The Maine Raccoon cat, or Maine Coon, is one of the oldest breeds in North America, where it is rightly considered national. The first thing I want to say about these large, beautiful, graceful and gentle animals: they inspire respect for themselves. Maine Coons strikingly combine power and strength with a kind disposition, rare restraint, noble manners and immense devotion to their master.

Maine Coons are fluffy beauties, very large and heavy (the weight of some animals reaches 29 lb), With a strong muscular body and a long tail, They have thick, flowing silky hair, shorter on the head and shoulders, it becomes very long on the back, belly and hind legs, where it forms beautiful "pants". A large head with large intelligent eyes is decorated with a long expressive mustache. Modern Maine Coons come in a variety of colors, although the traditional is the "wild" color - marble, striped or spotted.

Cats are usually larger than cats. Maine Coon cats are extremely caring and gentle towards their kittens, large, strong and very mobile. Maine Coons are characterized by late maturation. Animals are finally formed only by the age of four or five. The name of the Maine Coon breed comes from two words: "Maine" (English "Main") - the name of the American state, located in the northeastern United States, where once upon a time these cats were found in abundance, and the words "Coon" (English. "Coon"), which means "raccoon". The fact is that, according to one of the legends, this cat was born from the love of a cat and a raccoon, from which many Maine Coons inherited stripes.

The exact origin of the Maine Coon, like many other breeds, is unknown. We can only say that this is one of the first, if not the very first, of the known breeds of North America. There are several assumptions about its origin. According to one of them, these cats were introduced to the new continent by the Vikings in the 11th century. There is also an opinion that the ancestors of the breed were very large cats, which have long been found in New England and lead a semi-wild lifestyle. According to other sources, Maine Coons were brought to the North American continent from Asia Minor. The sailors took them with them on a voyage, because the Mainecoons perfectly hunted the rodents that were found in the holds of ships. Some even attribute a peculiar sea gait to the Maine Coons. Another popular legend says that six cats became the ancestors of the breed,

In our time, the version about the origin of the Maine Coons is considered the most probable due to the crossing of American short-haired cats with long-haired brethren brought to the continent. By the end of the 19th century, Maine raccoon cats were widespread in the northern and eastern states of North America. The first mention of Maine Coons as a breed dates back to 1860. When farmers gathered for the annual agricultural shows of the northeastern United States in Maine, they displayed their favorite cats among other animals. At the shows, the best cat was awarded the title of Maine Raccoon Champion. It is also known that in 1895, a cat show was held in the United States at Madison Square Garden. The Maine Coon cat named Cousie won this show. She was awarded a gold medal and a special personalized collar,

Unfortunately, further until 1953, Maine Coons were rarely mentioned. But with the formation in 1953 of the Maine Coon Club in the USA, they again became interested in this beautiful breed. The club contributed to the popularization of these cats, regularly holding Maine Coon shows. The breed was finally registered with the Cat Breeders Association of America (CFA) in 1976.

The popularity of the breed quickly grew not only in America, but also in England, Holland, Germany and many other countries, where Maine raccoon cats are now being bred with enthusiasm. In Russia, the first Maine Coons appeared in 1989, at the dawn of the development of Russian felinology, when a pair of these wonderful animals was presented to the chairman of the ICLC “Felis” Olga Abramova by friends from Denmark.

Features of the breed:

according to the standard, the Maine Coon should be very large, especially the cats. If for cats of this breed average sizes are still acceptable, then for cats this is a significant drawback;

Maine Coons have a characteristic head shape: the vibrissa pads are clearly limited and form a so-called "box". The chin is strong and heavy. In general, "squareness" is a characteristic feature of the Maine Coon's appearance;

pay special attention to the ears. They should be large, with tufts of wool inside, with a wide base, pointed at the ends and finished with tassels;

the eyes are large, round or oval, set wide and slightly oblique. Their color is more often yellow-green;

the body is long, with a broad chest and a horizontal back, rectangular, muscular. Legs are strong, powerful, set wide apart, of medium length. Paws are large, round, with tufts of hair between the toes;

the tail should be as long and well furred as possible. The length of the tail for the Maine Coon is of fundamental importance;

the coat must fully comply with the standard, that is, be sufficiently long, thick, silky, but not too soft (the color of the coat affects the quality and texture of the coat, for example, white cats have softer hair than agouti cats).

Maine raccoon cats do not require any special grooming and are ideal for those who love long-haired cats but do not have time to brush their fur daily.

Almost everyone who has had a chance to communicate with Maine raccoon cats notes such qualities of these animals as nobility, tact, restraint and strength of character, apparently based on self-confidence. They are independent and independent, possessing a calm and balanced character, at the same time they are active, mobile and prefer to have enough space for walking. Their favorite activities are playing, running, jumping and performing various tricks. Maine Coons are wonderful and tireless hunters. They conscientiously catch rats and mice, saving the hosts from uninvited guests. Freedom-loving Maine Coons should have their own living space, where they can be left to themselves. These wonderful cats have an interesting feature - they go to bed in the most unexpected places and in the most unusual positions. Most likely, they are echoes of life in the wild. They like, having settled down conveniently somewhere not far from the owner, discreetly watching him. They probably know much more about us than we think.

Maine Coons show amazing sensitivity and delicacy in relation to their owners, they are patient, gentle and affectionate with them. With strangers, they are usually careful and do not tolerate familiarity. Maine Coons have a good memory. They are able to memorize many words and intonations and can understand a person by a barely noticeable gesture or look. These cats have a pleasant voice and a characteristic low purr.

This is a breed, in the natural essence of which man has made few changes. Thanks to this, Maine Coons inherited the traits inherent in their wild ancestors. Watching the games of these cats, you involuntarily admire the indomitable strength and agility of these beautiful animals, their swift and graceful movements.

Maine Coons with their colorful appearance and docile nature managed to win many fans. Maine Coons do not compete with any other breeds of cats, They just delight us, like everything is perfect.