Barivel: The Longest Domestic Cat
Barivel is a Maine Coon that became famous for holding the record of the longest cat in the world!
Barivel The Maine Coon Cat
In 2018, Barivel set the record for being the longest-living domestic cat in the world. He measures 3 feet and 11.5 inches (120 centimeters), and stunned cat lovers around the world with his incredible size.
Barivel is a Maine Coon cat, one of the most famous cat breeds in the world!
This breed’s most well-known claim to fame is its enormous size. Whilst the average domestic cat weighs between 7 – 10 pounds, Maine Coons weigh between 12 and 22 lbs!
Barivel became world-famous for his enormous size, and even years after his initial rise in popularity, people are still dying to learn more about him.
Below is a short video of Barivel the Maine Coon cat, from the Guinness World Records Youtube channel:
Guinness World Records
On May 22nd, 2018, experts from Guinness World Records verified Barivel’s length. They determined that Barivel was the longest-living domestic cat!
They named him the world’s biggest house cat!
Barivel claimed this title from another Maine Coon cat, named Ludo (meet Ludo here) who measured 46.6 inches long.
Size
Barivel’s length is as follows, depending upon which metric you prefer:
- 3 feet and 11.5 inches
- 120 cm
- 47.2 Inches
He won the record for being the longest-living house cat by just 0.6 inches!
Since Barivel was awarded this title no other cat has beaten his epic length. However, this doesn’t mean the challenge isn’t impossible since the longest domestic cat (now sadly departed) was Stewie He measured 4 feet and 0.5 inches (123 centimeters).
Sadly, Stewie passed away in 2013, when he was just 8 years old.
While everybody knows the length of Barivel, his weight, and height were never publicly announced because The Guinness Book of World Records no longer records cat size by weight since this encouraged owners to overfeed their cats.
Age
Barivel was born in 2016, so two years old when he was originally measured for The Guinness Book of World Records. This makes Barivel age 8 years old, in 2025.
Considering the average Maine Coon lifespan is 12 – 15 years, Barivel is likely to retain the record for being the longest house cat alive for a few more years, at least!
Color
Barivel might look brown but is officially classified as a black classic tabby, a common Maine Coon coloring.
His classic tabby pattern results in thick, bold stripes that form a gorgeous bull’s eye on both sides.
A tabby cat’s color is determined by the color of its stripes, rather than the color of the rest of its fur.
Where Does He Live?
Barivel lives in the town of Vigevano, located in the province of Pavia, Italy, just south of Milan.
His Owners
Barivel’s owners, Chinzia Tinnirello and Edgar Skandurr, always knew that Barivel was a special cat. He lives with the happy couple and their children, where he is beloved for his charming, shy nature.
Even though Barivel is world-famous, he has never liked being the center of attention and prefers cuddling with his family. Still, his owners like to take him on walks outside in a little buggy, where passersby always ask for photos with the huge cat!
Barivel’s owners are always happy to comply, so long as Barivel is comfortable being in the spotlight for a few moments.
According to the Guinness World Records website, Barivels owner, Edgar, said the following:
“He is a very special cat for us because he is a little shy… when people see him they are very shocked, but for us, he is a little gift… a big gift!”.
You might be amused to learn that whilst the meaning of Barivel in general terms, stands for honesty, sacrificer, and admirer, in Edgar’s local Italian dialect, the name Barivel means joker or clown! (source 1).
Barivel has grown to be quite shy, the suggestion that he is a clown or a joker makes his name even more comical and ironic!
Number Of Followers
If you love hearing about Barivel’s life and seeing his Maine Coon cat pictures, why not follow him on his Instagram account: @barivel_maine_coon
Barivel’s owners realized how loved Barivel was around the world so share their special cat with the whole world by making a social media page for Barivel, the longest Maine Coon cat on Instagram.
His Instagram profile is @barivel_maine_coon, where he has a total of 7,169 (figure accurate as of February 2025).
His owners post all sorts of pictures of this lovely cat, as well as his other adorable cat siblings, who are all Maine Coons, as well.
Is Barivel Alive?
As of the latest available information, Barivel, the Maine Coon recognized by Guinness World Records in 2018 as the longest domestic cat, is still alive.
Born in September 2016, Barivel would be around 8 years old now, which is within the typical lifespan of Maine Coons, known for their longevity.
His owners have shared updates on his life and activities through his social media accounts.