--- cowsay	2015-03-29 09:00:31.000000000 +0100
+++ /usr/games/cowsay	2015-03-29 10:56:03.109688000 +0100
@@ -107,9 +107,11 @@
 }
 
 sub maxlength {
-    my ($l, $m);
+    my ($l, $m, @dup);
     $m = -1;
-    for my $i (@_) {
+    @dup = @_;
+    for my $i (@dup) {
+        $i =~ s/\e\[\d+(?>(;\d+)*)m//g;
 	$l = length $i;
 	$m = $l if ($l > $m);
     }