MAINE COON (Main-coon – American raccoon cat), a breed of semi-longhaired cats.
The ancestors of Maine Coons originally lived in North America (Maine).
So what kind of animal is this – the American raccoon cat? What is it like, where did it come from, what is its character and habits in reality?
The Maine Coon is considered the largest cat (weight reaches 15 kg), but usually the average weight of female cats is 5-8 kg, and male cats – 8-10 kg. With this weight, male cats do not give the impression of being fat or overfed animals.
“The Maine Raccoon Cat” – has lived on farms for a long time and its duties included fighting numerous rodents. Maine Coons were first presented at an exhibition in the USA in 1869. From this time begins the official history of this breed, which is described in detail in numerous publications.
The early history of the breed is shrouded in mystery. Cats came to the American continent a long time ago, with the first ships of settlers from Europe. Then – the realm of legends that those same cats crossed with the North American lynx (the well-known delightful tassels on the Maine Coon’s ears serve as a “weighty argument” in favor of this version), or even with a raccoon (in favor of this version is given the part of the name racoon – “coon” -, as well as a wide fluffy tail and coloring reminiscent of a raccoon).
The versions are extremely romantic and attractive, but have no basis due to species differences and the impossibility of interspecies crossing.
One of the legends says that the American continent owes long-haired cats to Marie Antoinette. Captain Samuel Cloa was preparing the escape of the disgraced queen from France in 1793. The ship was loaded with everything that the queen, a well-known fan of luxury, considered necessary to take with her on the road: luxurious furniture, expensive trinkets and six of the queen’s favorite cats. But fate decreed otherwise. The escape failed, the queen was executed, and the captain was forced to flee, fearing persecution. So the cats of the disgraced queen ended up on the American continent, where they found their new home and were accepted into the society of short-haired cats who had arrived on the continent earlier.
These are legends, but in general it can be said that the appearance of long-haired cats on the American continent is associated with the economic development of America. The first settlers were poor people and they were accompanied by ordinary short-haired cats. As the country became more and more attractive to quite wealthy people, expensive long-haired cats appeared on the continent along with them. It was their descendants who began to settle on the east coast and, naturally, the hardier and more adapted individuals survived.
In snowy winters, only long-legged cats with powerful, strong limbs and wide paws resembling snowshoes could move freely. The ears, as the most exposed part of the body to cold, inevitably became more heavily furred. Long hair, inherited from aristocratic ancestors, protected from the cold. But the real pride of Maine Coons is their tail. Perhaps this is exactly the fluffy blanket the cat needed to cover itself in cold winters.
Maine Coon cat is medium to large in size, with a strong build. The fur is thick, silky to the touch, shiny, shorter on the front part of the body, longer on the stomach and hind limbs. There are tassels on the ears, which makes it look like a lynx. Thick tufts of fur in the ears and between the toes are designed to protect against the cold. The paws themselves are wide and strong. Large ears and eyes allow for increased vision and hearing. A relatively long and square muzzle, reminiscent of a lion’s, is convenient for getting prey from holes and water from frozen puddles and streams. It is obvious that the whole appearance of the Maine Coon is in perfect harmony with wild nature.
By nature, the Maine Coon is surprisingly kind, balanced and benevolent, curious and trusting, like a child. This is a cat-friend, a cat-companion. No housework can be done without the participation of a Maine Coon – they are very attached to their owner and will literally follow him around like a “tail”, taking part in all household chores. Maine Coons are very active and mobile animals, retaining the habits of kittens until old age. They love all kinds of dynamic games and are able to have fun without the participation of the owner.
Maine Coons are very sociable creatures, they are able to get along in the same house with other animals, including dogs. Despite their impressive appearance, menacing and heavy look, Maine Coons are very friendly and affectionate. It is not for nothing that they are also called “gentle giants”.
Another pleasant feature of the coon is an unusual voice! They practically do not meow, but make pleasant cooing sounds, purring, gurgling, croaking.
Among the interesting features of the Maine Coon, one can note the habit of “raking” water before drinking, they can dig around the bowl, along the edges, as if chasing something away, often even directly “digging” in the water. Perhaps this is a legacy of farm life, when they had to drink from puddles, ponds, streams and first had to drive away dry leaves and branches.
They choose cool places to sleep, do not like warm bedding and closed houses, if the Maine Coon does not have the opportunity to walk in a cool enclosure, he will prefer to sleep on cool tiles, on a windowsill, in a sink or in the bathtub to sleeping in your bed (which many other cats want and love so much!).
Representing the pride of the American nation and the cream of domestic cats, the Maine Coon has remained the way nature created him – he breathes with the unspent healthy freshness of wild life. No one has even tried to change this amazing balance of proportions and forms, which has been causing only admiration for one and a half hundred years… And if there is a cat in the form of a person, then it is the Maine Coon.