Maine Coon Facts

The Maine Coon comes in many different colours and has been part of many breeding programmes over the years. As the name suggests, it hails from the area of Maine of the United States of America. The latter part of its name is actually named around its characteristic traits as it holds thick and darker coloured fur (in some cases). As such, the Maine cat was then named Maine Coon due to its resemblance of a raccoon, a very well-known animal in the states with distinct fur and patterning. The visual appearance isn’t the only resemblance between the two, the Maine Coon cat had also adapted its behaviour and abilities to live in similar conditions, allowing it to be an avid tree climber. This stands out far beyond the average domestic cat or other breeds in the same category.

The Maine Coon is a very interesting cat in itself as it dons some very distinct features with pointed and open ears, thick fur and other unusual characteristics. It was initially thought that some of these appearances would have been a result of certain genes being added to the pool through unintentional breeding. Even the Lynx cat was suggested to be the cause of the distinct pointed ears but research quickly discredited this altogether There are other mixes that are thought to be linked into the genepool of the Maine Coon cat. One popular belief is the migration of longhair cats from travellers in Britain had made their way into North America. These cats would have bred with the local cats and the environment had forced the genes of these cats to adapt and become the semi-long hair variation that we know today.

Maine Coon cats are sturdy and strong cats that will stand up mightily against most other breeds. Their weight can full just shy of ten kilos and it is a most sought after cat for its natural beauty and strength. In fact, this stands far beyond some of the cats that have been bred for aesthetic reasons. Of course on initial discovery the reception of the Maine Coon was uncertain and the Persian craze was all the rage at the time. However, after some time and recognition had settled in, the Maine Coon has not become the second most sought after cat in the States. This is a tremendous shift in opinion and shows how great the Main Coon really is.