Maine Coon – The Gentle Giant

The Maine Coon, considered one of the largest cat breeds, is known for its physical appearance, as well as its intelligence.  It originated in North America specifically in the state of Maine, where it is considered as the official State Cat.  It is often referred to as “The Gentle Giant.”

There have been many myths, legends and folklores that surround the origin of the Maine Coon.  The most wide-spread which is also the most biologically impossible story of origin states that the breed originated from the matings of a domestic cat and a raccoon.  This was said to be the cause of the bushy raccoon-like tail and the raccoon-like color.  

Another theory is that the Maine Coon originated from Marie Antoinette’s six pet cats that she sent to Maine during the French Revolution when she was planning her escape from France.

Though there are many theories, most cat breeders believe that the Maine Coon originated from shorthaired domestic cats and overseas longhairs.  It was known before as the “coon-cat” during the mid 1800s.  During the 17th and 18th centuries, only the strongest and most adaptive cats survived when they were brought in from different locations.  The Maine Coon eventually developed into a rugged cat that had water-resistant and a thick longhair coat.

Maine Coons are known for their size as they are very large.  Male Maine Coons can grow to as long as 40 inches.  The longest cat on records is a Maine Coon which measured 48 inches in length.  This breed usually reaches its full size only when it reaches its fourth or fifth year of age.

There are many colors of the Maine Coon, the most common being the brown tabby.  They also have a wide variety of eye color which is usually green, green-gold, or gold.  When the cat has a white coat, they can have blue eyes, or one blue eye and one gold eye.  Whatever their color, they usually share the distinct shape of the letter “M” on their forehead.   Their fur is medium-long and dense that is similar to the mane of a lion.  Their tails are bushy and broad.  Sometimes they are even referred to as “the tail with a cat attached to it” because of the bushiness of its tail.

Maine Coons are known for their intelligence and playfulness.  They use their front paws to a great extent and as a result can easily learn skills such as turning on faucets, opening cabinet doors, flushing toilets, or picking up small objects.  Because of their high intelligence, they are one of the easiest breeds to train.  It is common for this breed to enjoy playing with water.  They like to dip their toys in the water bowl or skim their paws on the surface of water.  Sometimes, they even drink water from their paws.  They prefer to eat and be in the company of other cats or humans.  They like accompanying their owner wherever they go.  They can be quite dog-like in terms of behaving as they like to play fetch.