The Cats

WHAT IS A MAINE COON

Looks

The Maine Coon originated in the state of Maine, USA.  It evolved naturally, out of the native cats into a sturdy, rugged cat with a semi-longhair coat, feathers on its paws and a bushy tail, to help it withstand the harsh winters of its territory.

Myth has it that the "Coon" bit of the Maine Coon came from matings between racoons and the native cats.  It's easy to believe this, once you've seen the bushy tail and stripey tabby markings on some Maine Coons.

The coat has two layers - a water-resistant outercoat of guard hairs, and an undercoat.  Maine Coon coats tend to be soft.  Maine Coons also develop a characteristic mane or ruff as they grow older, giving them a leonine and majestic appearance.  Despite the length of the coat, care is easy, and a brushing once a week is usually sufficient.

The tail of the Maine Coon is its pride and joy.  Not for nothing is a Maine Coon known as "The Tail with a Cat"!  The breed standard is that the tail has to be approximately the length of the cat.  In the wild, such a long tail would enable the Maine Coon to wrap itself round its body and to keep its nose warm.

Maine Coons are large cats.  They mature slowly, taking up to 4 years to reach full size.  Fully-grown females grow up to 12 lbs and males sometimes up to 20 lbs.

Behaviour

Maine Coons are very intelligent, but they are also laid-back cats.  They usually get along with other cats and even dogs.  They are playful, and some Maine Coons even play fetch with their toys.

They  are dog-like in behaviour, and may follow their owners round the house, even sitting on the bath-tub to supervise!  They are very affectionate, but not generally lap cats, preferring to sit beside their owners.

Maine Coons do mew, but more usually trill or coo, a sound which has an almost bird-like quality.  They are very dextrous with their paws, and like playing with water, sometimes scooping it out before they drink from a water bowl.  

Maine Coons are addictive!  And I've since discovered that Maine Coon kittens are even more addictive!