Let’s start with the name. The name Maine comes from the North eastern American State where the breed is thought to have originated. The Coon bit is a little bit more difficult. The original cats tended to be brown tabbies, with very dark back and a long flowing tail, rather like a raccoon, and long ago, people thought that they must have evolved from mating between domestic cats and raccoons. Of course we now know that this is genetically impossible, but this may have been where the name came from. In fact there are lots of legends surrounding the Maine Coons’origins, including one that they originally came from Marie-Antionette, and were transported to America from France for safety when things started heating up at the time of the French revolution.

However, it is far more likely that the MaineCoon actually evolved from matings between domestic shorthairs introduced by early settlers and angora types later taken across the Atlantic by seafareres. This is were Darwins’ theory of survival of the fittest comes into play and only the best of the breed survived, mating to produce a hardy animal, capable of living in a cold harsh climate. Man has not altered the breed and the cats’ appearance has remained virtually the same since its beginning. The Maine Coon was originally the American wild cat, living mainly on farms for its ability to catch vermin. The cat has all the points of a typical hunter. It has large eyes and ears, essential for detecting prey, and a big, muscular body for catching them.

Being a cold climate animal, it has a long silky shaggy coat, short over the head, becoming longer on the back, stomach, legs and ruff. This is not for beauty but for sheer survival. There is a soft undercoat, covered by a harsher weatherproof topcoat to keep the animal dry. This must not be fluffy, like a persian type, otherwise it may become entangled in hedges whilst out hunting. The shagginess acts rather like layers of newspapers it traps air which helps to keep the animal warm.

The legs must be long, thick and powerful, the feet should be large and round, tufted underneath going backwards to form a ‘snowshoe’ effect, again for coping with harsh winters. He must also have large feathered ears, preferebly tufted at the tips.Feathering should extend beyond the outer edges of the ear. The frontal ruff should start at the base of the ears, and is normally heavier in males than females. All this is to prevent heat loss. The Maine Coons’coat is very seasonal, and much can be lost in the summer months, particularly with un-neutered animals.

But the Maine Coons’ pride and joy is his tail. In fact he is often referred to as ‘the tail with the cat on the end’. The tail must be at least as long as the body and is especially long so that the cat can wrap it around its body rather like a blanket for extra insulation.

The Maine Coon takes 3-4 years to finish growing, and people expect to see a giant cat sitting in a pen, when at fifteen months he’s still a baby. Fully grown females average 7-12lbs and males 10-18lbs.

People seem to have the impression that any colour combination is acceptable. First and foremost, chocolate,lilac or Siamese Points are definitely not permissible. This is because they are not natural colours to the area where the Maine Coon originated from. Most other colour combinations are accepted, but cats aiming at show bench must not be more than1/3 white. Blue or odd eyes are only permissible in white cats. Since the colour can take several months to develop, this can lead to headaches when registering kittens, as the colour you see at eight weeks may be completely different three months later as it develops. Coat colour and pattern are less important than the coat type and texture.

Because of the way it has evolved it should really have no more defects than an ordinary moggie. It is a natural mother, usually giving birth without too many difficulties to a litter of about 4 kittens. As with most kittens, they are active, playful and very attractive.

Maine Coons are the clowns of the cat world, with a rather quiet but extrovert personality. They normally adapt to new surroundings with the greatest of ease. They are in general, highly intelligent, but a dripping tap can turn them into idiots, as they happily spend hours catching drops, without realizing that they’re slowly starting to resemble a drowned rat. The maine Coon is a very affectionate creature. He adores to be loved by any member of the family, he does not tend to choose one particular person. Also known for sleeping in the most weird positions and places, perhaps the most unique thing to the Maine Coon is the noise he makes. Rather than the standard meow, this cat chirps, a noise which is hard to descibe but once heard hard never forgotten.

So what are the pros and cons of choosing a Maine Coon as a pet? Well, advantages include a highly intelligent, affectionate, and not overly demanding cat which adapts well with very few defects. The coat is relatively easy to maintain and because of the colour and pattern combinations no two are ever the same.

There is one major disadvantage to living with a Maine Coon – one cat is never enough, and before long you’ll be looking for another one!