The Largest Cat Breed In The World

You like big cats and you cannot lie. You hairball lovers can't deny that when a fine feline has a pretty kitty waist and cute whiskers on its face, you get sprung. Want to pet the cat gently while it purrs like a Bentley. So measure it. Pleasure it. Even dog fans have to treasure it. That's a big cat. If those lines seem familiar, they come from an iconic song by '90s rapper Purr Mix-a-Lot, who made it mainstream to celebrate black cats with large backsides and just large bodies in general.

Obviously, if you're looking to show some love to the biggest cat you can find, you'll want a morbidly obese liger or or something. But if your anaconda don't want none because that's dangerous, hun, or because it's super unethical to breed them due to their reduced chance of survival, then you might want the largest domesticated cat instead.

Purina compiled a list of eight behemoth felines. At the bottom of the rankings is the Chausie, which sports long limbs and can weigh up to 25 pounds. A hybrid of jungle and house cats, this big homebody works best with families who like to stay inside most of the time. Also on the list is the Norwegian forest cat, which, as you may have guessed from the name, potentially originated in ... the Byzantine Empire? It's not clear. But what is clear is that they feature in a Norwegian fairy tale. The Norse goddess Freya had a chariot pulled by six of these furry Goliaths, which may give you the impression that they're horse-sized. In reality, they weigh around 22 pounds, which is a bit on the small side for an animal that hauls deities around all day.

If you're looking for a true feline giant, the Maine Coon is the cat's meow. Described as the "gentle giants" of the cat world, these lovable, huggable-looking kitties love to please their owners, per How Stuff Works. The breed can reach 25 pounds and one Maine Coon in particular set the Guinness world record for the longest domestic cat, stretching 3 feet 11.2 inches. However, the largest breed on average is the Savannah cat, according to Pets 4 Homes. Smothering the scale at 30 pounds, they're as big as a small dog. Hybrids derived from breeding wild Serval cats with a domestic variety — typically the Siamese, Savannahs are infamously difficult to handle, per The Dodo and have acrid, reeking pee. So don't piss them off.