Maine Coons are beloved by many for their impressive size, gorgeous fur, and outgoing personality. Because of these amazing properties, it’s easy to see why they are beloved by many cat lovers across the globe.
For a very large Maine Coon cat from Stary Oskol, Russia, he’s become quite the social media sensation thanks to his impressive size and goofy cat antics. We caught up with his adorable feline mom, Yuliya Minina, who shared with us what makes her big cat so special.
How did you choose his name?
My kids have a funny name for this cat because of the color.
How old is he now and how much does he weigh?
Kefir will turn 2 on March 3, 2022. They say Maine Coons grow to be 3-4 years old. Now he weighs about 14 kg (30 lbs).
How would other people react to seeing him?
Absolutely everyone who sees kefir for the first time thinks it is not a cat, but a dog. It looks especially fun when I’m walking with him. We got a walking harness (leash) last year and we love walking with him! So we’re not going to get a dog yet… Kefir replaced us with a dog and a cat.
How would you describe his character?
In fact, our cats, despite their ferocious appearance, are actually very humble and affectionate! He often gets angry like a child if we push him away from the dinner table. By the way, he likes to lie on the table very much, and he also likes to lie on me. But because he was so heavy we had to transfer it, another feature of Kefir is that he likes to eat with us at the table. He even has his own chair. He sits like a man. So we consider him an official family member!????
If you want to know more about this oversized Maine Coon, follow him on Instagram and follow him on TikTok. We would like to thank Kefir’s cat mom for allowing us to share his story with Cats.com fans. We hope you enjoy getting to know this big boy full of personality!
Image credit: Instagram and TikTok

I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.