Large 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?
Don't be mistaken though. Big cats can be just as cute and adorable as their smaller relatives. Besides, the bigger the cat, the bigger the cuddles.
1. Main Coon
They are the number one in domesticated large cat breeds worldwide.This impressive feline is well known for it´s social and gentle nature, which has earned it its nickname "the gentle giant".
These very intelligent cats need a lot of protein in their diet as they require a lot of energy to move around.
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 a long, bushy tails.
Origin
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 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.
Health
Overall Maine coons are one of the healthier large cat breeds. However, they may suffer from several diseases that the big felines often tend to suffer from:
| Gender | Weight | Height |
| Male | 5.9 to 8.2 Kg ( 13 to 18 lb) | 25 to 41 cm (10 to 16 in) |
| Female | 3.6 to 5.4 Kg (8 to 12 lb) | same as male (slightly smaller) |
2. Norwegian Forest Cat
As their name may suggest, these beautiful forest dwelling creatures are naturally outdoor cats. However, they can be trained to be indoor cats. Their claws are so sharp that they can even climb stone with them.
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.
Origin
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.
Health
They are an overall healthy breed to adopt. some health issues may be:
| Gender | Weight | Height |
| Male | 4.5 to 9.1 Kg ( 10 to 20 lb) | 22.5 to 27.9 cm (9 to 11 in) |
| Female | 3.6 to 8 Kg (8 to 18 lb) | same as male (slightly smaller) |
3. Ragdoll
Like many other large 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.
Ragdolls are affectionate, intelligent, gentle, and an easy-to-handle lap cats that love following you from room to room.
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. I for one find this great!
Origin
One of few large cat breeds that was 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.
Ragdoll are mostly bred for their desirable traits, such as their large size, gentle demeanor, pointed coloration, and a tendency to go limp when picked up.
Health
The Ragdolls are a very healthy choice of pet. They may be at risk of obesity, heart problems or bladder stones though.
| Gender | Weight | Height |
| Male | 5.4 to 9.1 Kg ( 12 to 20 lb) | 30.4 to 38.1 cm (12 to 15 in) |
| Female | 3.6 to 6.8 kg (8 to 15 pounds) | same as male (slightly smaller) |
4. Siberian Cat
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. These cats
Siberian Cats moult once or twice a year, the second time being a "light"summer moult. 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,
They are one of the most hypoallergic large cat breeds and generally are not afraid of water.
Origin
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 breeds looks can differ depending on which part of Russia it originated from.
Siberian cats are appear at least once in Russian folklore, especially a cat named Kotofej Ivanovich .
Health
One of the main problems this large cat breed may encounter is HCM.
| Gender | Weight | Height |
| Male | 6.8 to 9.1 Kg ( 15 to 20 lb) | 30.4 to 35.5 cm (12 to 14 in) |
| Female | 5.4 to 6.8 kg (12 to 15 pounds) | same as male (slightly smaller) |
5. Savannah Cat
Last but not least, we have this exotic kind of large cat breeds. These amazing cats are loved for their loyalty and "dog-like" behaviour. They can be trained to walk on a leash and to fetch. For anyone who ever wanted to own a small tiger or leopard: here you go.
Their fur coat is spotted, which is extremely rare!
Origin
Savannah cats are hybrid cats- a cross between a serval and a domesticated cat.
Each generation of breeds gets assigned their own number as their sizes as well as "purity" changes through out the timeline.
These type of large cat breeds can jump up to 2.5 m into the air from a standing position. Savannah cats also have a nick for opening doors and handles so, if you are planning on getting one, make sure you have some precautions in place.
Health
Since Savannah cats are rather unique, they require a specific diet too.
A high quality diet with no grains or byproducts is recommended here. they may also suffer from HCM, like most pure bred cats.
| Gender | Weight | Height |
| Male | 3.2 to 9.1 Kg (7 to 20 lb) Depending on the gen-eration | 35.5 to 43.1 cm (14 to 17 in) |
| Female | 3.2 to 8.0 kg (7 to 17.6 pounds) | same as male (slightly smaller) |
Mymains Stewart Gilligan, or Stewie, a Maine Coon was the world record holder at round 123 cm (48.4 in) large.
I hope you enjoyed reading about 5 of the cutest large cat breeds that live across the globe. If you are interested in small cute cats, you can read this article .
Let me know what your favourite large cat breed is below and don´t forget to give your cat a hug from me. Read you next time!