I often joke about how my cats could never set any record… or maybe they could if there was a record for how many treats they want in one day, or how loud they can meow without any reason. 

However, some cats set real Guinness World Records. There are Guinness records for all kinds of categories, but I personally didn’t know that there are cats who set records for the length of their fur. 

The cat that now holds the record for the longest fur in domestic cats is Sophie. Here’s her story.

Sophie – The Cat With The Record For The Longest Fur

When she was two years old, this cat set the world record (which she still holds) for having the longest fur. Sophie is owned by Jami Smith, who volunteers in a shelter and loves animals. 

She explained in an interview with Guinness World Records that she met Sophie by accident. One day while she was walking her dog, a couple of strangers drove by and stopped their truck near her.

They held out a paper bag and asked Jami if she wanted a kitten. 

Of course, Jami was shocked that anyone would put a kitten in a paper bag, but the people explained that someone had left it on their doorstep and they were looking for someone who would take care of it. 

Jami wanted the cat to be safe, so she agreed to take it. 

Jami thought about taking the kitten to a shelter, but it didn’t take long for her to fall in love with Sophie, so she changed her mind and kept the little kitten. 

Of course, as the cat grew, her fur grew too. At one point, Sophie’s fur seemed extremely long to Jami. So long that she could be a record-breaker…?

“It’s got to be some kind of a record!”

Well, Jami was right. First, she went online to check if there was any kind of record for the length of a cat’s fur, and there she found Colonel Meow’s fur measured 9 in. 

She then went on to measure Sophie’s fur, and wouldn’t you know it, Sophie’s fur measured 10.11 inches! 

Jami went to her local veterinary clinic to have sections of Sophie’s fur removed and measured correctly, with witnesses. This was a super exciting experience for Jami! 

Sophie wasn’t very cooperative at home but at the vet’s she was ok. Jami held her while the vet took the strands of fur. And that’s how they discovered that little Sophie, the kitten rescued in a paper bag, was the new record holder for the longest fur!

A cat named Colonel Meow used to hold the record, but as we see here, he was beaten by more than an inch by Sophie, the new record holder.

If you’re interested in learning more about cats that have set Guinness World Records, check out these 12 Cats With Guinness World Records.