One
of the oldest natural breeds in North America, the Maine Coon is
generally regarded as a native of the state of Maine (the Maine Coon is
the official Maine State Cat). A native American longhaired cat the
Maine Coon was recognized as a specific breed in Maine where they were
held in high regard for their mousing talents. Through nature's own
breeding program, this breed has developed into a sturdy cat ideally
suited to the harsh winters and varied seasons of the region.
A
number of legends surround its origin. A wide-spread, though
biologically impossible belief is that it originated from matings
between semi-wild, domestic cats and raccoons. This myth, bolstered by
the bushy tail and the most common colouring (a raccoon-like brown
tabby) led to the adoption of the name Maine Coon. Originally, only
brown tabbies were called Maine Coon Cats; cats of other colours were
referred to as Maine Shags.
Another
popular theory is that the Maine sprang from the six pet cats which
Marie Antoinette sent to Wiscasset, Maine., when she was planning to
escape from France during the French Revolution. Most breeders today
believe that the breed originated in matings between pre-existing
shorthaired domestic cats and overseas longhairs (perhaps Angora types
introduced by New England seamen, or longhairs brought to America by
the Vikings). Interestingly, the breed closest to the Maine Coon is the
Norwegian Forest Cat which, although geographically distant, evolved in
much the same climate, and lends credence to the theory that some of
the cats responsible for developing the Maine Coon were brought over by
the Vikings.
The Maine
Coon is known for its large size,
easygoing temperament, and rugged appearance. This native New England
breed is well-adapted to that harsh climate, with a heavy, shaggy coat,
bushy tail, and tufted ears and toes. They have a long, rectangular
body, square muzzles, and an overall look of a sturdy cat who is a
great hunter and hard worker.Though
the brown tabby pattern is perhaps the
best known, Maine Coons are available in a variety of colors and
patterns.
The
first Maine Coon recognized in cat
literature as such was in 1861, with a black and white cat named
"Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines", after a popular song of the time.
In 1895, a brown tabby named Cosie was the winner of the Madison Square
Garden show. The fifth cat registered in the new CFA in 1908 was a
Maine Coon named Molly Bond.
Unfortunately,
the popularity of the Maine
Coon declined shortly after this until the 1950s, due to the
importation of more exotic-seeming cats such as the Persian and
Siamese. After the 1950s, the popularity climbed until today; the Maine
is now one of the world's most popular cat breeds, second only to the
Persian.
Maine Coons can
grow to be quite
large; females are
generally somewhat smaller than males, though still considerably larger
than the average housecat.