The Maine Coon is a beautiful cat with a huge bushy tail, long fur and they are BIG. It is a domestic cat which is surprising considering its size. As you can surmise from its name the Maine Coon is native to the state of Maine. It has even been made their state cat.
The Maine Coon’s physical design enables them to withstand the harsh winters in New England. Their overall size and the thickness of their fur makes them suitable animals for cold and snowy weather. As an added bonus their fur is somewhat water resistant. Their large feet come equipped with tufts of hair between the toes for warmth and they spread out to act like snowshoes when needed. They also have tufts of hair on their ears that act like earmuffs. They wrap their long tails around themselves for added insulation when they are at rest. Altogether they are very well adapted to frosty weather, kind of like the Super Sport model in the cat world.
Legend says the Maine Coon is a cross of domestic cats and raccoons. Today most experts say this isn’t possible. It is also said that the Maine Coon is a mix of native North American cats and the Norwegian Forest Cat. Because of the similarities between the breeds, this certainly seems more plausible.
Maine Coon Cats are often likened to dogs. This is because they are not like other cats in that they are highly sociable with humans as well as with other pets. Maine Coon Cats will run to you when you call them, and will likely be sitting at the door waiting when you arrive home. They also are known to like playing fetch. In the case of my Maine Coon, this game became you throw it, you pick it up and I’ll pretend I’m not running you around for fun. However, they do share one characteristic with many other felines; they demand lots of love and attention.
There are thousands of people today who own and adore the Maine Coon Cat. Their clownish personalities and their beauty make them hard to resist for any lover of cats or dogs.
A LITTLE ABOUT THE BREED
- Mature slowly, at least 4 years
- Soft, silky hair requires minimal grooming
- One of the oldest natural breeds in N America
- Tail can reach up to 14″
- Talks in a sweet, chirping voice mixed with trills
- Colors – White, Black, Blue, Red, Cream, Tortie, Calico, Classic, Mackerel and Patched Tabby, Shaded, Smoke*
- Weight – Can reach 25 lbs and over
- Many Maine Coons have a fascination with water
- Second most popular breed in the US
BREED RESCUES
- Maine - http://www.mainecooncatrescue.org
- Arizona – http://www.azmccr.org
- Texas – http://www.mainecoonsavers.com
Please see our rescue and shelter page for more.
*There are so many colors of Maine Coon Cats! I listed some but not by any means all. Please see the CFA Breed Standard for a complete listing.
