If you think your giant feline deserves the title of the biggest cat in the world, you'll be shocked at the size of the major contenders. Although the Guinness World Record people have chosen to remove this as a category for fear that owners would overfeed their pets to try to achieve this title, you'll find several examples of huge cats below.
Official Biggest Cat in the World
Before they got rid of this category in the 1980s, the Guinness people recognized Himmy as the world's largest cat, weighing in at a whopping 46 pounds and 15.25 ounces. Himmy lived in Australia and was a basic male tabby that had been neutered. Himmy died of complications due to obesity. Right behind Himmy is Poppa, an 11-year-old tabby that weighed 44.5 pounds, and Tiger, a Persian mix that weighed about 43 pounds
Katy
A Russian cat, Katy, weighed an incredible 50 pounds. It was reported Katy achieved her enormous size partly because she was fed hormones to stop her from having kittens.
Tulle
Tulle, also known as Tubcat, was from Denmark. In 2002 Tubcat, who weighed in at 43 pounds, was touted as the fattest cat ever and became an internet celebrity.
Mikesch
Mikesch was a 41 pound German house cat that had been taken away from his owner when the elderly man was taken to a nursing home
Sassy
Sassy, also known as Munchkin the Monster Cat, weighted 40 pounds. The newspapers had reported Munchkin the Monster Cat was a hoax. However, she was very, real and the owner posted pictures as proof.
Fake Biggest Cats
Without the Guinness Book of World Records to verify the size of cats claiming to be the largest in the world, it is much more difficult to know if a cat is really the biggest or the story is a fake. With today's photo editing software programs, just about any picture can be faked well enough to look somewhat realistic.
Snowball
Snowball, who was said to weigh 87 pounds, was called the "Giant Nuclear Mutant Cat." However, it was later revealed a father had just super-sized the family cat with Photoshop to make his daughter laugh.
Dubya
Dubya was thought to weigh 65 pounds, and a picture of his owner holding him was included with all the right proportions. However, this story was proven to be false by Ripley's Believe it or Not television show.
Longest Cat in the World
"Biggest" doesn't necessarily have to mean fattest. There are many cats that are quite long for their breed.
Snowbie
Snowbie was once the world's "longest" cat as declared by Guinness Book of World Records in 1997. He measured 40.8 inches from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tale.
Verismo Leonetti Reserve Red
Verismo Leonetti Reserve Red measured 48 inches from nose to tail. Although his weight was only 35 pounds, his veterinarian said it was a healthy weight for his frame.
Sampson
Samson, a Maine Coon, is said to be the biggest cat in NYC. He weighs 28 pounds and is an impressive 4 feet long.
Ludo
Ludo, another Maine Coon, who measures 3 ft 10.6 long, is featured in the 2017 Guinness World Records as the Longest domestic cat (living). Ludo even has his own Facebook page.
Biggest Breeds
Guinness does recognize the Maine Coon and Ragdoll as the biggest cat breeds.
- A Maine Coon is dramatically large and long. It weighs 15 to 25 pounds with a length of 3.3 feet from nose to tail tip.
- Ragdolls are a sweet as they are big. Some males tip the scales at 35 pounds.
There are also hybrid breeds that are crosses between big cats and domestic felines that are quite large.
A Word of Caution
Be very careful not to overfeed your cat. Overfeeding your cat can cause obesity, and this can result in many other health problems including:
- Diabetes
- Fatty liver disease
- Increased risk for arthritis
- Poor grooming habits
- Breathing issues
Big but Healthy
While it's interesting to read about the biggest cat or look at pictures, ultimately it is important to make certain your cat is at a healthy weight for his size and frame. You'll enjoy many more years with your feline friend if you keep him in top shape.
