San Jose neighbors mistake massive 27-pound house cat for a wild animal

Spock measures 46 inches long. Spock measures 46 inches long. Photo: Colleen Pizarev Photo: Colleen Pizarev Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close San Jose neighbors mistake massive 27-pound house cat for a wild animal 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

Over the past year, three or four strangers have knocked on Colleen Pizarev's door to warn her that a wild animal is in her house.

These people are usually walking to the park near Pizarev's home in San Jose, Calif., and when they spot her 27-pound Maine Coon named Spock in the window, they mistake the cat for a bobcat or a lynx.

"They're worried that I'm keeping an illegal wild animal," Pizarev said in an interview. "I'm always like, 'No! Look, he has a tail.'"

She added: "In most cases, I've been able to diffuse it."

Pizarev is a lover of the Maine Coon breed, among the largest of the domesticated cat breeds. Several years ago, she adopted a rescue through Maine Coon Adoptions in Oakland. When that cat passed away, she adopted a Maine Coon-Abyssinian mix named Fluff Ball. And four years ago, Spock came to her through a breeder. Spock was originally supposed to be a show cat but wasn't able to follow this path when one of his eyes turned a color unacceptable for competition.

Spock eats up to a pound of fresh meat a day and measures 46 inches long. Pizarev says his growth has taken off in the past year and she thinks that's why people have recently been knocking on her door.

Spock has grown so large that he now takes up half the bed. "He's like having another person in your bed," Pizarev said.

He's also knocking stuff over throughout the house.

"He'll jump on a small table and the table knocks over because of the momentum and weight," Pizarev said. "We have to lock up our table lamps because he knocks them over on the floor. We only bring them out if we're having guests."

All of that said, Spock is a gentle giant. "I love this breed because they're very smart," Pizarev said. "They don't bite or scratch. They're extremely affectionate."

She added: "He's a lap cat and likes to sit on laps." And that's something a wild animal would never do.