Meet the gentle giant.
A Maine Coon cat is an amazing pet in so many ways. Maine Coons are friendly, playful, loyal, affectionate, intelligent and overall they are just the perfect pet companion to have in your home. While there are so many different breeds of domestic cats – none are like the Maine Coon.
A Little History
The Maine Coon is a large native American Cat, originating in the State of Maine where it is the official state cat. It is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America and is considered the only longhair breed native to the U.S. Its not a generated species by cross breeding with feral breeds, like Bengals and Savannah cats.
Origin
There are numerous theories and myths as to how the Maine Coon breed came about in New England. One old myth points to their origins as being a result of domestic cats mating with racoons hence the bushy tail which resembles that of a raccoon. Today, we all know that this is scientifically impossible. Another theory is that they originated from short-haired domestic cats breeding with European long-haired cats brought ashore by early American settlers. ‘Experts’ agree that this theory is more plausible. Maine Coons evolved to be large and hardy with a shaggy water-resistant fur coat to survive the harsh winters of the region. Originally Maine Coons were an outdoor cat, and later became a valuable domestic breed who kept ships, barns and homes clear of rodents.
Personality
Despite their imposing size, Maine Coons are very affectionate, good tempered and gentle. They can adapt to any type of home and climate; just make sure they have adequate room to exercise and give them lots of love and attention. This special breed tend to get along well with everyone, including children, dogs and other cats too. Just like people, each cat will have their own unique personality. However, apart from the size difference, there is little difference in temperament between sexes of Maine Coons. Their easygoing disposition and high level of intelligence has earned them the title “dogs of the cat world.”
Appearance
Maine Coons are characterized by their prominent ruff along the chest, large bone structure, rectangular body shape, large paws with tufted toes, ear tufts, lynx tips, and nice long bushy tails. Maine Coons are big boned, muscular breeds. Don’t be surprised when your little ‘gentle giant’ reaches up to 16 inches in height and weighs an impressive 15-22lbs. Maine Coon cats continue to grow, and will reach their full physical size between 3-4 years of age whereas other domestic breeds will only take 2 years. Maine Coons grow for a much longer period of time than most cats.
Maine Coons are available in a wide variety of color combinations and patterns. Common colors for Maine Coons include silver, white, black, blue and brown with various combinations thereof. Maine Coons patterns can be with white patches of varying degrees or a completely solid color with no white. Maine Coons Patterns are separate from the coat’s color, the accepted patterns are classic, mackerel, spotted/ticked, solid, tortoiseshell, calico, tabby, smoke, shaded, torbie and many others. No color or pattern is preferred over any other.
Diet and Nutrition
Maine Coons require a diet high in protein to ensure healthy growth. As with other heavily built breeds, it’s important to keep Maine Coon cats from becoming overweight. Feed your Maine Coon high-quality age appropriate cat food and make sure they get plenty of exercise. As with all cat breeds, staying lean is healthier and the key to living a long happy, active life.
Grooming
Maine Coons have beautiful long, heavy, shaggy coats that are silky and slightly oily. For this reason, Maine Coon cats require weekly brushing to keep their hair and undercoat from getting matted and tangled. Brushing also helps spread natural oils over the cat’s coat. Grooming takes time, but its time well spent; it will make your cat look and feel good, while strengthen the bond between cat and owner. Brushing your cat is one of the most important things you can do to keep his coat healthy and minimize shedding. For one, brushing helps remove loose hairs, so you’ll find a lot less of them on your cloths and around your home!
It is good practice to trim their nails. Since we have a no-declawing clause in our contract, we do suggest that you keep your cats claws trimmed and also provide your kitten with a scratching pad, post or both. Nail trimming should be started early, so that your kitten will learn that it’s okay to allow his feet to be handled. Most cats should have their claws trimmed every few weeks.
Scratching is a natural healthy grooming behavior with lot of benefits. It helps to remove the outer layer from a cat’s nails, keeping them in good condition. Scratching also creates both scent and visual signals designed to mark territory. This means that if you provide a scratching pad for your cat from the beginning, they will return to it and not your furniture. Cats scratch to stretch their claws, feet, and bodies. This helps to alleviate stress, built-up energy and it releases “feel-good” hormones that help keep your cat calm. If you do not provide them with something to scratch on, they will pick out something I’m sure you don’t want them to use.
Exercise
Kittens and cats hone their hunting skills through play. Since a house cat doesn’t have to hunt for its food, it still needs to burn its pent-up energy. The stalking and hunting instincts of their ancestors are still strong. Adequate active play keeps the heart healthy, joints lubricated, and is great for mental stimulation. Maine Coons are very social and love interactive play with their owner and other family members. We recommend scheduling playtime twice daily, with about 15 – 30 minutes per session. Visit your local pet shop and pick kitty-safe toys that you can move around to look alive, and watch your kitten stalk, pounce and attack them, rather than your toes. Maine Coons are very intelligent and can be taught fun tricks, such as fetch.