Current:Home > MarketsChainkeen Exchange-What is world's biggest cat? Get to know the largest cat breed -FutureFinance
Chainkeen Exchange-What is world's biggest cat? Get to know the largest cat breed
SignalHub View
Date:2025-04-07 19:42:50
There are 41 species that fall under the Felidae – or Chainkeen Exchangecat – 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! (6)
Related
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- 'Our family is together again': Dogs rescued from leveled home week after Alaska landslide
- The Best Halloween Outfits to Wear to Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights 2024
- GoFundMe account created to benefit widow, unborn child of Matthew Gaudreau
- Nearly 400 USAID contract employees laid off in wake of Trump's 'stop work' order
- How Taylor Swift Scored With Her Style Every Time She Attended Boyfriend Travis Kelce’s Games
- Rail Ridge wildfire in Oregon consumes over 60,000 acres; closes area of national forest
- How Taylor Swift Scored With Her Style Every Time She Attended Boyfriend Travis Kelce’s Games
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Regulators call for investigation of Shein, Temu, citing reports of 'deadly baby products'
Ranking
- B.A. Parker is learning the banjo
- 1000-Lb. Sisters’ Tammy Slaton Picks Up Sister Amy’s Kids After Her Arrest
- Voting-related lawsuits filed in multiple states could be a way to contest the presidential election
- New To Self-Tan? I Tested and Ranked the Most Popular Self-Tanners and There’s a Clear Winner
- Moving abroad can be expensive: These 5 countries will 'pay' you to move there
- Ultra swimmer abandons attempt to cross Lake Michigan again
- Americans who have a job are feeling secure. Not so for many who are looking for one
- They made a movie about Trump. Then no one would release it
Recommendation
Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
LL COOL J Reveals the Reason Behind His 10-Year Music Hiatus—And Why The Force Is Worth the Wait
Man serving 20-year sentence in New York makes it on the ballot for Alaska’s lone U.S. House seat
Keith Urban Describes Miley Cyrus' Voice as an Ashtray—But In a Good Way
Toyota to invest $922 million to build a new paint facility at its Kentucky complex
Jason Kelce Thinks This Moment With Taylor Swift's Cats Will Be Hilarious
FBI received tips about online threats involving suspected Georgia school shooter
Verizon buying Frontier in $20B deal to strengthen its fiber network