The Top 7 Largest Domestic Cat Breeds!


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It is true that cats come in different colors and sizes, and they can steal our hearts from their first ‘Meaw’.But, Does the 7 Largest Domestic Cat Breeds have the same charm, too? YES!

7 Largest Domestic Cat Breeds
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Credit: GIPHY

All you need to know about the largest domestic cat breeds from all around the globe.

Large domestic cat breeds are rising in popularity after the drop of the newest Aladdin trailer. Who doesn’t want to be a fierce and beautiful princess with a powerful, fluffy tiger at her side? 

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Don’t be mistaken though. These largest domestic cat breeds can be just as cute and adorable as their smaller relatives. Besides, the bigger the cat, the bigger the cuddles.

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1.Maine Coon

Largest domestic cat breeds Maine Coon
A regal/looking Maine Coon

To begin with, they are the number one of the largest domestic cat breeds worldwide. This impressive feline is well known for its social and calm nature, which has earned it its nickname “the gentle giant”.

Two of the more “accepted” stories are that they are the descendant from Marie Antoinette´felines that had come to America when she tried to escape France. Even if the royal French noble had been less successful, her cats had survived the journey across the Atlantic Ocean and settled in North America just fine.

Another one talks about them being the offspring from Captain Charles Coon’s, an English Seafarers’, cats that mated with local feral cats to create this large cat breed.

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Furthermore, these very intelligent cats need a lot of protein in their diet as they require a lot of energy to move around.

Lats but not least, appearance-wise they have a prominent ruff on their chests, strong bone structure, rectangular body shape, two differently layered coats with longer guard hairs with a silky satin under layer undercoat, and long, bushy tails.

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2. Norwegian Forest Cat

Largest domestic cat breeds Norwegian Forest Cat.
A Norwegian Forest Cat in their favourite habitat

As their name may suggest, these beautiful forest dwelling creatures are naturally outdoor cats. However, they can be trained to become indoor cats with little complications.

Their claws are so sharp that they can even climb stone with them.

Furthermore, they are well known to have a top coat with glossy long water shedding hair and a woolly undercoat. They are adept to live in the cold climates of Northern Europe.

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This mighty large cat breed was refereed to as “skogkatt” in old Nordic legends. The “skogkatt” is a “mountain-dwelling fairy cat with an ability to climb sheer rock faces that other cats could not manage”. Nowadays, this name is used by certain breeders and organizations when referring to this cat.

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3.Siberian Cat

Largest domestic cat breeds Siberian cat 2
A Siberian Cat with stunning eyes.

Going all the way to Russia now, this huge cat is closely related to the Norwegian Forest Cat and is sometimes referred to as the Siberian Forest Cat.

Siberian Cats moult once or twice a year, the second time being a “light” summer moult.

Additionally they have the three natural types of fur that a cat can have: awn hair, down hair, and guard hair.This helps protect them from Russia´s freezing climate.

Furthermore, they are known to be exceptionally good jumpers and have great acrobatic skills. This is mainly due to their longer hind legs which causes them to have a naturally lightly curved back.

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They are one of the largest domestic cat breeds taht is hypoallergic.

To add to their coolness, they generally are not afraid of water.

This ancient cat is believed to be the ancestor of all long haired-cats. When they first arrived in the US they caused a lot of confusion.

They all looked so different!

This type of largest domestic cat breeds has different looks depending on which part of Russia it originated from.

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4.Ragdoll

Largest domestic cat breeds Ragdoll
An elegant Ragdoll cat.

To begin with, they are one of the few largest domestic cat breeds that were introduced by a woman. Ann Baker is the original owner of the ancestor of all Ragdoll cats. Long story short, one of Anne’s´cats had produced a kitten with Siamese colouring and very calm character. Anne knew she had discovered something special so she went on to produce more of this breed.


Like many other of the largest domesticated cat breeds on this list, Ragdolls have a stunning coat. White and creme or gray fur ,as well as crystal blue eyes are the standard for this beautiful breed.

Furthermore, Ragdolls are affectionate, intelligent, gentle, and an easy-to-handle lap cats that love following you from room to room.

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As their name suggests, when you pick them up, these felines go completely limp.

When I found out about I was rather suspicious. Going completely limp doesn’t sound very healthy for the cats, does it?

However, there is good news! In recent years, breeders in the UK have tried to “breed out” the limpness of Ragdolls, as they say, it may not be in the best interest of the cats.

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5. Savannah 

Savannah cat breeds are super unique. If yyou haveever dreamed of owning a tiger that wouldn’t necessarily be dangerous to keep around the house, Savannah cat breeds may be the answer for you.

Savannah cats are a hybrid cat breed. This means that they are the offspring of a domesticated cat and a serval.

Just like with children, some Savannah cat breeds will turn out to be extremely shy and anti-social if you isolate them. The might even go as far as to hiss at strangers or people that they have just met.

Honestly, this type of large domestic cat breeds is very similar to my own two fluffy companions:

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Going to hang up some laundry to dry? They will be sitting right next to the laundry basket.


Cooking some delicious dinner? They are lulling around my ankles in the hope of getting some of it.


Going to the bathroom and- dare I say close the door- yep, instant mews of complaint from the other side.

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Furthermore, they can be trained to walk on a leash, which if I think, is absolutely amazing! Imagine being able to take your beloved felines outdoors to show them the beautiful nature.

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6. Turkish Van

Largest domestic cat breeds Turkish Van
A fully-grown Turkish Van

The Turkish Van is a semi-long-haired breed of domestic cat, which was developed in the United Kingdom from a selection of cats obtained from various cities of modern Turkey

This breed is rare and easily recognizable by the Van pattern, which was named after them. This means that the colour is restricted to the head and the tail.

Being one of the largest domesticated cat breeds worldwide, they can weigh up to 18 pounds (roughly 8.1 kilogram). That is almost double what my large boy weighs!

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Largest domesticated cat breeds Turkish Van
An adoable Turkish Van kitten with heterochromic eyes

Furthermore,these cats have a high probability of inheriting heterochromic eyes, which means that each eye will be of adiffernet colour.

Last but not least, in the Turkish Van case the eyes are mostly blue and amber.

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7.Bengal

A bengal cat
A curious Bengal cat

And we are returning to one of my favourite cat breeds of all time. This truly multi-talented large domestic cat breed is a hybrid between an Asian leopard and domestic house cats.

They are best known for their adventurous, “dog-like” character and their intense loyalty towards owners

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FORESTS? THESE CATS ARE ALL UP FOR GOING ON A LONG HIKE.

Beach vacation? They love water! Truly this cat is one of the Best Cat Breeds that an active and out-going person could ask for.

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However, this does not mean that they aren’t up for cuddles. Curling up in your lap in front of the chimney while you two watch your favorite TV series is definitely one of their favorite pastimes. Also, if you have a cat and you want a dog, but you are worried about his/her relationship with your cat, check this link to know the Top 7 Dog Breeds Good with Cats.

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Thoughts

So, this was my list of the largest domestic cat breeds. Obviously, tigers, lynx and others like that are way bigger, yet it is strongly advised not to keep them in your house.

If you have one of these cat breeds let me know in the comments. Read you next time!


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