About the breed – Humphries Family Maine Coons

The History of the Maine Coon

The Maine Coon is believed to have developed naturally in the Northeastern United States. Though many legends persist about the Maine Coons having been bred from bobcats or raccoons, they are 100% housecat, descending from cats brought to America by settlers. The breed evolved to be quite large and hardy, with a thick, shaggy coat. These traits were necessary for the cats to survive and thrive in the harsh winters of the region.

Beginning around the 1860s, some farmers began exhibiting their prized “coon cats” at the Skowhegan Fair, which is the nation’s oldest consecutively held agricultural fair, dating back to 1818. Here, the predecessors to today’s modern Maine Coon breed competed for the title of Maine State Champion Coon Cat

A female brown tabby Maine Coon named Cosey won what is regarded as the first American cat show, held at Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 8, 1895.1 The Cat Fanciers’ Association’s first stud book and breed registry from 1908 lists the Maine Coon as a foundation breed (listed as “Maine Cats”). The breed is also recognized by the International Cat Association. The Maine Coon was designated as the state cat of Maine in 1985.

Characteristics of the Maine Coon Cat

Said to be dog-like in disposition, the Maine Coon cat is intelligent, friendly, and gentle. Laid-back and self-assured, these cats tend to take everything in stride and are great playmates for gentle children. They can usually coexist peacefully with other household pets, including other cats and cat-friendly dogs.

Maine Coons are sociable and inquisitive, and can usually be found wherever the action is in the house, inserting themselves into every interesting situation. Talkative but not overly loud, they express themselves through a variety of soft and melodious meows, chirps, and trills. They are quite trainable cats and enjoy learning tricks, responding well to positive training methods and tasty food treats. Despite the old stereotype, Maine Coons often love water and may play in it, bathe in it, dip their food in it, and even swim.

Affection Level	High
Friendliness	High
Kid-Friendly	High
Pet-Friendly	High
Exercise Needs	Medium
Playfulness	Medium
Energy Level	Medium
Intelligence	High
Tendency to Vocalize	High
Amount of Shedding	Medium

Appearance

The Maine Coon is a solid, rugged cat that is well-proportioned and balanced despite their massive size. They have muscular, long, rectangular bodies with broad chests. Their large, round paws have tufts of hair sticking up from the toes. The head is slightly longer in length than width, with high cheekbones, a distinctive square muzzle, and large, well-tufted ears. The Maine Coon cat coat is heavy and shaggy with a ruff on the chest. The breed comes in many different colors and patterns except for chocolate, lavender, and the Himalayan (pointed) pattern.

Maine Coon Cat Care

The Maine Coon cat’s long, shaggy coat is silky and slightly oily, a helpful feature that makes the coat water-resistant, allowing it to repel rain and snow, keeping the cat warmer and drier in inclement weather. Though long, the coat doesn’t shed excessively as long as you thoroughly brush and comb the cat regularly, at least once weekly. You may wish to bathe your cat occasionally to help the coat look and feel clean. Your Maine Coon probably won’t mind getting scrubbed down since most enjoy playing in water. Trim your cat’s nails regularly and look inside their ears once a week, cleaning them with a cat-safe ear cleanser if they seem dirty. Any redness or excessive dirt in the ears is an indication that it’s time to schedule a veterinary visit.

Maine Coons are typically active without being hyper. They enjoy playing and are even reported to love games of fetch, just like a dog. To keep your Maine Coon physically and mentally stimulated, engage him with playful toys like feather teasers or other favorite toys. Scratching is a natural behavior that is also mentally and physically enriching. To make sure your cat scratches in the right places (not the couch), set up approved scratching areas in your house with vertical scratchers (like tall posts or cat trees) as well as horizontal scratchers that lie flat on the ground (like cardboard or sisal scratchers).