Top 10 fattest and chubbiest cat breeds in the world

A flabby tabby will steal the heart of any who come near, attracting cuddles left, right, and center for their luscious locks and endlessly rub-able tummies. Here are our picks for the top ten best fat cat breeds in the world!

Fat cats are incredibly cute, but could develop health problems if they don't lose the weight.
Fat cats are incredibly cute, but could develop health problems if they don't lose the weight.  © Collage: IMAGO/Wirestock

If you're a fan of cats, then it goes without saying that you're a fan of fat cats. While kitty owners should never beef up their fluffy friends, as being overweight can be damaging to their health, there's something incredibly adorable and irresistible about fat or chubby kitties.

In this cat guide, TAG24 will take a look at our top ten favorite fat cat breeds. Which breeds are the chubbiest, the chunkiest, and the plumpest in the world? Let's dive in!

Top 10 fat cat breeds

When talking about fat cats it's incredibly important to address the metaphysical elephant in the room: Cats shouldn't be allowed to get fat and chunky. It's bad for their health, it makes them unhappy, and it lowers their life expectancy. Still, certain breeds are more predisposed to weight gain, and others are just ridiculous adorable when they put on a few too many pounds.

As such, these are the top ten more adorable cat breeds in the world that are either predisposed to being flabby tabbies, or especially cute when they carry around the blubber.

Ragdolls can easily get fat as they are usually kept indoors and overfed.
Ragdolls can easily get fat as they are usually kept indoors and overfed.  © IMAGO/Pond5 Images

10. Ragdoll cats

Ragdolls are some of the naughtiest and most difficult cat breeds to own and care for in the world. They are big boned, fluffy as anything, and temperamental (probably on account of often being pent up inside houses and not allowed to explore and enjoy the outside world).

It is perhaps because of this petulance that ragdolls often get extraordinarily fat, becoming rotund fluff balls worthy of great respect. While difficult, these kitties behave the way they do out of love and affection, both towards you and towards meal time. They will ask to eat human food, insist on snacks and treats, and gradually grow in size. If you refuse them, then they will leave presents in your laundry basket.

9. British shorthair

British shorthairs will often get fat, and are incredibly cute when this happens.
British shorthairs will often get fat, and are incredibly cute when this happens.  © IMAGO/Wirestock

English food has never been considered the healthiest – perhaps that explains why British shorthairs are often so outstandingly chubby? These bowling ball-shaped wonders often like to chow down on a nice bowl of baked beans and a proper rasher of actual bacon (not that thin streaky stuff that's 99% fat), and they show it in their bones and around their waists.

Is there anything cuter than a fat cat? Well, yeah, a fat British shorthair. It's honestly hard to beat how these little dudes look when they've had a few too many over-easy eggs in their lifetime. All this being said, while we're making jokes about British food, it's more likely that they have got fat from being overfed cat food and treats by their loving owners.

8. American shorthair

American shorthairs are some of the sweetest and chubbiest kitties around.
American shorthairs are some of the sweetest and chubbiest kitties around.  © IMAGO/Wirestock

If there's any nation that struggles with bacon-induced blubber more than the UK, it's the USA. It's unsurprising that the British shorthair would be quickly followed by the American shorthair in a list of the biggest and fattest kitties in the world.

Again, as with most of these cats, it all comes down to love. American shorthairs are very popular in the US and, as a result, are often quite overweight and a little bit too heavy for their height. There's no particular reason why this should be the case – feed your cats better, people!

7. Norwegian forest cats

Norwegian forest cats might look unassuming as kittens, but they get big!
Norwegian forest cats might look unassuming as kittens, but they get big!  © IMAGO/Wirestock

There are few animals in this world more likely to bring a smile to your face than a Norwegian forest cat or, indeed, a fat Norwegian forest cat. While their ultimate form is (unquestionably) their kitten-selves, these beautiful cats will get unbelievably sweet when they put on a few pounds.

Perhaps what makes them so cute is that they are cats built for cold environments and, as a result, feature thick and long coats of fur. The combination of a fat Norwegian forest cat's spherical physique and its unbelievably poofy fur is quite likely to stun any cat lover into feline friend-based submission.

6. Himalayan cats

Himalayan cats can get outrageously chunky!
Himalayan cats can get outrageously chunky!  © imago/ITAR-TASS

Cats that were meant for mountain ranges and cold climates often house a thick coat and a puffy exterior. Their big, strong bodies are meant to be thick, fierce, resilient, and in need of great sustenance. As a result, Himalayan cats are some of the hungriest in the business and, in turn, some of the roundest little dudes in the feline fiefdom.

Whether Himalayan cats are really some of the fattest in the world is up for debate, but considering how giant, fluffy, and rotund they seem, they're certain contenders. To be honest, we're not even complaining; these gorgeous creatures are well worth the incessant grooming they require. Sure, they'll shed like Jimmy Page, but they'll look cute while doing so.

5. Ragamuffins

Ragamuffins get fat on account of their intense fur and fluff.
Ragamuffins get fat on account of their intense fur and fluff.  © IMAGO/Wirestock

You wouldn't necessarily be wrong, and we certainly wouldn't be offended, if you were to claim that we put the ragamuffin on this list purely because of its utterly hilarious name. After all, in an article about fat cats, a kitty with the word "muffin" in its name is clearly rife with opportunity for amusement.

The reality is that ragamuffins are also designed for the snow and cold, so it's not silly to assume that they get pretty fat (or, at least, look pretty puffy). These cats need lots of food and are prone to over-feeding, so it's no surprise that the ragamuffin lives up to its sugary name and is one of the world's fattest cat breeds.

4. Siberian cats

Cats from cold climates, like the Siberian cat, are often bigger and fatter.
Cats from cold climates, like the Siberian cat, are often bigger and fatter.  © IMAGO/Pond5 Images

When you think of Siberia, you probably don't think of excessively fat people or animals. It's a harsh environment, so you wouldn't be wrong in assuming that the Siberian cat would also fit into that category. The thing is, in Siberia and in extreme conditions, these are not particularly fat cats. Things change, however, when these kitties get exported.

Siberian cats house thick, dense fur, that gets especially accentuated by weight gain induced by casual overfeeding, making them particularly prone to fatness. While not naturally rotund, your average Siberian will likely become quite heavy if it's kept in an American household, fed American cat food, and provided very little exercise on account of being an inside kitty.

3. Persian cats

Persian cats are some of the cutest fat kitties in the world.
Persian cats are some of the cutest fat kitties in the world.  © IMAGO/Design Pics

Persian cats take after their namesakes in having one of the most interesting historical backgrounds of any cat on the market today. What's particularly iconic about these fluff balls are their squished noses, which give them a very peculiar and adorable look that's hard to resist without a long and unending hug.

As some of the most popular cats in human history, Persians are particularly susceptible to weight gain, overfeeding, and fatness. They look particularly good as bowling balls, so it's not that surprising that there are so many of them out there that are unhealthily overweight.

2. Domestic shorthair

Domestic shorthairs, or tabbies, are the most common, and therefore fattest, cat breeds.
Domestic shorthairs, or tabbies, are the most common, and therefore fattest, cat breeds.  © IMAGO/Pond5 Images

The domestic shorthair, also known as your standard "tabby" cat, is the single most popular and common domesticated cat breed out there. They are the OG, the standard, the perfect choice for families. On top of that, their simple and easy-going nature makes them ideal as both inside and outside cats, and some of the most versatile kitties in existence.

Fluffy fellows like the domestic shorthair, however, will always be susceptible to fatness and an overabundance of flab. Tabbies love to be cuddled, love to eat, love to hunt, love to sleep, and love to roll around in the sun. While fatness is not set-in-stone, the pure versatility and the common nature of your average domestic shorthair makes it more likely to become fat than most other breeds.

1. Maine coon

Maine coons are ridiculously cute, ridiculously big, and ridiculously chubby.
Maine coons are ridiculously cute, ridiculously big, and ridiculously chubby.  © IMAGO/SNA

The Maine coon is the biggest domestic cat breed in the world, so it's not that surprising that it's also one of (if not the) fattest. What's especially extraordinary about the Maine coon, though, is that as well as being insanely big, they're also insanely friendly, happy, and cute.

If there's any kitty in the world that deserves praise and love, it's the monstrously huge and chubby Maine coon. They'll show you affection, they'll give you hugs, they'll pick you up when you're down, and they'll demand food whenever they're hungry. Don't be afraid, these are some of the best and broadest cats in the world!

Fat and chubby cats are some of the cutest ever!

Is there anything cuter than a cat who's put on a few pounds? These fluffy fellows love to eat, sleep, and sunbathe, making them the ultimate weight-gaining machines if you're not careful. To avoid them getting unhealthily fat, make sure that they have a good diet, get plenty of exercise (we'd recommend cat walking), and don't end up loved to death.

It can be hard to resist your kitty, especially since as it gains weight, it will likely gain cuteness. Make sure to stay strong, resist their snack requests, and always be a responsible cat owner.

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO/Wirestock

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