The title, 'smallest cat in the world' is a search phrase. This page answers the question as at April 2010. The search phrase implies that people want to know the current world's smallest cat. The Guinness World Records organisation (GWR) do not list such a record at 2010. This is probably to avoid people trying to get the record and abusing cats as a result. Also there is the difficulty with the age of the cat. This may be a newish policy change. In the past there was a record for the world's smallest cat run by GWR but it was probably stopped for the reasons stated.
Young cats are small. In scientific parlance, sub-adults are smaller than adults. And the world's smallest cat should apply to a fully grown adult cat. This might be hard to establish even by a qualified person. This casts doubt on the viability of running such a record.
Also please note that the absolute smallest cat is a wider record than the smallest cat breed.
Despite that rather negative opener, there are some websites that tell us which cat is the world's smallest.
Here are two examples:
CatWorld.com says that the Guinness Book of World Records awarded the title to Mr Peebles. This diminutive cat from Central Illinois in the USA was 2 years old when he weighed around 3 pounds. He is 6.1 inches long. His smallness was inherited apparently. This is around the weight of the smallest teacup and miniature cats.
I have no idea when this record occurred or if Mr Pebbles is still alive. It must have been around 2006. On another site (waleg.com) it says that Mr Pebbles had a tough early life because he was small (odd that don't you think?).
He was then adopted by Dr. Donna Sassman. The good doctor feed him four times daily to keep his weight up and she thought he had probably peaked on weight. That means though that he might not have peaked.
Hubpages.com say that a cat called, 'Bitsy' is or may be the smallest cat in the world and that it is verified by GWR. There is no date to the posting.
Bitsy allegedly weighs 1.5 pounds yet is one year old and 6 inches long. This is half the weight of Mr Pebbles. This is probably an unsustainable weight but I am no expert. The video shows him with a slight head wobble when crouched down. Personally, I don't like this video. It is insensitive to me.
There is a video. I hope it still works:
The world's smallest wild cat species is the rusty-spotted cat. This small wildcat has a weight range of between 0.8 and 1.6 kilograms. This is 1.76 pounds to 3.53 pounds. There may be an individual rusty-spotted cat that holds the informal and unrecognised record of the Smallest Cat In The World.
Here is a table showing some weight comparisons:
Characteristic
Measurement
Rusty-spotted cat - Length of head+body
35-48 centimetres (14-17 inches)
Rusty-spotted cat - Average weight (approximate)
1.5 kg (3.3 lbs)
Rusty-spotted cat - Average weight females
1 kg (2.2 lbs)
Average domestic cat weight – for comparison
8 lbs
Average weight of miniature domestic cat for comparison
www.flyingpaintranch.com to see vidoes from ANIMAL PLANET and GUINNESS on this amazing MINIMEW!
Dec 10, 2010
i own a small cat by: C.L.Ritz
I have a cat named M&m thats 2 yrs old and he only weighs a little over a pound while his litterrmates are all normal in size but he acts nothing like the cat in the video and his vet said he's perfectly healty
Sep 28, 2010
Tiny Cat by: Tobin
I have a very small cat. It's odd because her mother had 15 kittens [3 litters]. However, some are tiny and some are very large [over 10# by 2 yrs]. The mother was 6# herself just after giving birth all 3 times and the last litter had a small runt. That kitten [Darla] is now well over a year old and only 4 lbs. She has no tail at all [like her mother] and her sister is 8 lbs with a full tail. I do have to say though, she's spiny and spindly, but a GREAT hunter, eater, and fighter. I give her enough love to keep her home and safe every night.
Sep 07, 2010
So Sad by: Gail (Boston, MA USA)
I had forgotten about this thread until the last posting. I feel so bad for that tiny kitten, especially when it felt so threatened by the large cat. The other thing that bugs me is how the human(s) lavish affection on the big cat and not the teeny one. People are so horrid sometimes.
BTW, Michael - you may want to correct the spelling of Pebbles under the 'Catworld.com' 1st paragraph - it reads "Peebles" - goodness only knows who's lurking here just waiting to pounce again, LOL!
Sep 07, 2010
SO TRUE!!!!!!!!!! by: Anonymous
No truer words have been said Rudolph. If this were and experiment by this sick human being and it looks and appears to be then I'd like to see he/she be used for and experiment and let him/her see what it feels like to be treated with such cruelty.
Apr 24, 2010
To Gail by: Michael
Hi Gail, No the article made no mention of health problems (if they exist). I think we fool ourselves sometimes.
The domestic cat shouldn't be this small. Of course size varies naturally but within normal limits and a cat this light in weight has a greater chance of being unhealthy and has a shorter projected lifespan it seems to me.
We should not encourage the breeding of small cats therefore. The Guinness World Records people recognise this it seems.
Apr 24, 2010
Agreed by: Michael
Hi Rudolph. I agree. Bitsy looks sad, uncomfortable and perhaps ill. I really don't think people should be trying to find or create the smallest cat.
Apr 21, 2010
Bitsy, the World's smallest cat. by: Rudolph.A.Furtado
"Bitsy" looks a pathetic freak of nature in this video, seems slightly deformed in its movements and facial expressions. I hope that "Bitsy" is that rare "One Off" freak of nature, a biological accident rather than an "EXPERIMENTAL SUCCESS" by its human breeder for producing the "TEA-CUP CAT". "Guiness Book f World Records" has done the right thing by discouraging the entry of "World's Smallest Cat" into its "Animal Record Books" as this would definitely encourage unscrupulous breeders in experimenting to produce more freak "Bitsy's", total unfits in the "Cat World".
I would always prefer viewing or possessing a healthy normal cat rather than a pathetic specimen bred solely for satisfying the human ego.
Apr 21, 2010
Bitsy by: Gail (Boston, MA USA)
I agree, that video on Bitsy is a tad disturbing.
Besides the head wobble, it appears as if the back legs are splayed when he/she was jumping at the other cat. Balance seems to be an issue. I wonder if it has some type of neurological disorder? Did the article say anything to that effect? (I wonder if inbreeding may be at play here as well.)
