Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe three cats associated with this headline do not form a verified all-time top three. Guinness World Records names Stewie the longest domestic cat ever; Barivel and Ludo were successive holders of its longest-living-cat title. Their measurements make a remarkable comparison, but the categories and measurement dates matter.
How the three cats compare
| Cat | Reported length | Measurement date | Record context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mymains Stewart Gilligan (“Stewie”), a Maine Coon | 123 cm (48.5 in) | 28 August 2010 | Guinness World Records’ longest domestic cat ever |
| Barivel, a Maine Coon | 120 cm (3 ft 11 in) | 22 May 2018 | Guinness’s 2019 history identifies him as the successor to Ludo in the longest-living-cat category |
| Ludo, a Maine Coon | 118.33 cm (3 ft 10.5 in) | 6 October 2015 | Previous longest domestic cat living before Barivel |
Guinness’s historical account gives the Barivel and Ludo figures and record succession (Guinness World Records’ history of big cats). Its separate record page lists Stewie as the longest domestic cat ever (Guinness World Records’ Stewie record).
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Stewie: the longest domestic cat ever
Mymains Stewart Gilligan, known as Stewie, measured 123 cm (48.5 in) on 28 August 2010 in Reno, Nevada. Guinness identifies him as a Maine Coon and says he died in January 2013. His owner, Robin Hendrickson, recounted that the measurement was taken at the Nevada Humane Society; Guinness confirmed the record on 12 October. Hendrickson describes measuring from the tip of Stewie’s nose to the tip of his tail (Hendrickson’s account of Stewie).
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Barivel: the successor to Ludo
Barivel measured 120 cm (3 ft 11 in) on 22 May 2018. In its 7 February 2019 history, Guinness describes him as the new longest domestic cat and says he took the title from Ludo. That account is historical: the sources cited here do not establish who holds a living-cat record in October 2026, so Barivel should not be presented as the current holder.
#1 Best Overall
Ludo: the earlier living-record holder
Ludo measured 118.33 cm (3 ft 10.5 in) on 6 October 2015. Guinness’s history says Barivel surpassed him by 1.7 cm. Ludo is therefore part of the documented succession in the longest-living category, not a verified third-place finisher in an all-time ranking.
What the measurements mean
These figures describe length, not height or weight. Stewie’s owner specifies nose tip to tail tip, while Guinness’s Barivel feature describes measurement from head to tail tip. The available accounts do not establish one identical measurement protocol for all three, so the reported figures should be compared as recorded lengths rather than assumed to follow a fully standardized method.
Rank #2
Guinness’s 2019 historical account says the first documented longest domestic cat dates to the late 1990s, when Scotland’s Snowbie was recorded at 103 cm. It also notes that Guinness no longer uses weight as a size measure for domesticated animals, focusing instead on length and height. That distinction matters: “largest cat” can refer to a different measurement or record category.
Why Maine Coons appear in this record history
All three cats in this comparison were Maine Coons, a breed known for a substantial build. Liz Hansen, chair of the Maine Coon Breed Committee at The International Cat Association, told Guinness: “All written standards for the breed indicate the body size should be medium to large. They should be broad-chested and muscular.” That breed description provides context, not evidence that Maine Coons generally reach record lengths.
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