Maine Coon Cats – The
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Maine coon cats are recognized by their muscular body, very impressive tail and long and silky coat. It is short over the head and becomes longer down the back, stomach, legs and ruff. The cats also have a soft but strong undercoat. The feathered ears make the cat look like a smaller, friendly version of a lynx.
Colors differ. There are blue, red, silver, multicolored and calico maine coon cats.
Grooming is absolutely essential to remove dead hair, and to keep the silky coat clean.
A pregnant cat of this breed gets four kittens on average. The queens are said to be natural mothers that take good care of their children.
The name refers to the state where the breed is supposed to come from: Maine. ‘Coon’ comes from raccoon. For a long time the story was spread that the breed originated from mating between domestic American cats and raccoons. A good story, but genetically impossible.
Most likely the breed is the result of mating between domestic shorthairs and (longhaired) angora types. They are now considered to be America’s first original cat breed.
Cats of this breed have no problems with cold weather and adapt easily to new situations and circumstances. They are affectionate, but not over demanding.
Maine coon cats have been around since the 1860’s. In the first part of the 20st Century the popularity decreased. Many people preferred Persian cats, which were quite new at that time in the USA.
In the sixties they became more well-liked again and by 1976 they had reached an official championship status. It is now the second most popular breed in the States. The past twenty years maine coon cats also became popular in Europe.
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