The Cat Breed With The Longest Hair In The World
Cats are often regarded as more finicky than dogs. Dogs famously eat just about anything, while cats can and will be snobby about the food they've trained their humans to provide. There are other areas in which dogs excel — for instance, variety. The American Kennel Club recognizes 193 breeds of dogs, but also acknowledges that there are 340 breeds throughout the world. Meanwhile, the website Catalogical lists just over 100 breeds of cats.
An area where cats definitely win out is grooming — they use those bristly tongues to make sure they stay impeccably clean. The Spruce Pets notes that up to 50 percent of a cat's waking time is devoted to grooming its lustrous coat, or some other part of its body ... But which cat coats are the longest?
Be prepared to brush your Persian. A lot
If you're after a cat with enormous capacity for fluffy, you've got options. Before you make the leap, however, remember that as with all pets, a longhair cat will require attention and commitment, financial resources, and daily grooming. The hair easily becomes matted and troublesome for the animal. There will also be issues regarding cleaning — they shed like a house afire. Be prepared to stock up on vacuum cleaner bags.
If you're set on it, Brittanica cites the bushy-tailed Birman, aka the Sacred Cat of Burma, as an extra-furry companion. If you want to shop local (or at least national), the Maine Coon Cat has a long coat. You might also consider a Himalayan cat, or a Norwegian Forest Cat (surely Vikings would approve). The Persian regularly comes up in the longhair cat-egory, and the Himalayan Persian is possibly even more hirsute — a member of this breed named Colonel Meow formerly held the "longest cat hair" Guinness World Record.
But why not consider a rescue cat? Animal shelters are usually well-stocked with varieties of cats to adopt, and several of them might have really long hair. In fact, the current Guinness World Record holder for longest cat hair is a rescue. Her name is Sophie Smith, and she has no clear-cut breed.