The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Is this the world's longest cat? 14kg Maine Coon becomes internet sensation

NZ Herald
17 May, 2017 05:18 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A cat three times the size of a normal feline could soon be named the world's longest cat. Instagram / @omar_mainecoon

A cat three times the size of a normal feline could soon be named the world's longest cat.

Omar the furry Maine coon cat, who weighs in at a whopping 14 kilograms, became an internet sensation after his photo featured on the Cats of Instagram account which has more than 8 million followers.

Following the cat's growing popularity, Omar's owner, Australian Stephy Hirst, was contacted by Guinness World Records which indicated he could be the longest cat in the world.

The current record holder is UK-based Ludo, also a Maine coon, which measured in at 118.33cm long in October 2015.

Hirst told the Herald Sun she recently measured Omar at 120cm.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We thought he might be [the longest cat in the world] but we hadn't done anything about it because he might not be fully grown yet."

At just the age of 1 Omar grew to 10kgs before reaching 14kgs now that he's 3 years old.

As for Omar's diet, the Maine coon eats two scoops of kibble for breakfast and raw kangaroo for dinner.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Hirst said Omar is often cheeky and uses his size to his advantage.

Being three times the size of other felines, Omar can get to where most cats can't. Photo / Omar_mainecoon / Instagram
Being three times the size of other felines, Omar can get to where most cats can't. Photo / Omar_mainecoon / Instagram

"He is really good at opening doors, sliding doors, kitchen cupboards, shower doors, wardrobes, he'll get past all of them."

Omar's size works against him, however, with Hirst having to lock him out of her bedroom at night.

"Heading into the weekend like..." Photo / Omar_mainecoon / Instagram
"Heading into the weekend like..." Photo / Omar_mainecoon / Instagram

The 14kg kitty takes up too much room and demands cuddles, so Hirst has relegated him to the couch.

Discover more

Geothermal discovery on West Coast

17 May 11:26 PM

Omar isn't the only animal in the house, sharing a space with two sheltie dogs.

Omar can be seen posing in photos with one of the sheltie dogs who share the house with him. It looks small compared to its massive feline friend. Photo / Omar_mainecoon / Instagram
Omar can be seen posing in photos with one of the sheltie dogs who share the house with him. It looks small compared to its massive feline friend. Photo / Omar_mainecoon / Instagram

It's not the typical dog versus cat in her house.

Omar can be seen posing in photos with the dogs, which look small compared to their massive feline friend.

Are you kitten me? An Australian house cat three times the size of a normal feline is in the running to be crowned the longest kitty in the world. Photo / Omar_mainecoon / Instagram
Are you kitten me? An Australian house cat three times the size of a normal feline is in the running to be crowned the longest kitty in the world. Photo / Omar_mainecoon / Instagram
Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

Premium
The Country

Inside the new luxury eatery blending Central Otago's history and cuisine

27 Jun 11:00 PM
Premium
The Country

Could a lab blunder replace 1080 poison and solve NZ’s rabbit plague?

27 Jun 10:10 PM
The Country

'Great promise': Young inventor's wool pod wows at Fieldays

27 Jun 05:02 PM

Kaibosh gets a clean-energy boost in the fight against food waste

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Premium
Inside the new luxury eatery blending Central Otago's history and cuisine

Inside the new luxury eatery blending Central Otago's history and cuisine

27 Jun 11:00 PM

Fine dining restaurant is a nod to gold mining history and Chinese immigrants of the area.

Premium
Could a lab blunder replace 1080 poison and solve NZ’s rabbit plague?

Could a lab blunder replace 1080 poison and solve NZ’s rabbit plague?

27 Jun 10:10 PM
'Great promise': Young inventor's wool pod wows at Fieldays

'Great promise': Young inventor's wool pod wows at Fieldays

27 Jun 05:02 PM
'It's security': Push for KiwiSaver access to aid young farmers

'It's security': Push for KiwiSaver access to aid young farmers

27 Jun 05:00 PM
Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style
sponsored

Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP