The Maine Coon Cat is America’s native longhaired cat. Being native to the State of Maine, the “Coons” are the official state cat of Maine. The breed came into existence over a century ago. Maine Coons are an extremely beautiful cat which could survive the hostile New England winters where they first became a breed. Over the years Maine Coon breeders have dedicated themselves to preserving the Maine Coon’s many rugged attributes while still having the personality of a cat who loves to snuggle with their family members on a warm sofa.
Many legends surround the Maine Coon regarding the origin of the cat. One theory is the belief that the Maine Coon originated from matings between semi-wild domestic cats and raccoons, however, this is genetically impossible. The settlers in New England felt this myth to be true by the bushy tail and the brown tabby markings of the Maine Coon. There was another theory of the beginning of the Maine Coon in Maine and that is that the Maine Coon sprang from the six pet cats which Marie Antoinette sent to Wiscasset, Maine when she was planning to escape from France during the French Revolution. Most breeders today believe that the breed originated in matings between pre-existing shorthaired domestic cats and overseas longhaired cats which were mousers on the ships coming to Maine by the Vikings.
The Maine Coon Cat is a massive, broad chested cat with a long rectangular body and the fur is long and flowing. The males average around 12 to 20 pounds, with some going over 20 pounds. The females are smaller, averaging 9 to 18 pounds. The head is medium in width and length with a squareness to the muzzle. The cheek bones are high and the chin is firm and in line with the nose and upper lip. The nose is medium long with a slight concavity in the profile. The Maine Coon's coat is shorter on the shoulders and longer on the stomach and britches. The texture is silky with the coat falling smoothly.
The Maine Coon is slow to mature, often not reaching full development until three to four years of age. The Maine Coon has five color classes: solid, tabby, tabby with white, parti-color, and other Maine Coon colors. Classic tabby, mackerel tabby and patched tabby are the only recognized patterns. Colors or patterns showing hybridization, such as chocolate, lavender, pointed pattern or ticked pattern, are not acceptable.
The Maine Coon is a gentle, loyal breed. They make wonderful family pets and get along well with children and dogs. Depending on the breed of dog, the Maine Coon can be bigger than the family dog. They are a vocal breed, with a variety of meows, trills and chirps to make up their vocabularies. They are sociable and like to help their owners with any project.
