It is known that the Maine Coon or Maine cat existed well before the U.S. Civil War and there are ample written documents appearing before the mid 1850s describing this cat breed in Maine.

Based on the fact that Maine was a seafaring State with much shipping activity during the 1700 and 1800s, it is supposed that cats from possibly many different areas of the world were introduced here and that natural selection based on the severe weather and climate favored the development over time of a large, hardy, intelligent, long-haired cat, resembling the Maine Coon of today.

The most credible story of the origin of the Maine Coon, comes from an oral history based on an account by a Mainer named Molly Haley, prior to 1820, which was handed down within her family and first reported by a local Maine newspaper in 1986.

The oral account was provided by Mainer, Lida Tarbox and recounts the story her father told her. Molly Haley was her father's great grandmother (and thus her great, great grandmother).

The Haley and Tarbox farms were adjacent to the port of Biddeford Pool Maine, at the confluence of the Saco River and Atlantic Ocean. According to Molly Haley's story, there was a cabin boy on the Glen Laurie, one of the four masted schooners in Biddeford Pool, named Jack Coon. One of Jack's duties in port was to go ashore and procure cats to deal with the wharf rats on his ship. On one procurement expedition, Jack brought back to ship a beautiful long haired cat. Subsequently, this first Coon cat and her litter of kittens were left in "safe harbor" at the Tarbox farm, when the Glen Laurie anchored to take on supplies at Cutts Store in Biddeford Pool (next to the Tarbox and Haley farms).

When cabin boy Jack Coon eventually became the captain of a whaling vessel, he continued to bring his exotic long-haired cats to the farm, when he went off to sea. Documentation of a whaling captain Coon and his seagoing family can be found at the Maine State Library.

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Maine Coon Cats are often larger in size and weight than other domestic cats and have a distinct look, due to their tufted ears, size and double coats. They appear Lynx-like and are often polydactyl, with one or more extra toes. The trait of having extra toes gives the Coon cat an extra ability to walk on the snow and they are often referred to as snowshoe cats. It is estimated that upwards of 40% of Coon cats in Maine are born with this trait, although it has been largely culled from the show breeding population, where it is not acceptable.

Weight - Coon cats average between 13 - 20 pounds for males and 7 -11 pounds for females, with some males reaching 25 pounds.

Length - Male Maine Coon cats often reach 40 inches in length, with the largest on record being 48 inches. Coon cats mature more slowly than other cats, often taking 4 to 5 years to reach full growth.

Coat - Maine Coons have dense medium length coats, with a ruff on their chest similar to a lions mane. The coat itself is comprised of two layers, with an undercoat and a top layer of longer guard hairs. They have longer hair on the backs of their legs, called britches and long hair between their toes for warmth. They also have plumed, and very bushy tails.

Features - Maine Coons tend to have angular heads with squared-off jaws and tufts of hair growing at the tips of the ears and sometimes behind the ears as well.

Colors - The most common color and pattern for these cats is brown with tabby markings. Other colors and markings are recognized for these cats, except for lavender, ticked tabby, chocolate and point restricted (siamese pattern). Eye colors vary, but are usually green, green-gold or gold.

Behavior - Maine Coons are noted for their high intelligence, dexterity and playfulness. They are known to be easy to box train and they make great lap cats. Due to their dexterity, they easily learn to open drawers, turn-on faucets and sometimes eat and drink using their paws instead of their bowel. They also make strange trilling sounds, when happy or surprised, which is like a combination of a purr and a meow. In addition, their meows tend to be at a much higher pitch than other cats. Another odd behavior is their dislike of eating alone. They much prefer to eat along with other cats, or when their people are eating. Coon cats are often noted to be more dog like, in that they love to play fetch games with their owners, will often accompany their people while doing chores outside and are very attentive to their owners, coming when beckoned etc.

Health - Maine Coon Cats tend to be very healthy and hardy, with good nutrition, standard veterinary care and healthy living conditions.

gmarlett, Copyright 2008, All rights reserved.

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Due to the tireless efforts of 6 Maine Coon Cat Breeders in 1968, the Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association (MCBFA) was organized to preserve and protect the breed. Since then the breed has grown into one of the most popular show and pet cat breeds. Today, MCBFA membership numbers over 1000 fanciers and 200 breeders.

Maine Coons were established more than a century ago as a hardy, handsome domestic cat breed. They naturally evolved as a breed that was well equipped to survive the hostile New England winters. Natural selection is not kind-hearted in this regard and it selects only the biggest, brightest, best fighters, and best hunters to breed successive generations.

Planned breeding of Maine Coons has been conducted relatively recently. Since planned breeding began, Maine Coon breeders have sought to preserve the Maine Coon's "natural," rugged qualities. The ideal Maine Coon is a strong, healthy cat.

Ten Great Reasons for Selecting and Owning a Maine Coon:

1).Funny clown-like personality

2).Very affectionate nature

3).Amusing habits and tricks

4).Willingness to "help-out" around the house with any activity.

5).Easily groomed.

6).Excellent companions for large active families.

7) Gets along well with dogs and other pets.

8).Their hardiness and ease of kittening make them satisfying for the novice breeder.

9). They have reclaimed their former glory as a show cat.

10). It's uncanny ability to read your mind.

gmarlett Copyright 2008 all rights reserved

(Photo courtesy of Flickr)

Complete Cat Health Care Guide