What is the average cat height? How tall are cats?

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If you are wondering how tall is the average cat, then the answer may depend on the cat’s breed. Domestic cats come in a range of sizes, from kittens that weigh less than a pound and fit in your palm to some that can reach your kitchen countertop when standing on all fours.

How tall is the average cat?

The average adult cat is between 9 to 10 inches(22.86 and 25.4 centimeters) tall. Savannah cats can reach a height of 17 inches whereas the Munchkin cat averages only 5 to 7 inches(12.7 to 17.78 centimeters) in height.

What Is the Average Cat Height?

On average, a domestic cat stands at a height of 9.5 inches, with male cats typically ranging from 10 to 12 inches and female cats slightly shorter at 9 to 11 inches.

However, a cat’s height can vary significantly depending on the breed. The tallest breed, the Savannah, averages 12 to 17 inches in height, while the smallest breed, the Munchkin, ranges from 5 to 7 inches tall.

How Tall Is the Average Male Cat?

An average male cat is 10 inches tall. While there are exceptions but male cats tend to be taller and heavier than female cats.

How Tall Is the Average Female Cat?

An average female cat is 9 inches tall. Female cats are generally an inch or two shorter than male cats and they also weigh less.

Feline Height Averages of Some of The Top Cat Breeds in Centimeters and Inches

The below table lists the average height of some of the top cat breeds.

The height of a cat can be different for the male and the female of the same breed, so the height of male and female cats are listed separately.

Height is displayed in inches and centimeters.

Breed Average Height (Male) in cm Average Height (Male) in inches Average Height (Female) in cm Average Height (Female) in inches
Savannah 43.2 17 35.6 14
Ragdoll 30.5 12 25.4 10
Maine Coon 30.5 12 25.4 10
Siberian 30.5 12 25.4 10
Norwegian Forest Cat 30.5 12 25.4 10
British Shorthair 27.9 11 27.9 11
Exotic Shorthair 25.4 10 25.4 10
Persian 25.4 10 25.4 10
Abyssinian 25.4 10 22.9 9
American Shorthair 25.4 10 25.4 10
Bengal 25.4 10 25.4 10
Russian Blue 25.4 10 25.4 10
Oriental Shorthair 25.4 10 25.4 10
Siamese 25.4 10 25.4 10
Cornish Rex 25.4 10 25.4 10
Selkirk Rex 25.4 10 25.4 10
Birman 25.4 10 25.4 10
Domestic non-pedigreed cats 22.9 9 22.9 9
Devon Rex 20.3 8 20.3 8
Scottish Fold 20.3 8 20.3 8
Sphynx 20.3 8 20.3 8
Munchkin 12.7 – 17.8 5 – 7 12.7 – 17.8 5 – 7

How tall is a cat standing up?

If you are wondering how tall your cat will be when standing, you will have to add the length of its front and hind legs and also the length of its back to come to its standing height.

Let us take an example of a Savannah cat. An average Savannah cat can be 20 inches long. The hind legs can be 15 inches long while the front leg will be shorter at about 14 inches. Add all these measurements together and you have a cat that is 49 inches(124.46 centimeters) tall when standing on its hind leg. That is an impressive 4 feet tall when standing, enough to reach over your 3 feet kitchen countertop.

How do you measure a cat’s height?

A cat’s height can be measured from the top of its head to the bottom of its front feet. The ears are not included as part of the measurement.

While measuring, always make sure that you have placed your cat on a flat surface. The cat should be standing and not seated either fully or on its hind legs when measuring.

How Tall Are the Common Domestic Cats?

The average height of a common domestic cat, when measured from paw to shoulder, typically stands between 9 to 10 inches tall. However, the height of a cat can vary based on several factors, including gender and breed.

What Is the Tallest Cat Breed?

The Savannah cat breed is generally considered the tallest cat breed reaching 19 inches in height. There are other cat breeds as well that grow to impressive heights.

A list of tall cat breeds are,

Savannah

A Savannah cat is a cross between a domestic cat and a serval, which is a medium-sized, large-eared wild African cat. A Savannah has a spotted coat with varying colors. They are long and slim and their impressive size sometimes gives the assumption that they are larger than they are.

A Savannah cat, Arcturus Aldebaran Powers holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest domestic cat. At an impressive height of 19.05 inches(48.4 centimeters), Arcturus is taller than your average kitchen countertop.

Maine Coon

Maine Coons are one of the largest breeds of cats. They can grow up to 16 inches in height which is impressive but not as impressive as their length. Adult Maine Coons can reach a body length of almost 30 inches from their nose to the base of their tail. Their tail itself can grow to about half their body length or 15 inches long.

Cygnus Regulus Powers, a silver Maine Coon holds the Guinness World Record for the longest tail on a domestic cat. At an astonishing 17.58 inches, this cat has a tail that is longer than half of its body length.

What is the shortest cat breed?

The Munchkin cat breed is the shortest cat breed in the world. A Munchkin cat’s height will be between 5 to 7 inches.

Lilieput, a Munchkin cat from NAPA, California holds the Guinness World Record for the shortest domestic cat in the world.

Cat Height Chart and Size Guide by Breeds

Cat height chart comparing different cat breeds

What factors affect a cat’s growth?

Generally, a cat’s breed and its genetics determine the cat’s size. Apart from these factors which are hereditary, a cat’s size will be between the minimum and maximum values for their breed also based on their gender, age, health, diet, birth order, and environmental factors.

Let us look at some of these factors which can affect your cat’s overall growth.

Male cats versus female cats

The male of the breed generally grows a little larger compared to the female. The same rule of nature applies to cats as well. A male cat is taller or bigger in length by an inch or more compared to a female cat but there are exceptions to this.

Age of your cat

Your cat grew fast when he was a kitten, their growth spurt happens till they reach about 8 months of age. After that, their growth stops drastically. Some cats are fully grown by the time they reach 12 months of age. Some large breed cats continue growing after that as well for some more months.

The health of your cat

A healthy cat continues to grow to its full potential. If your kitten is suffering from health issues or allergies, chances are that it may not reach it full growth potential. It is very important that you ensure your kitten is healthy to continue to grow normally.

Diet of your cat

Cats being obligate carnivores require meat for their nutritional requirements. A cat requires protein to grow strong and a diet that doesn’t provide enough quality protein may hamper the cat’s growth.

Birth order

Generally, a cat litter consists of 2 or more kittens. The birth order of the kitten decides if he becomes the alpha of the litter or the runt, who is the last born. The firstborn generally gets to suckle more of its mother’s milk and grow normally compared to the rest.

Other environmental factors

Other factors like stress and an unhygienic environment can also affect your cat’s growth severely.

Cats like to feed without fear and stress, and a slight change in their environment can impact their preferences causing them to not eat and as a result, fall sick.

An unclean environment can make your cat sick. Never neglect your cat’s grooming and ensure you take it for periodic visits to your veterinarian.

At what age do cats stop growing?

So when does a cat stop growing in size? Most kittens are fully grown by the time they reach 12 months. Your cat’s full size will depend on how big he is going to get.

Domestic house cats are fully grown by the time they are 12 months old. Other large breed cats like Savannah or Maine Coon will take up to two years to reach their full growth potential.

A cat’s growth generally slows down after 12 months and they grow slowly after that.

How long does it take a cat to fully grow? Growth is the fastest in the first 8 months of a kitten’s life after which they slow down significantly till they reach their full potential.

When Do Male Cats Stop Growing?

Growth in male cats stops when they are 12 months of age. Growth after this will be either slow or completed. Some large breeds of cats continue to grow even after 12 months but other breeds are typically fully grown by the time they are 12 months.

When Do Female Cats Stop Growing?

Growth in female cats stops when they reach 12 months. After that, they may grow slowly till they reach 18 months of age. The Maine Coon breed of cats or other large breeds will continue to grow for 2 years to reach their full potential. Larger cat breeds grow slowly compared to the smaller breeds.

Conclusion

Generally, a cat will grow to 9 inches to inches in height but there are exceptions to this based on your cat’s breed and other factors.

Please don’t worry yourself if your cat doesn’t seem to be the perfect specimen of perfection in its breed. Not all Savannah cants will be 17 inches in height and not all Maine Coons will be 48.5 inches in length. If your cat is healthy, has no visible health issues, eats and drinks normally, and is playful, then you don’t have anything to worry about. Be the best cat parent you can be and everything will fall in place.

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