Size comparison American Shorthair and Maine Coon

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This is another interesting photo which compares the size of the largest cat breed with a regular-sized cat breed, the American Shorthair. It is remarkable really. The difference is vast although this huge domestic cat is a tad overweight if I am not mistaken. I don't want to criticise, but do I see a little bit of excess weight on this beautiful Maine Coon tabby with all the usual features including plenty of hairy tufts sticking out between the toes.


Perhaps of all the cat breeds the American Shorthair is the definitive 'normal' cat breed. Nothing extreme about the cat at all. All very normal. The breeders say that Americal SH cats feel like a sack of oats which means heavy but pliable. It is just a label.

These breeds have at least one thing in common: a square muzzle. Although the Maine Coon's muzzle is of a different order in terms of size.

The experts refer to the American Shorthair as 'ASH' and the Maine Coon as 'MC'. Gloria Stephens, a past cat show judge and breeder says in respect of the ASH that "You do not want to see any resemblance of a 'Pug'". She means a face which is too flat. That would be too extreme. And we do see a fair bit of extreme breeding of the MC I am afraid. And people like it.

Here is another size comparison photo which is equally startling. Although we know all about the huge size of this breed. This MC is 'Omar' a celebrity cat in Australia as I recall.

Omar MC size comparison
Photo: social media.

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