MAINE COON CATS: STRONG, TRANQUIL AND LUXURIOUS

The Maine Coon is most beautiful during the winter months, when its coat is at its most luxurious.  Its most distinctive characteristic is found in the sound of its chirping trill, a happy greeting the cat offers to its feline and/or human family (Dr. Bruce Fogle, CATalog).  The Maine Coon adores the company of its people; however, it is not a particularly dependent cat, and can spend many happy hours pursuingits own interests.  According to Fogle, some owners claim that their Maine Coon cats actually swim, and love the water.  Some insist that the females are more dignified, while the males behave in a somewhat goofy manner, but whatever these cats are, they are not lap cats.  Your Maine Coon will need some freedom if he or she is to be a happy cat.

APPEARANCE

Maine Coons come in many varieties that  include self and tortie, smoked and shaded, tabby, silver tabby, and bicolors.  The Maine Coon is best known for its tabby colors; however, selfs are also widely bred.  Some prefer dark colored Maine Coons, as their coats show the glossy quality many find irresistible.  The neck is especially thick in males, and all have large ears that are upright, and set high on the head.  The Maine Coon eyes are full, round, and slightly oblique in set.  His back is long, and his body is medium to large with solid muscles.  He has a long tail with flowing fur.  He generally weighs from 9 to 22 pounds.

BREED HISTORY

No one actually knows the distant history of the Maine Coon cat, but it is suspected that its ancestors were among the British cats that came to America with early settlers.  They may have also decended from longhaired Russian and Scandinavian cats from the ports of Maine, thus the name, Maine Coon.  The harsh New England winter was definately a preferable climate for such cats, who have dense coats, and are large enough to hunt rabbits for food.

The first Maine seen in a show was the black and white Captain Jenks of the Horse Marines, and he was noted in Boston and New York shows in 1861.  This was also the time that the breed became popular.  Maine Coons lost favor at the turn of the 20th century, when Persians became the cat of choice; however, they survived due to their popularity with farmers who appreciated their hunting ability.  The Maine Coon resurfaced as a popular breed in the 1950s, and has been one of the most popular of breeds since the 1980s, not only in the United States, but in the world.

PROS AND CONS

Maine Coons are very independent; however, they are very determined when they do prefer company.  I once rescued a Maine Coon named Elvis, after his people moved away and left him abandoned.  Initially, I planned to keep him separate from my other cats until he was neutered, fearing he would be rejected, but Elvis managed to dig a hole through my living room door in order to make his way to my den.  Maine Coons can be destructive, to say the least, and they are very strong cats.  Being the cat lover I am, Elvis was not abandoned again; however, those planning to adopt or purchase such a cat, need to be aware of their capabilities.