You sure would have seen a fluffy cat if you or your neighbor had one. and you can also find one on the stray, but did you know there are way bigger cats in this world who might be not only bigger but also quite scarier and difficult to find? You would love a pet cat on your lap, but you may want to approach the bigger ones.
The cat family is quite huge with unique cat breeds all across the world. They are different in size, shape, and features which gave us a reason to find out and tell you the world’s 10 biggest cat in the world that exist today.
What is the Biggest Cat in the World?
Are you ready to know the biggest kitty, and all the great predators, runners, of its family? Here are the top 10 cat breeds:
#1 Tiger
- If you ever went to a zoo or wildlife reserve, you must have seen the largest living species of the cat family. You got it right! Tigers are the worlds biggest cat breeds right now and might weigh around 900 pounds, mostly above it.
- The scientific calling of this species is Panthera Tigris, and they are known to be one of the best predators in the world and beautiful too.
- These black-striped animals rule the jungles and are found in parts of India, China, Russia, and the Himalayas.
- Though it is quite easy to find a tiger at the zoo, Siberian Tigers are rare are thus are one of the most popular cat breeds.
#2 Lion
- Lions are considered jungle kings and come from the genus Panthera.
- This lordship is native to Africa and India, and its scientific name is Panthera Leo.
- The weight of a lion is around 550 to 600 pounds.
- These large cats are large-headed, too, and have a muscular-bodies. Due to their heavy body, they cannot run very fast, unlike other cat family members. The maximum speed of a lion can be 80 km/hr.
- Lions can live up to 15 years of age.
- Being one of the different cat breeds, lion has quite a few types of its own, including the Asiatic lion, Barbary lion, Congo lion, and so on.
#3 Jaguar
- This is the most beautiful cat in the world also belongs to the Panthera family, just like the lion, except it is a cat native to America.
- Jaguars are the only living Native American breed of the Panthera genus.
- These beauties are called Panthera Onca, and their weight can be around 299 pounds.
- The Jaguars are found in parts of Arizona, Argentina, and Brazil. These continents find the jaguars only in some parts, to be precise.
- It is large, and the new member is added to the cat family.
- You do not have to confuse the jaguars with leopards. Both cats have spots on their body, but they are identical to be different.
- Jaguars are fast predators famous to kill with one leap.

#4 Cougar or Puma
- You may not have heard either of the names, but puma is the fourth largest cat in the family.
- A puma is more like your pet cat in a much larger and more ferocious size.
- This species is native to America and is present across many regions across the western hemisphere.
- The weight of a cougar is around 260 pounds.
- They can find the cat in southern Argentina, Chile, and some parts of Alaska.
- This species is wild yet is kept in captivity which is a great risk as the cat is huge and can attack you because it does not fit any criteria of a pet.
- They are also known as mountain lions or panthers and don’t roar, unlike the ones you saw above.
#5 Snow Leopard
- Have you ever seen a white snow leopard? Not because they are quite rare for sight.
- Snow leopards can weigh around 165 pounds and belong to the Panthera genus.
- The scientific name of this beautiful cat species is Panthera uncia.
- They are enlisted as endangered animals because of their continuously declining population.
- Snow leopards are mostly present in central Asia, Tibet, and China.
- You can see these mammals only in snow-covered regions with a very thick spotted coat, making them incredibly beautiful if spotted in their regions.

#6 Leopard
- This cat is the forest version of the one you read, though it can grow more than a snow leopard.
- Leopards usually weigh around 143 pounds, but their weight can surpass that of a snow leopard in certain conditions.
- They belong to the genus Panthera, and their scientific calling is Panthera Pardus.
- Moreover, the leopard comes from the extant species of the Panthera genus.
- They can run at a speed of 58 km/hr.
- Leopards are present mostly in the regions of Africa and some parts of central Asia. They also have a habitat on the Indian subcontinent.
#7 Cheetah
- They are introducing the winner of the marathon!
- Cheetah is known to be the fastest predator on the ground, as they can run at a thumping speed of 130 km/hr.
- These fast predators are skinny and have a very thin structure that accompanies them to run.
- They weigh around 113 pounds and are native to Africa and central Iran.
- The cheetah is known as Acinonyx jubatus in scientific terms.
- This species is also marked vulnerable due to its reduced numbers. The main reasons marked can be decreasing forest cover and food for these animals.
#8 Eurasian Lynx
- With its name, this cat is found in the Eurasian region, covering much of Asia, Siberia, and Russia.
- The lynx weighs around 79 pounds and is not as deadly as it seems.
- It is the biggest wild cat in the world and most believe that it doesn’t attack humans as a predator, but it might defend itself if it senses a danger.
- The scientific name of the animal is lynx.
- You can find them in cold environments and mountains up to 5,500 m.
- His wild cat can live up to 12 years without causing trouble.
#9 Clouded Leopard
- This vulnerable species of cats are present in steep, dense forests.
- They are wild cats which we can see in the regions of the Himalayas, some parts of India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
- The weight of a clouded leopard is 51 pounds.
- Furthermore, their scientific name is Neofelis Nebulosa.
- These cats are the national animal of Meghalaya (a state in India).
#10 Caracal
- A caracal is a wild cat that might be similar to your pet cat except for the large ears.
- The weight of a carcel is around 42 pounds only.
- One can find these in Africa and central Asia, including the Indian and Pakistan subcontinents.
- Besides, the scientific name of caracal is caracal caracal.
- The cat has varied features that differentiate it, especially the canine teeth and long ears.
- Unlike many cats, these wild species are nocturnal hunters who hunt at night.
The World’s Largest Cat Breeds

Now comes the real question. What is the biggest cat in the world? A liger. Do you know what a liger is? Well, it is the crossbreed of a tiger and a lion. At present, the largest and oldest cat ever in the world is a liger. Moreover, the cat has a Guinness book world record for its magnificent body. The cat, named Hercules weighs a total of 922 pounds and 131 inches. This largest living cat world record for its weight and height is presently staying at a wildlife reserve in South Carolina of the USA, the Myrtle Beach Safari.
Since Hercules is a liger, it is already at an advantage as the species is always slightly taller than its parent, both tigers, and lions. This largest cat in the world, liger has been holding its account since 2013. This magnificent was born in the same place through crossbreeding in the reserve since it is quite difficult for a lion and tiger to breed naturally in the wild. That’s because they don’t like each other much, you know!
Due to its good weight, the little (not really) boy has a huge diet and consumes around 30 pounds of meat daily. However, the diet is quite a lot but not for Hercules since the cat is very much involved in running and swimming (unlike his dad).
The liger has won Guinness book world for being the worlds largest cat breeds 3 times, so he probably has a thing for winning. Furthermore, Hercules is a liger, which is a very rare and they believe, there are only few ligers across the world. If you are dying to meet Hercules, you can visit myrtle beach safari in the USA. If you do that, visit Hercules’ brothers Sinbad and Yeti, Sampson, ODIN, and Apollo. The latter are his nephews and also the first-ever white ligers.
Conclusion
Did it amuse you to know that there are many different cat types around different parts of the world? The cat species is surprising because there are innumerable of their kind. Some are dangerous, while others might not be. Nevertheless, we are sure that none of these cats are tamable because they live in the wild, and that’s where they belong. Anyways, hope this guide has helped you get familiar with the 10 biggest cats in the world.