The Maine Coon breed is thought to originate from Maine, New England hence the name but there are a few interesting stories about how they got there. I'll not mention all of them but I will write about my favourite and possibly the most believable story, plus one that reflects the thoughts of the people at the time. Traveller Captain Charles Coon who crossed the Atlantic from England always had cats on his ship. His ship eventually dock at Maine, where it's thought that the cats disembarked the ship and mated with the local feral cats. Once the feral cats had kittens they were regarded as "one of Coon's cats". Other stories such as they originated from breeding cats and raccoons which is genetically impossible but understandable at the time as the tails of Maine Coon cats are very bushy like those of a raccoon.
Eventually they were seen as an official breed of cat and they were entered into cat shows in America in the late 1800's winning many prizes such as the silver collar. This increase the Maine Coon's popularity. However by 20th century their popularity declined, this was because other long haired cat breeds were now available. The decline in popularity was so intense that the breed was declared extinct in the 1950s. This however was seen as premature and the Central Maine Cat Club worked hard to increase their popularity. Eventually in 1985 this breed was named the official cat of the state of Maine and has become extremely popular again.
RAGDOLL CATS
I've focused mainly on the history of the Maine Coon breed of cat so I'll give you a bit of information about their characteristics and personality.
Maine Coons are the largest breed of domestic cat and it's a cat from this breed that holds the Guinness record for the worlds largest cat. Males can weigh up to 11 kg and females are up to 6.8kg. They have medium to long fur which is generally silky but their pattern does have an influence on this. Some have main like a lion while others do not, but they all have a long (up to 14 inches) very bushy tail that they will wrap around themselves to keep themselves warm in cold weather.
They're a very patient cat, not really a cat to come sit on your lap though. They can also be very independent so don't need you as much as some of the other cat breeds do. They have above average intelligence compared to other breeds and will learn tricks but aren't as inquisitive as oriental breeds and don't need as much stimulation.
Main Coon Cat Breed - The History and Basic Information
You can find more information about cats such as their environmental needs and how to keep them healthy over at Cat Party. Here you will also find cat supplies such as Cat scratching posts which is perfect for large domestic cat breeds such as the Maine Coon and Ragdoll.
RAGDOLL CATS
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