Large Domestic Cat Breeds

Cats are probably the most popular of pets nowadays. Originally valued for their inbred ability to hunt various house pests such as mice and roaches, cats also offer a warm and affectionate companionship to their owners. In 1987, cats overtook dogs as the number one pet in America (about 50 million cats resided in 24 million homes in 1986) and bout 37% of American homes today have at least one cat. Domestication of cats were first believed to have originated in ancient Egypt in about 3000 BC, where cats where also revered as sacred animals. Different breeds of domesticated cats come in various sizes. Some pet owners prefer small kitten-sized ones, while some prefer large-size domesticated cat breeds.

When choosing pet cats, one must consider the breeds' characteristics in addition to its size. Here are just some of the large domesticated cat breeds that are popular with cat-lovers.

The Maine Coon

The Maine Coon is a native of the state of Maine in the USA where it is also the official state cat. It is one of the largest breeds of domesticated cats where the males can weigh anywhere between 13 and 18 pounds (5.9 and 8.2 kg) on average, and females between 8 and 12 pounds (3.6 and 5.4 kg). In 2006, the Guinness World Records named a male purebred Maine Coon the "Longest Cat". It measured 48 inches (120 cm) in length, from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, and weighs 35 pounds (16 kg).

The Ragamuffin

The Ragamuffin is a long-haired domestic cat. Ragamuffins are fairly large cats - females weigh between 10 to 15 pounds (4.54 to 6.80 kg), and males weigh between 15 to 20 pounds (6.80 to 9.07 kg). Ragamuffins are notable for their sweet, friendly personalities and plush, rabbit-like fur. They are adoptable as early as four months of age, but do not reach full maturity until around four years of age. The Ragamuffin is an expensive breed and costs can range from $900 - $1200 per kitten.

The Ocicat

The Ocicat is an all-domestic breed of cat which resembles a 'wild' cat but has no wild blood. It is named for its resemblance to the ocelot, which is a wild cat. Ocicats are a very outgoing breed. They are often considered to have the spirit of a dog in a cat's body. Most can easily be trained to fetch, walk on a leash and harness, come when called, speak, sit, and lie down on command. On average ocicats weigh about 12.1 pounds or 5.5 kilograms.

The Turkish Van

The Turkish Van is a large, semi-longhaired cat with a swimmer's body. The cat is moderately long and its back legs are slightly longer than its front legs. The coat is the most fascinating trait on this cat. The semi-long haired, water resistant single coat, is thick in winter but very soft, like rabbit fur or cashmere. During the spring and summer months when it becomes extremely hot, the long hair on the body is shed for a shorter coat that retains the cashmere feel. Male Vans grow to about 16 pounds (7.3 kg) while females tend to be a bit lighter in weight, 12 to 14 pounds (5.4 to 6.4 kg). Vans, because of their fine fur, are hypo-allergenic cats. They are considered excellent pets for those with allergies.

Pixie-Bobs

Pixie-Bobs are a fully domestic breed of cat bred to resemble the North American Bobcat. Pixie-Bobs are a large breed, with males reaching 18 pounds (8 kg) and females reaching 14 pounds (6 kg). The Pixie-Bob's body is stocky and solid. Pixie-Bobs are also the only polydactyl breed recognized by The International Cat Association (TICA). These cats may have anywhere from six to seven toes on each foot.

These large-size cat domestic cat breeds are only a few of the ones available for pet purposes. It is important to take note of the qualities of the breed of cat before we decide which ones to adopt, as this would remarkably affect the way we take care of them. Knowing such could help make things a lot easier for us pet owners as we go about our endeavor in raising our pets.

Morris is a cat fanatic who adores felines ever since he was a child. He also enjoys blogging and reading novels, and loves eating spaghetti. Morris Crisologo

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Large Domestic Cat Breeds - An Overview

When considering large domestic cat breeds there are several main groups to include, they would be the Siberian, the Maine Coon, the Ragamuffin, the Ocicat, Turkish Vans, and Pixie-Bobs. This list is by no means totally complete, but it is a good overview of different important breeds.

Siberian cats, the kings of the northern Russian wilderness are big cats, weighing around fifteen to twenty pounds, they have large eyes and look quite snakelike in appearance, their double thick coat was a necessity during their days back in the lonely wooded wilderness of Siberia and protects them from the cold to this day.

The Maine Coon cat is probably the largest cat breed around, with one of its breed getting into the Guinness Book by being the longest cat in the world. These cats can get amazingly big, bigger than most small dogs. As you may have already surmised this breed is the state cat in the great state of Maine, you were right, nice work.

The Ragamuffin is a large cat, not the biggest, but bigger than most, they generally weigh in at about ten to fifteen pounds, they're very sweet and friendly in nature and have a long haired coat. The only drawback, if there is one to this breed,is that they tend to be very expensive to purchase. It wouldn't be uncommon to buy one of these cats for $1,000 dollars U.S.

The Ocicat looks very much like the wild Ocelot, from which is derives its name; these super cool cats have the spirit of a dog in a lot of ways - they're not skittish, they love attention, and they like being around people. This makes them a very popular breed, in fact, they can be trained to sit and speak like a dog - no fooling. It's quite amazing to watch that.

Turkish Vans are a long haired cat that will shed on you and your couch, which many people aren't in love with, their coats are water resistant as well, but even though it is a long hair breed they are much more hypoallergenic than most breeds making them a good choice for the allergic.

Picture a Bobcat, now make them smaller in you mind, that's what a Pixie-Bob sort of looks like, a miniature Bobcat, fierce predator of the wild only smaller. This domesticated cat grows large, averaging around 18 pounds and often growing even larger than that, of note is the fact that these cats have six to seven toes on each foot. Cool or creepy? You be the judge.

There you have it, an overview of large domestic cat breeds all tied up with a bow. Which one is best? Again, only you can judge that.

My name is Kevin Highfill. Please visit my site at [http://www.online4pets.com/] to discover more information about large domestic cat breeds [http://www.online4pets.com/].

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