At One Place

Domestic cat vs Three-toed sloth

Domestic cat vs three-toed sloth
Domestic cat is larger on weight
Domestic cat is somewhat greater than three-toed sloth on weight — about 1.1×.

A domestic cat and a three-toed sloth can be compared on 4 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

Side by side

Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.
Domestic cat Three-toed sloth
Weight 3.6–6.8 kg 2.2–6.3 kg
Length 0.36–0.55 m 0.42–0.8 m
Top speed 48 km/h 0.24 km/h
Typical lifespan 12–20 yr 20–40 yr

What the numbers say

  • Domestic cat is somewhat greater than three-toed sloth on weight — about 1.1×.
  • Three-toed sloth is somewhat greater than domestic cat on length — about 1.3×.
  • Domestic cat is 200× three-toed sloth on top speed.
  • Three-toed sloth is 2× domestic cat on typical lifespan.

Weight compared.

Domestic cat 3.6–6.8 kg
Three-toed sloth 2.2–6.3 kg

Domestic cat

The domesticated cat, kept worldwide and still an efficient small predator.

Three-toed sloth

One of the slowest mammals, moving about 0.24 km/h and descending from its tree only to defecate.

This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

Common questions

Which is bigger, domestic cat or three-toed sloth?
Domestic cat is somewhat greater than three-toed sloth on weight — about 1.1×. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do domestic cats and three-toed sloths compare on length?
Domestic cat: 0.36–0.55 m. Three-toed sloth: 0.42–0.8 m. Three-toed sloth is somewhat greater than domestic cat on length — about 1.3×.
How do domestic cats and three-toed sloths compare on top speed?
Domestic cat: 48 km/h. Three-toed sloth: 0.24 km/h. Domestic cat is 200× three-toed sloth on top speed.

Related pages

Sources

  1. Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place
  2. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

How these figures are compiled and checked