Maine Coon Cat - Breed Information

The Maine Coon is the oldest American breed. It is also one of the most popular cat breeds in the US, second only to Persians.

Maine Coons are the biggest domesticated cats. The enormous sizes of these cats paired with their sweet and loving nature gave them a nickname ‘gentle giants’.

Maine Coons are companionable, friendly, loyal and intelligent which makes them perfect family cats.

They are not the easiest cats in maintenance. Due to their long and thick coat, they need frequent grooming. A cat owner of the Main Coon cat will also have to spend more money on food than on the average-size cat.

Maine Coon Cat – Personality

Maine Coons are friendly and companionable cats with a very kind disposition. Thanks to their loving nature and enormous size they got a nickname ‘gentle giants’.

They are loyal to their owner and love a human company. They are a perfect family member and ideal as a first-time cat.

Maine Coons are also very intelligent and easily trainable. They are talkative cats that emit charming, chirping sounds, not too loud.

This breed needs a lot of space and thrives best outdoors. If you want to keep a Maine Coon indoors you should provide her with an outdoor pen.

Maine Coon Cat – Physical Attributes

The Maine Coon has a very large, long and well-muscled body, almost rectangular in shape. The head is wedge-shaped and although fairly large, it’s fairly small in proportion to the rest of the body. The nose is medium-long and the eyes are large that taper to a point.

The legs are of medium length and with oversized paws referred to as snowshoes to help with walking on the snow. The tail is thick and almost as long as a body, with a wide base and a blunt, plum-like end.

Maine Coons have a thick three-layer coat, consisting of two undercoats and a guard coat. The characteristic sign of the Main Coon cat is an ‘M’ sign on the forehead.

Size: large

Body shape: large, long and well-muscled, almost rectangular in shape

Head shape: wedge-shaped

Wight: 3.5 – 8kg (8 – 18 lb)

Coat: thick and shaggy yet silky

Lifespan: 12+ years

Colors: all except Chocolate and Lilac points and Colorpoints, but most often copper-brown marked in black

Eyes: large, slightly slanted and set well apart; green, gold or copper in color; Whites can have blue or odd eyes

Maine Coon Cat – Origin

The Maine Coon is a native and the oldest breed from the US. It originated in the state of Maine and is its official state mammal. They are one of the most popular cat breeds in the US, second only to Persians.

There are speculations that the forebears of Maine Coons were robust American farm cats and longhaired cats (possibly Turkish Angora or Siberian) of Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France who was executed in 1793. In an attempt to escape France, Marie Antoinette loaded the ship with her possessions including her cats. She didn’t make a trip, but her cats did and landed in Maine.

Maine Coon Cat – Grooming

Maine Coons are long-hairs with a three-layer coat: two undercoats and the guard coat. They spend a third of their time grooming themselves and they require frequent grooming from their owners. Maine Coons require to be brushed a minimum twice a week to maintain their fur in good condition.

Maine Coon Cat – Health

Maine Coons are generally healthy and hardy cats.

Maine Coon Cat – Nutrition

Books, Gadgets and Gift Ideas for Maine Coon Cat Lovers

If you are in love with these graceful, sweet-natured cats, or you know someone who is, here is a list of books and gadgets with a Maine Coon cat theme: