Cat Sets World Record for Longest Tail, Measuring an Incredible 16.07 Inches

Having just one record-breaking cat may seem like a rarity.

But this silver Maine Coone is the fourth feline in an American family that has vandalized a Guinness World Recordthanks to its remarkable tail.

Altair, a five-year-old cat from Michigan, It has the longest tail of any living domestic cat, measuring a staggering 16.07 inches.

This extends around four inches longer than your average furry friend, which is the equivalent of almost three iPhone 10s lined up per length.

But Altair is not alone, as his brothers Cygnus, Arcturus, and Fenrir have all broken incredible records of their own.

His owner, Dr. William John Powers, believes that both genetics and a “special diet” may play a role, as his features are abnormally large.

“Her brother Cygnus holds the record for the longest tail ever, so genetics certainly played a role,” Powers told the Guinness Book of Records.

“But I’ve already had four Guinness World Records-holding cats, so I suspect it’s probably due, at least in part, to the special diet I designed for them.”

On average, cats generally grow to around nine or 10 inches in height, with tails measuring around 11 inches for males and nine inches for females.

But her breed and diet can play a big part in this, as large amounts of protein are often needed to make a cat grow in size.

Sadly, both Cygnus and Arcturus disappeared after a fire ravaged Mr. Powers’ home in Farmington Hills and have never been seen since.

Despite this, Cygnus is still remembered as having the longest cat tail on record, measuring a whopping 17.58 inches.

Meanwhile, Arcturus, a two-year-old Savannah cat, was once the world’s tallest feline, standing at 19.05 inches.

This title has since been taken over by Fenrir, who, at 18.83 inches, is considered the tallest domestic cat still alive.

While Mr. Powers admits it’s nice to hang another record certificate on the wall, he says his cats aren’t trophy pets.

Instead, Fenrir and Altair are often used as “therapy cats” at Mr. Powers’ clinic, where he helps HIV patients.

He continued: ‘At the time of the original fire, I was president of a cat shelter. I really wanted to be able to do the charity work with these guys that I was barely able to do with the original world record holders.

“Because I have that certificate, my cats work as therapy animals at the clinic (she finds it much easier to tell someone she has HIV when she’s petting a 35-pound, 19-inch-tall cat).”