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Andy Barron, Reno Gazette-Journal/AP Meet Stewie! This 5-year-old Maine coon feline isn't just adorable, he's a Guinness World Records holder. Measuring a whopping 48.5 inches from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail, Stewie is the world's longest cat, "taller" than the average 8-year-old child. After Stewie's owners, Robin Hendrickson and Erik Brandsness of Reno, Nev., heard amazement from numerous people about how long their cat was, they decided to try for the record. The previous longest cat record was held by a domestic cat measuring 48 inches. It's no wonder that the new world's longest cat is a Maine coon. The breed is known for its size. Males can weigh between 13 and 18 ...

Getty Images Name: Maine coon Appearance: According to Maine Coon Cat Nation, Maine coons generally are very large, long-haired cats with shaggy coats and pronounced manes. They are most notable for their size -- males can weigh between 13 and 18 pounds, and females between 9 and 12 -- and the massive amounts of long hair that sprouts from all over their bodies, except their faces. Their shaggy, water-repellent coat sprouts from every inch of their bodies, between toes, around the neck and, most impressively, all over their peacock-like tail. Their faces are long and expressive, and they have large, lynx-like ears. History: Although many people believe that Maine coons came about in ...

Wicked Cat, Flickr Cats are meticulous creatures but that doesn't mean your pet can't use help in keeping up its coat. Certain long haired breeds -- such as the Persian, Himalayan, Maine coon, for example -- are especially vulnerable to mats and need to be groomed daily. If you fall behind, your cat can develop knots in its fur that not only detract from the animal's natural beauty but can also be painful to the cat. The Right Grooming Tools Make a Difference According to B.J. Fox, a prominent breeder of Persians and Himalayans in Greenbriar, Ark., one should use a professional steel comb on long matted hair, not a brush. Fox, who worked for many years as a pet groomer, prefers using a ...