, five on their hind paws and four on their front paws. With the exception of this anomaly, Nabu, according to the owner, is no longer different from other cats.

The rarest wild cats. Currently, there are less than 100 specimens of the Iriomote cat left, which is found only on Iriomote Island (Ryukyu Islands, Japan). A mortal threat looms over the unique Japanese wild cats from the island of Iriomote. There are no more than a hundred of them left, and the authorities have tried to create almost ideal conditions for these graceful predators, listed in the Red Book. On Iriomote it is prohibited to hunt any small animals that serve as food for cats. Car horns are not allowed, so as not to scare the pussies, and a special license is required to photograph them. However, trouble came from a neighboring island, from where poisonous frogs somehow got over. They were brought there from Latin America to destroy beetles that were eating sugar cane crops. Cats enjoy eating amphibians. Attempts to diversify the menu with overseas frogs will cost the cats their lives. There is only one way out - kill the frogs as quickly as possible. From now on, hastily assembled “death squads” from among the alarmed residents will scour the jungle, exterminating unexpectedly appearing enemies of charming pussies.

The very first name for a cat. The first cat known to have received a name was Nejem (meaning sweet or cuddly). She lived during the reign of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III, 1479-25 BC.

The longest living cats. A tabby cat named Ma, owned by the American Alice St. George Moore from Drewsteignton, c. Devon, UK. This cat was euthanized at the age of 34 years.

The largest litters The largest known litter - 19 kittens (4 stillborn) was born on August 7, 1970 by a four-year-old brown Burmese cat named Antigone. Her owner Valery Gein said that the cat became pregnant from a Siamese cat. Of the 15 live kittens, there were 14 males and 1 female. The largest number of live kittens (14, all kittens survived) was brought by a Persian cat that belonged to Elinora Dawnson from South Africa.

The best mouse catchers The best mouse catcher was recognized as a motley cat named Towser, owned by Glentarret Distillery Ltd, Perth and Kinross, from Scotland (Great Britain). It is estimated that she caught 28,899 mice throughout her life: an average of 3 mice per day. She died on March 20, 1987.

The greatest traveler. Hamlet the cat escaped from his cage during a flight from Toronto (Canada). They could not find him on the plane for a long time, and in 7 weeks he “flew” more than 965,600 km, until in February 1984 he was caught, pulled out from behind the skin of the plane.

Trekking distance records. The owner of the trekking distance record can probably be recognized as the cat Ryzhik from the city of Kem. During the holidays, the owners brought him with them to Petrozavodsk. The next day the cat suddenly disappeared. Sad, the owners came to terms with the loss. Imagine their surprise when two months later, a very thin Ryzhik appeared in a Kem apartment, having covered a distance of 430 kilometers from Petrozavodsk. As soon as he crossed the threshold of the house, he immediately went to the saucer from which he was always given milk. The cat slept for the first few days, and then, having gained strength, returned to its former life.

The best cat climber . A 4-month-old kitten, owned by Josephine Aufdenblatten from Geneva, Switzerland, climbed with climbers to the top of the Matterhorn (4478 m) on September 6, 1950.

The most expensive cats. The most valuable is considered to be a copper-eyed white Persian cat named Cloylum Marcus, who was the winner of international competitions. The cat in England was valued at £2,100. A California silver speckled cat was purchased for a record $24,000 in January 1937. California spotted cats Bullseye and Cucamogna were included in the 1986 Christmas catalog of the Neiman-Marcus department store. Each cost $1,400. In 1997, one of them was sold for $24,000 to a movie star who wished to remain anonymous. California Pied cats were developed by screenwriter Paul Casey, who crossed several breeds to create a new breed of domestic cat similar to the Pied Wildcat. There are now less than 200 specimens of this breed in the world.

The richest cats . When Grace Elma Patterson died in the US state of Missouri, she left her entire fortune, worth $25 million, to her white mongrel cat named Charlie Chan. After the cat's death, the entire estate, including a three-bedroom house, a 3-hectare pet cemetery and a collection of valuable antiques, was sold at auction, with the proceeds donated to local and national humane societies. Blackie, the last of the 15 cats kept at the house, received $15 million in the will of his millionaire owner Ben Rea.

The most luxurious wedding of cats In October 1996, at the largest disco in Thailand, Rebus House, a luxurious wedding ceremony of two rare diamond cats, Phet and Ploy, took place. For their owner Wichan Jaratarcha, the wedding cost $16,201 + a dowry of $23,202. Groom Phet arrived in a Rolls Royce, while Ploy arrived by helicopter. The bride and groom wore pink satin suits.

Ligra hybrid record

The largest among the males is the cat Hercules, who consumes 45 kg of food per day. Its weight is 408 kg, length is 3.6 m, height is 1.8 m. But this is not a domestic animal. Hercules belongs to the Liger breed, which is a hybrid of animals such as a tigress and a lion.

At home, such an animal can be kept exclusively in an enclosure. He needs space and a lot of varied food.