Massive cat is so big it is often mistaken for a dog

A jumbo-sized cat is so large he’s often mistaken for a dog - and he’s still growing.

Kefir, named after a milky drink, is one year and ten months old and weighs in at an astonishing 12.5 kg.

The oversized puss belongs to Yulia Minina who lives in the small Russian town of Stary Oskol. She brought Kefir home almost two years ago when he was just a small Maine Coon kitten.

His size has even shocked her, as she explained that she couldn’t fathom how “an ordinary baby can become so big”.

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She said: “He not only grew up big in appearance, he is also very smart and always behaves calmly.

"The look is generally like that of a person, and Kefir has a formidable appearance, but he is a very affectionate and modest child.

"When friends and acquaintances come to the house - all the attention is on him and he willingly allows himself to be stroked.

''But when strangers come to the house, everyone first confuses him with a dog.”

It seems Kefir is unaware of his super size given his nighttime habit. When bedtime comes around, he likes to climb on Yulia and sleep on her.

That's one big catYuliaMinina/SWNS

Although it was fine when he was a tiny kitten, it’s naturally more uncomfortable now due to his colossal frame.

Yulia said as Maine Coon cats continue growing for up to three to four years, Kefir could become even bigger.

Some have even questioned if he’s as big as he looks in the photos, but Yulia insists she doesn’t use Photoshop.

Given he could become even larger as he ages, he may be in with the chance of securing a world record.

The Guinness World Record for the world’s longest domestic cat ever is held by an American kitty called Mymains Stewart Gilligan (aka Stewie) who was a massive 123 cm (48.5 in) long.

Stewie was a certified therapy animal that frequently visited a local senior centre near his home.

Owned by Robin Hendrickson and Erik Brandsness, Stewie entered the record books in 2010 but sadly passed away at eight years old in 2013.

The World's Longest Domestic Cat - Guinness World Recordswww.youtube.com

He also previously held the record for the world's longest cat tail.

Robin said: "Stewie was always very social and loved meeting new people. He has touched many lives, and for that I am grateful."

SWNS reporting by Dean Murray.