Maine Coon Cat

The Maine Coon is a large cat, very hardy and active, and good with children, but shy. It is good tempered, easy to groom and to care for. It loves playing and performing tricks, and has a delightful quiet, chirping voice. No two Maine Coons will sound alike. Distinctive in appearance, the cat is almost shorthaired in front and longhaired along the back and stomach. Maine Coons are known as the gentle giant. Maine Coon cats are not known as 'lap cats'. Rather a Maine coon will generally sit and sleep next to their owner, rather then on their lap. Maine coons seem to like their independence, but they always want to be around people. They generally will follow their owners from room to room, and they do not like being alone. They find people very interesting.

Used to harsh climates and to living rough, the Maine Coon is apt to sleep in strange positions and in peculiar places. Although adaptable to indoor or outdoor life, this cat would prefer plenty of space to roam. Requiring little grooming, it makes an ideal pet for the person who likes the beauty of a long haired cat, but does not have the time to devote to daily grooming.

Grooming
The Maine Coon's undercoat is slight, so the cat is easy to groom and a gentle brushing and combing every few days will suffice to remove dead hairs.

Origin and history
Like many breeds of cat, the Maine Coon's origin is largely unknown. Most likely, it developed from matings between domestic shorthaired cats and longhaired cats brought by traders from Asia Minor to Maine and other parts of New England, long before records of cats were kept.
It is possible that in its early days, the Maine Coon may have roamed free, and was given the name 'coon cat' because of its similarity in
appearance and habits to the native raccoon. Both have long fur, climb trees and, as tabby is the common pattern among non pedigree cats, have fur of a similar colour and ringed tails.
Although no early records were kept, the Maine Coon was well known in the East Coast states by the end of the nineteenth century.

Breeding
Maine Coons usually have only one litter per year and make good mothers. Because of the breed's mixed background, the litters often contain a colourful assortment of kittens.

Kittens
The large, robust kittens mature slowly. Growth to full size often takes longer than for most cats, with Maine Coons usually reaching full size at age three or four.