Maine Coon

The Maine Coon is one of the largest and most popular breeds of cat in the world. From the tip of their nose to the end of their tail, these “gentle giants” can reach a length of 120 centimetres.

Content

Profile Appearance and character Keeping and caring for a Maine Coon cat Nutrition Health History and breeding

Profile of the Main Coon

Size large
Weight female: approx. 5.5 kg, male: approx. 7 kg
Origin USA
Build large, robust
Length of fur medium-long
Colour of fur all colours (no “points”)
Grooming medium
Behaviour affectionate, talkative
Character intelligent, friendly

Appearance and character of the Maine Coon

While there are much more extreme size differences in dogs, cats can also differ in size considerably. Some cats weigh just two kilograms, making an adult male Maine Coon weighing up to nine kilograms look like a giant. This is not only due to their sheer size, with a shoulder height of up to 40 centimetres and a length of up to 120 centimetres, but also because of their lush fur. It has a double-layered structure: on the outside there is a dense all-weather coat with smooth hairs several centimetres long. Hidden underneath is a soft, fine undercoat. The fur on the cat’s sides and neck is particularly beautiful. The breed standard states that a neck ruff should be present. There are, however, hardly any requirements regarding the coat colour: with the exception of points, all colour varieties are allowed. This also applies to the colour of the eyes. The only exception here is the colour blue.

Despite its size, the Maine Coon is by no means clumsy or awkward. It takes an active part in the lives of its humans and always shows great interest. Many are very affectionate and tend to follow their two-legged friends as soon as they can no longer see them. This is why they are sometimes referred to as the “dog of the cat world”. They are also often described as “gentle giants”.

Maine Coons are well-behaved, friendly, affectionate and playful. But most of all they are intelligent. There are stories about them turning on taps and opening locked doors all by themselves. You should therefore be prepared for one or two surprises. This also applies to their talkativeness. At any time, they may start chatting away, either with us two-legged friends or with other cats.

Keeping and caring for a Maine Coon cat

You do not need to have a house in order to live with this large breed of cat, however you should be aware that its belongings will need to be slightly larger and hard-wearing. This applies to its litter tray, beds, comfy blankets and, above all, the cat tree. This has to be an extremely stable construction that will not fall over during a wild game of chase. Its toys should also be relatively robust to ensure that they last as long as possible.

Always accept an invitation to play from your cat, because this will keep them physically and mentally fit. You can also try working with a training clicker, which is normally used for dogs. Maine Coons are perfectly capable of understanding the deeper meaning of this. With a little practice, you will even be able to teach your cat tricks. This can be particularly useful if you only have one cat, which means your pet will need as much variety and affection as possible. Ideally, Maine Coons should be kept in pairs, especially if they are left alone on a regular basis and are not allowed outside. As long as you provide them with plenty of things to keep them occupied, there is no need to let them go outdoors.

The Maine Coon has a rather luxuriant coat. Although it does not require as much grooming as, for example, a Persian cat, the amount of work involved should not be underestimated. One advantage is that its undercoat is not too dense. It will, however, lose large amounts of fur during the moulting period. It is then advisable to brush your cat every day. This reduces the risk of your little friend swallowing too much fur when it licks itself. During the rest of the year, combing your pet once or twice a week is sufficient.

Nutrition

Whether it’s a kitten, an adult cat or a senior – the food for a Maine Coon cat should always be of high quality and tailored to its age. Cats are carnivores by nature, so cat food should always contain a high proportion of meaty ingredients. Sugar, flavour enhancers and artificial colourings and preservatives do not belong in the food.

animonda has the ideal food for every stage of your cat’s life. You can choose between kitten, adult and senior cat food. The products are specially formulated to meet the specific nutritional requirements of the different life stages of cats. This provides the best foundation for your pet to enjoy a long and healthy life.

Health

Maine Coons are not only physically robust, but are also not prone to illness. Responsible breeders always aim to minimise the risk of hereditary diseases by means of genetic testing. Such diseases can, however, not be ruled out. Due to their size, the cats can suffer problems such as hip or elbow dysplasia. If the weight of the Maine Coon is not kept in check, the risk of these will increase.

They are also susceptible to the heart disease “hypertrophic cardiomyopathy”. Here, the muscular wall of the heart is thickened, causing the volume of the heart chamber to decrease and become less efficient. Medication alleviates the problems, but there is no cure. This also applies to “polycystic kidney disease”. Here, the kidney tissue is attacked, resulting in irreparable damage. Genetic testing can minimise the risk of an outbreak of both diseases in the offspring.

History and breeding

With some breeds of cat, we know exactly how and where they originated. With others, however, this is a complete mystery. The Maine Coon lies somewhere in between. Its origin is reflected in its name: Maine is a state in the north-east of the USA. The word “coon”, however, still has people scratching their heads today. It may well be a reference to the breed’s slight resemblance to a raccoon. Perhaps Captain Thomas Coon also has something to do with the name. He is said to have regularly docked in the harbour town of Maine and was often seen surrounded by long-haired cats.

The history and origin of the name are no longer clear, but there are indications that the breed could already be found in a similar form as early as 1850. This makes the Maine Coon one of the oldest breeds of cat. Farmers are said to have shown them at exhibitions at that time. When Persian cats and other long-haired breeds became popular in the USA, the popularity of the Maine Coon declined to some extent. However, unlike some other breeds, it has been able to hold its own right up to the present day and has regained its status as one of the most popular cats in the world.

It was not officially recognised by the American governing body TICA until 1979. It even took until 1982 for the European governing organisation, FIFe, to recognise the Maine Coon. It is described by them as a natural breed with an endearing character, whose origins lie in the north-east of America, where it has made itself useful as a mouse-catcher on farms.