Catster Exclusive: Meet McLovin, a 35-Pound Maine Coon Cat
By Phillip Mlynar
, March 11, 2014
McLovin is a 35-pound Maine Coon cat. When I first saw Facebook photos of the big boy being almost comically held up by his owner, I got a little self-righteous: How could someone let a cat get so overweight? It's clearly irresponsible to feed a cat so much, right?
Apparently I was way wrong.
After speaking to Christina Randolph, McLovin's owner, it turns out that McLovin isn't overweight — he's just an exceptionally large cat in all aspects of life. (He's been checked out by a vet and given the all-okay.) Christina is also convinced that McLovin is still growing! Read on to get the scoop on the newest heavyweight on the feline scene.
Catster: How did McLovin come into your life?
Christina Randolph: I had an aunt I was taking care of and she had Alzheimer's. She had two cats — she got them from the swap meet. She came to me and told me that her friend was going to take the cat to the pound because he was peeing on everything and he got really really big and she only wanted to keep one.
I had rescued a lot of cats so I asked her to let me take him instead and also get him fixed and maybe she can take him back. But I ended up keeping him. His first name was Mingo and then he became McLovin. He was an 18-pound cat when I first got him.
Why did you change his name?
I changed it because I think Mingo was a Spanish cartoon that he was named after, but for me he was so big and so loving that I thought McLovin was definitely his proper name.
Was the name McLovin inspired by McDonald's?
No, but it probably should have been after I realized how big he was going to get!
What were your first impressions of McLovin?
Well, I didn't know anything about Maine Coons, and he chirps like a pigeon! It's so loud. He's so loving and he always wants to sit on you and make that sound that's like a pigeon. It's odd, because you say his name and he looks at you and he knows what you're saying. Maybe it's because his brain's bigger, I don't know.
You said McLovin was 18 pounds when you first got him. When did you realize he was still growing?
Well his paws were so big — even the vet's office was amazed that his paws and his skull were so big. Maybe it was because [my aunt] didn't get him fixed at a young age that he kept growing? But he's not fat. Of course he's a little bit chunky, but his paws, his neck, his head, his tongue — it's all very large.
Is McLovin an active cat?
Yes, he's in and out all day and he rules the household. He loves to play. Like most cats he really likes milk caps, and I found out he loves kittens. He prefers boy cats and he has a little friend called Dusty and they are just inseparable. They are a double act: Wherever McLovin goes, Dusty follows him close by. If I have McLovin sitting on top of me, Dusty wants to get on my lap too. The two of them do absolutely everything together. There are 15 cats running around here, but he choses to pay them no attention except Dusty.
Has McLovin stopped growing now?
I honestly do not believe that McLovin has stopped growing. My husband told me we should probably donate him to a museum when he passes away, because it's like his head and his paws are just growing and growing consistently.
Are there any care issues that have come up with a cat so big?
I'm really lucky that McLovin is not a mean cat, because with his size he could probably kill another cat if he wanted to. But he's very gentle and very patient. I'm really thankful for that. He's also very intuitive if you're having a bad day — he can sense that and he'll be the first one right next to you making the pigeon noises.
Is it hard to pick McLovin up?
Yes, it is! Some of the pictures that I've put on Facebook don't even really convey just how it is to hold him. He's big — I'd say he's about 35 pounds now. McLovin is a big, big boy.
You mentioned having 15 other cats.
Yes, we have a business and we started out with four cats and maybe the other cats from the neighborhood started talking, but they started to show up at our front door. So what we'd do is TNR [trap, neuter and return], and over the years they'd come and go, but I'd say that at any given time there's about 15 cats on our business property. They all seem to get along very well.
McLovin's Facebook page also shows some of the other cats dressed up in clothes and hats. Have you ever tried to dress him up?
You know, my daughter has told me I need to start doing that and putting him in the wigs and the different outfits. I think it's a good idea.
Finally, do you have any advice for anyone else who ends up adopting a cat who just keeps on growing?
I would say make sure you take the cat to the vet, because you want to make sure he's okay and doesn't have any medical issues. That's actually another thing with McLovin — he's never been ill or sick, never had a cold or flu or any other cat problems, even though at first we were worried that his heart and organs would get so big. So I would say just make sure you keep your cat on a proper diet. Big cats can be great cats!
Learn more about your cat with Catster:
Weird Cat Facts: 8 Reasons Your Cat Likes to Lick You
10 Sounds That Cats Make — and What They Mean
8 Things to Try When Your Cat Won't Eat
About Phillip Mlynar: The self-appointed world's foremost expert on rappers' cats. When not penning posts on rap music, he can be found building DIY cat towers for his adopted domestic shorthair, Mimosa, and collecting Le Creuset cookware (in red). He has also invented cat sushi, but it's not quite what you think it is.
Tags: Catster Exclusive, Catster Heroes, Celebrity Cats, Interviews