Current:Home > ScamsEthermac|What is world's biggest cat? Get to know the largest cat breed -Aspire Money Growth
Ethermac|What is world's biggest cat? Get to know the largest cat breed
EchoSense View
Date:2025-04-09 07:47:32
There are 41 species that fall under the Felidae – or Ethermaccat – family, according to the International Society for Endangered Cats.
No matter its size, your cat probably acts like it's an apex predator or the alpha of your home. Even the smallest domestic cat breed – the Singapura – can become rambunctious or territorial.
But there's no need to go on a safari to see a bigger cat. The largest domestic cat breed could be roaming around your living room.
What is the biggest cat in the world?
Tigers are the largest cat species. These large felines share nearly all but 4.4% of their DNA with domestic cats, National Geographic reports.
In particular, Amur – or Siberian – tigers are the heftiest subspecies. Males can weigh up to 660 pounds and measure up to 10 feet in length from nose to the tip of the tail, Smithsonian reports. Females weigh, on average, up to 260 pounds, according to the Philadelphia Zoo.
The smallest tiger subspecies, the Sumatran is still sizeable, weighing up to 310 pounds and 8 feet, Smithsonian reports.
Tigers can be found in a diverse range of habitats, from tropical rainforests to savannas, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Tigers' other habitats include evergreen and temperate forests, grasslands and mangrove swamps. These big cats' can be found from south and southeast Asia – in India, Nepal and Bhutan – up to the northeastern regions of the continent in China and Russia.
The endangered animals face high risks of extinction, in part because of poaching. Estimates report that just 5,574 tigers are left in the wild, according to the WWF.
What is the largest cat breed?
You can't keep a tiger as a pet, but you can own one of its domesticated cousins. The Maine Coon is considered one of the largest domestic cat breeds, according to Purina.
On average, the felines weigh between 10.6 to 18 pounds, and in some cases, they may scale up to 20 pounds, Purina reports. Maine Coons can reach 40 inches in length.
The longest domestic cat ever was a Maine Coon named Stewie, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. He measured 48.5 inches in length. Stewie died in 2013.
A different Maine Coon named Altair holds the record for the longest tail on a living domestic cat. Altair's tail spans 16.07 inches, the Guinness Book of World Records reports.
Other honorable mentions for largest breed include the Persian, Savannah cat, Norwegian Forest cat and Turkish Van, according to Purina.
What is world's smallest cat?Get to know the tiniest cat breed.
Just Curious for more? We've got you covered
USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "Where do lions live?" to "When do cats stop growing?" to "How many tigers are left in the world?" − we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer.
veryGood! (24768)
Related
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- How a little more silence in children's lives helps them grow
- How Federal Giveaways to Big Coal Leave Ranchers and Taxpayers Out in the Cold
- Why our allergies are getting worse —and what to do about it
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- How Boulder Taxed its Way to a Climate-Friendlier Future
- U.S. Military Precariously Unprepared for Climate Threats, War College & Retired Brass Warn
- Your First Look at E!'s Black Pop: Celebrating the Power of Black Culture
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- Economy Would Gain Two Million New Jobs in Low-Carbon Transition, Study Says
Ranking
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- Caught Off Guard: The Southeast Struggles with Climate Change
- The Moment Serena Williams Shared Her Pregnancy News With Daughter Olympia Is a Grand Slam
- Jack Hanna's family opens up about his Alzheimer's diagnosis, saying he doesn't know most of his family
- Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie return for an 'Encore,' reminisce about 'The Simple Life'
- New report on Justice Samuel Alito's travel with GOP donor draws more scrutiny of Supreme Court ethics
- Doctors rally to defend abortion provider Caitlin Bernard after she was censured
- The abortion pill mifepristone has another day in federal court
Recommendation
Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
Along the North Carolina Coast, Small Towns Wrestle With Resilience
He visited the U.S. for his daughter's wedding — and left with a $42,000 medical bill
South Carolina Has No Overall Plan to Fight Climate Change
Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
For many, a 'natural death' may be preferable to enduring CPR
Turning Skiers Into Climate Voters with the Advocacy Potential of the NRA
Your First Look at E!'s Black Pop: Celebrating the Power of Black Culture