Maine Coon: Brief information 

These cats are called the “good giant” of all breeds.

The North American Semi-Longhair is one of the largest and oldest natural breeds in North America. It was officially registered in the United States in the early 1800s. and is considered a native of Maine, hence the name of the breed. These cats are not only outwardly very beautiful, they are unusually interesting for their behavior, habits, and disposition.

The first known Maine Coon was a cat named Captain Jenks, who competed at the Boston and New York shows in 1861. After that, the breed gained great popularity all over the world.

A bit of history of Maine Coon

There are many legends explaining the origin of the Maine Coon breed, but it is not completely clear where the truth is and where the fiction is.

The origin of the Maine Coon is associated with the navigator Charles Kuhn, who traveled on a ship with his long-haired pets. Wandering the lands of New England, his cats and cats mated with local ones, which led to the appearance of unusual fluffy and large kittens. This story glorified the Maine Coons as “Coon cats”, as they were nicknamed by the inhabitants of these places.

According to another legend, the Maine Coon is the result of crossing a female raccoon and a cat. In support of this theory, the external features of the cat are given, or rather, the tail, the color of which is similar to that of a raccoon.

According to another legend, Maine Coon kittens appeared as a result of crossing the North American lynx with an ordinary cat. This theory was confirmed by the tassels on the ears of cats of this breed, which are believed to have been inherited from their lynx mother.

However, those experts who study the origin of these cats claim that there are no secrets in their history. The breed appeared as a result of natural evolution.

Appearance

Maine Coon’s calling card is a large head and paws, slanting eyes and high ears with tassels and a powerful physique. The weight of cats is from 6.8 to 11 kg, and in rare cases, it can reach up to 15 kg. Maine Coons are long-lived, and the life expectancy of giants is from 15 to 20 years.

Character

Maine Coons are easy to train, affectionate and sociable. They are usually calm and do well around dogs, other cats, and people. The breed has adapted well to survive the harsh New England climate and is therefore characterized by good health and hardiness.

North American semi-longhair cats are very vocal and can make a variety of sounds, including howls, chirps, and chirps. Have you ever heard a cat chirp?

They hate loneliness and should be at the center of everything that happens in the house.

They are very loving and perfectly adapt to the rhythm of the life of the owners, which easily makes them equal members of the family. The Maine Coon’s favorite habit is to sleep with the owner. If there are many children around the Maine Coon, he will definitely choose his favorite. With small children – polite, tactful and never touch the baby.

By the way. Maine Coons are easily trained in different commands and  games.   They are quick-witted, smart and resourceful pets. They can easily open the door with their paws, bring various objects, go to the toilet, catch  toys ,  stand on their hind legs and perform many more different tricks.

Walking for Maine Coons is an important element of their life. They walk in any weather, easily get used to the collar and leash .  On the street they behave calmly, do not tend to run away and hide.

According to Maine Coon owners, their pets will not refuse to swim and swim with the owner, ask to take a shower with him, climb into the bath with pleasure and will not refuse to wash under the tap.

A wonderful and informative article to read would be Do Raccoons Hibernate? from 10Things.

Health of Maine Coon

Maine Coons are distinguished by good health and endurance, well adapted to physical activity.

However, there are several diseases specific to this breed.

The most serious health hazard for the Maine Coon is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This pathology is associated with the heart, progresses rapidly and occurs in older pets. A disease caused by genes manifests itself from the age of six months, the main symptomatology manifests itself in violations of the muscular work of the limbs.

Maine Coons often suffer from polycystic kidney disease and osteoarthritis, both diseases are genetic in nature.

Maine Coon is a special cat for special owners. Everything in them is harmonious and beautiful – from appearance to character. Life with such a pet will be interesting, bright and full of positive!