Maine
Coon History
One
of the oldest natural breeds in North America,
the Maine Coon is generally regarded as a
native of the state of Maine (the Maine Coon
is the official Maine State Cat). Through
nature's own breeding program, this breed
has developed into a sturdy cat ideally suited
to the harsh winters and varied seasons of
the region.
A
number of legends surround its origin. A
wide-spread, though biologically impossible
belief is that it originated from matings
between semi-wild, domestic cats and raccoons.
This myth, bolstered by the bushy tail and
the most common colouring (a raccoon-like
brown tabby) led to the adoption of the name
Maine Coon. Originally, only brown tabbies
were called Maine Coon Cats; cats of other
colours were referred to as Maine Shags.
Another
popular theory is that the Maine sprang from
the six pet cats which Marie Antoinette sent
to Wiscasset, Maine., when she was planning
to escape from France during the French Revolution.
Most breeders today believe that the breed
originated in matings between pre-existing
shorthaired domestic cats and overseas longhairs
(perhaps Angora types introduced by New England
seamen, or longhairs brought to America by
the Vikings). Interestingly, the breed closest
to the Maine Coon is the Norwegian Forest
Cat which, although geographically distant,
evolved in much the same climate, and lends
credence to the theory that some of the cats
responsible for developing the Maine Coon
were brought over by the Vikings.
First
recorded in cat literature in 1861 with a
mention of a black and white cat named "Captain
Jenks of the Horse Marines". Maine Coons
were popular competitors at early cat shows
in Boston and New York. A brown tabby female
named "Cosie" won Best Cat at the
1895 Madison Square Garden Show. The transition
from easygoing farm cat to CFA finalist was
not an easy one, nor did it happen quickly.
Although they lost favor and were conspicuously
absent from shows for quite a long time,
we are now seeing large classes of these
beauties in most cat shows and it is not
unusual for a Maine Coon to be named “Best
Cat.”
While
Maine Coons are highly people-oriented cats,
they are not overly-dependent. They do not
constantly pester you for attention, but
prefer to "hang out" with their
owners, investigating whatever activity you're
involved in and "helping" when
they can. They are not, as a general rule,
known as "lap cats" but as with
any personality trait there are a few Maine
Coons that prefer laps. Most Maine Coons
will stay close by, probably occupying the
chair next to yours instead. Maines will
follow you from room to room and wait outside
a closed door for you to emerge. |
