What is the world’s biggest cat? Discover the largest cat breed.
According to the International Society for Endangered Cats, there are 41 species in the Felidae family, which includes all cats.
Regardless of size, you might notice that your cat behaves like the king or queen of your domain. Even the tiniest domestic cat breed, the Singapura, can exhibit playful or territorial traits.
You don’t have to travel far to encounter a larger feline; the biggest domestic cat breed could be lounging in your own house.
What is the largest cat in the world?
The biggest species of cats are tigers. According to National Geographic, they share almost all their DNA with domestic cats, with only a 4.4% difference.
Among them, the Amur or Siberian tiger is the heaviest subspecies. Males can weigh up to 660 pounds and can grow as long as 10 feet from nose to tail tip, as reported by the Smithsonian. In contrast, female tigers typically weigh up to 260 pounds, based on findings from the Philadelphia Zoo.
The smallest tiger type, the Sumatran tiger, is still impressive, weighing as much as 310 pounds and measuring 8 feet in length, according to the Smithsonian.
Tigers inhabit various environments, including tropical rainforests and savannas, as detailed by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Their habitats also comprise evergreen and temperate forests, grasslands, and mangrove swamps. You can find these majestic animals across South and Southeast Asia, from India, Nepal, and Bhutan up to northeastern regions in China and Russia.
These endangered species face a significant risk of extinction, primarily due to poaching. Current estimates suggest there are only around 5,574 tigers remaining in the wild, according to the WWF.
What is the largest domestic cat breed?
While tigers are not suitable as pets, you can consider getting a domesticated breed like the Maine Coon, known to be one of the largest domestic cats, according to Purina.
Typically, Maine Coons weigh between 10.6 to 18 pounds, and some exceptional individuals can exceed 20 pounds, as per Purina. They can grow as long as 40 inches.
The record for the longest domestic cat belonged to a Maine Coon named Stewie, who measured 48.5 inches before passing away in 2013, according to the Guinness World Records.
Another Maine Coon named Altair holds the current record for the longest tail on a living domestic cat, with a tail measuring 16.07 inches, as documented by the Guinness World Records.
Other notable mentions for large domestic cat breeds include the Persian, Savannah, Norwegian Forest cat, and Turkish Van, according to Purina.