Maine Coon - The American Big Boy

Oozing personality and charm, the Maine Coon is also incredibly smart, striking and affectionate - no wonder they are such popular cats.

This American beauty is native to Maine and is in fact their official state cat, only three other states recognise cats as their state symbol. It certainly is one of America's oldest and most beloved cat breeds.

Origin-wise, there is much debate and plenty of fanciful theories floating about trying to explain the Maine Coon's ancestry. One of which links their bushy tails and brown bodies to semi-wild cats native to New England breeding with raccoons - yep, that's not scientifically possible but it's still out there as a theory. Another is more romantic, claiming that they originated from six pet cats owned by Marie Antoinette who with the help of her friend, Captain Samuel Clough, gathered her most prized possessions which included her Angora and Siberian cats and had them shipped to Wiscasset, Maine as part of her planned exodus from France and the French Revolution. Whilst she met her fate at the guillotine in 1793, her beloved cats arrived safely and bred with other domestic kitties to create the Maine Coon breed.

However, a much more believable theory is that the Maine Coon came about when short-haired domestic felines bred with long haired cats brought over the Atlantic by Vikings and Europeans docking in New England in the 1700's. This makes much more sense as genetic testing concludes that Maine Coons share some genes with the Norwegian Forest Cat.

Image source

Whichever theory you choose to believe, this handsome fella certainly evolved to survive some seriously harsh New England winters. First and foremost, they developed a thick, water-resistant coat which is shaggier and much longer on their underside, ruff and flank in order to keep their lower body warm whilst roaming through icy, wet conditions and their stunning raccoon-like tail is bushier and longer than most, it can actually curl around their body to keep their faces and shoulders warm during wintery weather. Even their large paws have long silky tufts of fur growing between their toes which not only keep their feet warm but also help them navigate through snow, acting like snow-shoes. Add fur-lined ears and their insulated look is complete.

That said, you might think the Maine Coon needs a lot of grooming - it doesn't. In fact these cats require minimal grooming compared to most long-haired cats because their coats are generally self-maintaining due to their light density.

Image source

So here are some fun facts on this big boy...

This is one big kitty but not the biggest in the world, it's actually pipped to the post by both the Ragdoll and the Norwegian Forest Cat which on average weigh two pounds more. It is however the longest cat in the world according to the Guiness World Record in 2010, 2015 (by a cat from Wakefield!) and 2018. From the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, the most recent winning Maine Coon measured an impressive 120cm.
This by far isn't the only cat competition these beauties have won. A Maine Coon called "Cosie" won the first ever American cat competition held at Madison Square Gardens in 1895. Crowned "Best in Show", her collar and medal hang with pride of place at the headquarters of the American Cat Fancier's Association.
Also known as the "dogs of the cat world", these super friendly felines get along well with people and other pets. They especially love the company of their favourite human and love to be involved in anything they're doing.
These are highly intelligent cats and can be easily trained to perform basic tricks on command. These curious cats love interaction and their playful nature is utterly charming, they especially love playing fetch which makes them perfect for a more active owner.
As clever as a Savannah cat, they love exploring the outdoors and take to using a harness or walking jacket exceptionally well. In fact their ability o be lead-trained sets them apart from most other cat breeds.
They sing, sort of. They communicate using a peculiar chirping sound which is unlike the usual feline meow. And they like to communicate big time so expect them to vocalise a lot.
Whilst most cats flinch at the prospect of deep water, Maine Coons love it. It's probably down to their water-resistant fur but these beauties love to play in water and are surprisingly strong swimmers.
"Little Nicky", a Maine Coon kitty went down in history as being the first commercially cloned pet. In 2004, a Texan woman paid almost £40,000. to have a biotech company in California clone her dead cat. As expected, the owner claimed that the clone truly was identical to the original "Nicky".

Image source

So if you fancy taking on one of these majestic gentle giants expect a noble disposition, a playfulness second to none and a big, big heart full of love.

Here

July 06, 2023
Maine Coon - The American Big Boy
By RM Koisar
Image source

Oozing personality and charm, the Maine Coon is also incredibly smart, striking and affectionate - no wonder they are such popular cats.

This American beauty is native to Maine and is in fact their official state cat, only three other states recognise cats as their state symbol. It certainly is one of America's oldest and most beloved cat breeds.

Origin-wise, there is much debate and plenty of fanciful theories floating about trying to explain the Maine Coon's ancestry. One of which links their bushy tails and brown bodies to semi-wild cats native to New England breeding with raccoons - yep, that's not scientifically possible but it's still out there as a theory. Another is more romantic, claiming that they originated from six pet cats owned by Marie Antoinette who with the help of her friend, Captain Samuel Clough, gathered her most prized possessions which included her Angora and Siberian cats and had them shipped to Wiscasset, Maine as part of her planned exodus from France and the French Revolution. Whilst she met her fate at the guillotine in 1793, her beloved cats arrived safely and bred with other domestic kitties to create the Maine Coon breed.

However, a much more believable theory is that the Maine Coon came about when short-haired domestic felines bred with long haired cats brought over the Atlantic by Vikings and Europeans docking in New England in the 1700's. This makes much more sense as genetic testing concludes that Maine Coons share some genes with the Norwegian Forest Cat.

Image source

Whichever theory you choose to believe, this handsome fella certainly evolved to survive some seriously harsh New England winters. First and foremost, they developed a thick, water-resistant coat which is shaggier and much longer on their underside, ruff and flank in order to keep their lower body warm whilst roaming through icy, wet conditions and their stunning raccoon-like tail is bushier and longer than most, it can actually curl around their body to keep their faces and shoulders warm during wintery weather. Even their large paws have long silky tufts of fur growing between their toes which not only keep their feet warm but also help them navigate through snow, acting like snow-shoes. Add fur-lined ears and their insulated look is complete.

That said, you might think the Maine Coon needs a lot of grooming - it doesn't. In fact these cats require minimal grooming compared to most long-haired cats because their coats are generally self-maintaining due to their light density.

Image source

So here are some fun facts on this big boy...
- This is one big kitty but not the biggest in the world, it's actually pipped to the post by both the Ragdoll and the Norwegian Forest Cat which on average weigh two pounds more. It is however the longest cat in the world according to the Guiness World Record in 2010, 2015 (by a cat from Wakefield!) and 2018. From the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, the most recent winning Maine Coon measured an impressive 120cm.
- This by far isn't the only cat competition these beauties have won. A Maine Coon called "Cosie" won the first ever American cat competition held at Madison Square Gardens in 1895. Crowned "Best in Show", her collar and medal hang with pride of place at the headquarters of the American Cat Fancier's Association.
- Also known as the "dogs of the cat world", these super friendly felines get along well with people and other pets. They especially love the company of their favourite human and love to be involved in anything they're doing.
- These are highly intelligent cats and can be easily trained to perform basic tricks on command. These curious cats love interaction and their playful nature is utterly charming, they especially love playing fetch which makes them perfect for a more active owner.
- As clever as a Savannah cat, they love exploring the outdoors and take to using a harness or walking jacket exceptionally well. In fact their ability o be lead-trained sets them apart from most other cat breeds.
- They sing, sort of. They communicate using a peculiar chirping sound which is unlike the usual feline meow. And they like to communicate big time so expect them to vocalise a lot.
- Whilst most cats flinch at the prospect of deep water, Maine Coons love it. It's probably down to their water-resistant fur but these beauties love to play in water and are surprisingly strong swimmers.
- "Little Nicky", a Maine Coon kitty went down in history as being the first commercially cloned pet. In 2004, a Texan woman paid almost £40,000. to have a biotech company in California clone her dead cat. As expected, the owner claimed that the clone truly was identical to the original "Nicky".
Image source

So if you fancy taking on one of these majestic gentle giants expect a noble disposition, a playfulness second to none and a big, big heart full of love.

Here

Comments on this post (1 comment)
- Maureen Henry says...
  
  I am going to buy myself a Maine Coon kitten with my next stimulus check. So Excited !
  
  March 03, 2022

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Maine Coon - The American Big Boy

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