12 LARGEST Cat breeds

From house cats to wild big cats these feline breeds are the biggest best & the cutest in the world from your pet to a giant lion.
11 American Bobtail Cats
10 Norwegian Forest Cats
9 Ragdoll Cats

6. Chausses
The beautiful cats have an ancestry that has been traced back to ancient Egypt, which can clearly be seen by looking at their regal faces. Chausses love interacting with people, and enjoy good-natured games, as well as running around. These cats are rare to find in the United Kingdom, where they are very popular, causing many Chaussee lovers to travel as far as France to acquire one of these attractive felines. They bear a strong resemblance to their jungle cat descendants, but fourth generation Chausses are perfect for domestic ownership. Reaching weights of up to 11 kg or 25 lbs, you may have some trouble if this big cat decides to sleep on you at night.

5. Maine
The largest domestic cat in the world is the adorable and cuddly Maine which can grow to around 11 kg or 25 lbs, which for a domestic house cat is massive. This cat breed was first discovered in the state of, you guessed it – Maine. Considered the largest Maine alive(and the biggest cat in NYC), Samson, weighs in at a massive 13 kg or 28 lbs, and is 4 feet long. Jonathan Zurbel the human underneath all that cat and owner was quoted calling Samson a “gentle giant”. As you can see from scrolling through Samson's Instagram @catstradamus, he is a giant version of a normal house cat. These cats are known for their big heads, feet and manes, much like mini lions, so if you are looking for a lap cat, you will need strong legs.

4. Bengal Tigers
Bengal Tigers are known as dangerous yet beautiful night hunters. Male Bengals weigh an average of 258 kg or 569 lbs. The endangered Bengal tiger has light orange fur covered with black or dark brown stripes, an orange tail, and white stomach and inner legs. These tigers reach shoulder heights of about 3 feet, and this solitary hunter preys on large mammals, such as water buffalos and livestock; and medium-sized animals such as the hog deer. One of the largest Bengal tigers is Sampson, pictured here, weighing in at over 317 kg or 700 lbs, and standing at a height of 9’6″ on his back legs

3. Siberian Tigers
Prowling through the boreal forest of eastern Russia, as well as China and North Korea, this majestic cat is a rare beauty that can grow to massive sizes. Siberian tigers are known for their beautiful red-brown striped fur and their large stature, and are solitary, nocturnal animals. These large cats also have a large appetite, and can eat as much as 27 kg or 60 lbs of meat in one night. Siberian tigers normally weigh between 200 – 318 kg, or 440 – 700 lbs, and live for around 15 years. The largest Siberian tiger in the world is Jaipur, pictured here, who weighed 465 kg, or 1025 lbs. Although they are larger than Bengal tigers, they are much more peaceful, and rarely have aggressive encounters.

2. Lions
When we think of big cats, undoubtedly the first thing that pops into most of our minds is a lion, the king of the jungle. Weighing an average of 190 kg or 418 lbs, and standing with a shoulder height of around 110 cm or 3’6”, these beautiful maned cats are the epitome of majesty. Lions are highly social cats, and live in prides and hunt in groups. Their diet mainly consists of large mammals such as zebras, buffalos, wildebeest, and gemsbok. The lionesses are in charge of hunting for the pride, while the males protect their territory. Adult lions eat around 7 kg or 15 lbs of meat per day, and can live for up to 30 years in captivity. The large Barbary Lion can grow up to 300 kg or 660 lbs, making it the largest lion breed in the world.

1. Ligers
A liger is a cross between a male lion and a female tiger, and can only found in captivity, because the overlap in habitat for a lion and tiger do not exist in the wild. There have been reports that ligers can weigh up to 453 kg or 1000 lbs, and one report claims that there is a liger in Wisconsin that weighs around 725 kg or 1600 lbs, but these are unconfirmed. At Jungle Island in Miami, lives the world’s largest non-obese liger named Hercules, who has been given the Guinness Book of Records title as the biggest living cat on earth, weighing more than 410 kg, or 900 lbs. Ligers love to swim like tigers, and are very sociable like lions, showing how genetics can shine through.