Five Types of Large Cats

There are many different types of large cats ranging from huge wildcats to smaller domestic breeds. The biggest cats are wildcats found in Africa and Asia, but even wildcats in North America reach large sizes. Some of the biggest domestic cats are actually hybrids combining domestic cats with wildcats, but there are still some very large breeds of pure domestic cats available for ownership.

  1. Tigers

    • There are currently six different species of tigers left in existence today. Tigers are the biggest cat in the world, with the Siberian tiger being the largest species. Siberian male tigers can reach sizes of 660 pounds and 10 feet 9 inches in length, while the females are smaller reaching about 350 pounds in size and lengths of 5 feet 9 inches. There are very few tigers left in the wild. There are about 2,500 tigers total in their original habitats with the Bengal tiger being the most prominent. Wild Siberian tiger populations are estimated to be around 350 to 410 tigers.

    Mountain Lions or Cougars

    • In North America, the biggest species of cat is the wild mountain lion or cougar. Adult cougars are between 2 and 2 ½ feet tall. Males will weigh between 115 to 198 pounds and will be about 8 feet in length from nose to tail. Females are smaller, weighing between 64 and 141 pounds. Cougars can be found in the western U.S., but increased sightings are occurring in the Midwest. Though rarely seen in the wild, the population of cougars is strong and growing fast.

    Lions

    • Lions are considered to be the second largest cat species in the world. Lions are found in Africa, with a small population still found in India. Like most cats, male lions grow bigger than female lions. Males will reach lengths of 10 feet from nose to the beginning of their tail. Male lions weight between 350 and 550 pounds, with females weighting between 265 to 395 pounds. Lions are between 3 ½ to 4 feet tall from the ground to the shoulder.

    Savannahs

    • One of the largest types of domestic cat is the Savannah. Savannahs are the largest hybrid cat available for purchase today, and are actually a crossbreed between the African Serval and domestic cats. Depending on the generation, males will weigh between 15 and 30 pounds, while females will weigh 9 to 17 pounds. This species of cat has a tall and lanky body, giving even the smallest Savannah cats the appearance of being much larger.

    Maine Coon

    • Maine coon cats are one of the largest breeds of pure domestic cats that are not crossbred like Savannahs are. Male cats are between 13 to 18 pounds with females between 9 to 12 pounds. This species of cat can reach lengths of 40 inches when the tail is included and they are normally between 10 and 16 inches in height. The body is very thick and muscular giving it the appearance of being bigger. During the winter they also have very thick coats which also adds to the appearance of being large in size.