The Vet Said Tht's A Maine Coon Cat ...

[voyager]

A post I made earlier in another thread has had me thinking.
As a kid we acquired a cat from the pound in the early '50s.
He was a big cat by normal cat standards.
He was what I now would call a brindle color, mixed browns, long haired with tabby like markings on his face.
A very good looking cat.
We assumed he was just a Persian-Tabby cross.
After having had him for several years, a vet remarked that he was a very nice looking Maine Coon Cat.
Our reaction was - What?
What's a Maine Coon Cat?
Never heard of 'em.

A bit of checking around confirmed that there was such a thing.
We had that cat for over 18 years.
Well, the family had him.
I had left home before he died.

In all the years since acquiring him, I've never heard anyone mention the breed, other than that vet, until coming to this site with my cat question.
I had always considered them to be an obscure, possibly made up pseudo breed.
Now I see the breed mentioned almost every where.
I'm dumbfound.
Have I been locked in a closet all these years?
My assumption is that the breed has had a recent resurgence and has become popular [or fashionable].
What's going on with them?

 

[denice]

The Maine Coon is actually a natural breed. They originated here in the U.S. They are descended from cats that came over on the ships with the earliest European settlers. They were rodent control on the ships for the long journey. They were in the cold Northeast and developed the long hair, deep undercoat, and the large snowshoe type paws. That may even be why the extra toes are common in the breed, cats with those did better in the snowy winters.

Of course cat fancy has refined the breed. The Associations came up with standards and breeders began breeding to the standard. The main defining characteristics of the natural breed remain though.

 

[Winchester]

I would sell my soul for a Maine Coon kitten. I dearly love them.

 

[abyeb]

In 2016, Maine Coons were the fifth most popular breed in the Cat Fanciers' Association. And there's good reason for their popularity. Maine Coons are known as the gentle giants of the cat world. Maine Coons are very affectionate. They are also playful and intelligent; some even learn how to fetch! They learn tricks easily and can be trained to go for walks on a leash and harness. 1CatOverTheLine and mightyboosh are great fans of the giant breeds, so maybe we can get them to weigh in here.

 

[mightyboosh]

I have to go to work now but I'll definitely reply later.

 

[Shane Kent]

I would sell my soul for a Maine Coon kitten. I dearly love them.

Your soul you say.

Young Taz 2

• Shane Kent
• Jun 1, 2017

Young Taz with his blanket and red heart pillow.

 

[Shane Kent]

In 2016, Maine Coons were the fifth most popular breed in the Cat Fanciers' Association. And there's good reason for their popularity. Maine Coons are known as the gentle giants of the cat world. Maine Coons are very affectionate. They are also playful and intelligent; some even learn how to fetch! They learn tricks easily and can be trained to go for walks on a leash and harness. 1CatOverTheLine and mightyboosh are great fans of the giant breeds, so maybe we can get them to weigh in here.

Zoe is very gentle, affectionate and intelligent.

Zoe with a break away collar on.

Zoe CloseUp 1

• Shane Kent
• Jun 1, 2017
• 1

Zoe laying on the bed with her pink collar on.

I gave up putting the break away collars on Zoe and Taz. They both kept getting them off and I wasn't certain how at first. Then I witnessed it as Zoe hooked hers with her claws and pulled it off and then she proceeded to hook Taz's and pull his off as well. They are ID chipped and both are indoor-only that get supervised visits to the outside so not a problem worth tackling.

Initially I took Taz and Zoe outside on harness and leash but after a few times Zoe would refuse to go out when I put the harness on her. She would lay at the door and refuse to go out with it on. It took a little bit of chasing Taz onto the neighbors property at first but both go outside without harness or leash and stay on our property.

Zoe on the front lawn.

Zoe Front Lawn 1

• Shane Kent
• Jun 1, 2017

Zoe on the front lawn under the oak tree.

Taz in the backyard.

 

[mightyboosh]

abyeb has it spot on there.
I've always loved the breed and finally came across my superstar Oliver. He's certainly a gentle giant with humans but stands no messing from other animals however big they are. He can be a bit naughty sometimes towards them but never too much. He just lets them know now and again who's boss with a couple of swats.
His breeder's priorities were to produce cats with sound temperament and health first and if the good looks were there then so much the better. She did a great job I must say with her ethical approach.
I cannot emphasise enough how loving and gentle he is and follows me around wherever I go. He isn't a lap cat as such, he just likes being in our company and being talked to and cuddled. Ha, honestly having literally just typed that sentence he's climbed on my lap. He's in the way a bit now.
Even when we first got him and he did the hiding under the sofa thing, he never got his claws out to us when we pulled him out.
The MCO coat is amazing as well. Apart from its beauty, it hardly ever needs grooming and rarely gets knotted up. If I were to design a cat from scratch, it would be a Maine Coon - beauty, intelligence, gentleness, devotion and a certain je ne sais quoi.
Winchester I must have sold my soul because I'm totally smitten and under his spell.
Thank you USA for this breed. It's the best thing you ever did. Forget landing on the Moon, cell phones, internet, model T Ford. Naah, it's the Maine Coon.

 

[Winchester]

Shane Kent , yes. My soul. Your babies are beautiful.
mightyboosh , they are simply gorgeous cats.

I've wanted a Maine Coon for as long as I can remember. But when Banshee came to live with us, I couldn't do that to her. She was my kitty and she ruled me with a velvet paw. When she passed away, about eight years ago, I figured that I'd start looking for a MC. It took a while, but I found one, a little boy, at a shelter close to Gettysburg (I wanted to get a shelter kitten, that was important, too). Filled out the paperwork, our vet wrote them a letter, and I was going to go down to see him (it's about a 90-minute drive, give or take). But I got an email from the shelter that said they were looking for a "more local" home for him. Cruz was about seven weeks old at the time.

Meanwhile, BooBoo and Ms. Pepe had a vet appt for a geriatric check-up. It just so happened that a mama had given birth to five babies. Mollipop was one of those babies. I walked into the "nursery" and, well, the rest is history. And I won't get a MC as long as Molli is alive because it just wouldn't be fair to her....I love her dearly and she would not be amused.

So....that's my "No Maine Coon" story. Maybe someday. I do love them, their coloring, their gentleness, their intelligence. They're simply beautiful.

 

[sabian]

mightyboosh I can't put it much better than that! I don't have a Maine Coon at the moment but have in the past and they're everything mightyboosh has described them to be. I will be getting another one in the near future. You can count on it! Your right about them standing their ground. I seen my last Maine Coon bow up and blow up to what seemed to be twice his size and stand down a Pit Bull. All the more reason to keep them inside. They wouldn't stand a chance against a starving Coyote looking for his next meal. But they won't run.

denice A lot of breeders breed for the Polydactyl ( extra toes ) like you described.

 

[voyager]

I am tempted to consider another.
Rags was the ultimate cat, maybe better described as a house lynx.
The only cat I've had that came close to his uniqueness was a big black Manx tom I had many years later.
He terrorizes all the neighborhood dogs.

I could only keep a brown or gray based long haired example and be satisfied with it.
Zoe's pic in the front yard, if she were brown based she'd look like Rags.
But, keeping one like that here under a semi tropical climate would be quite cruel for that type of cat.

I had never seen a cat pant before seeing our two guys pant around here.
In the summer both of our black cats pant a lot and move from shady spot to shady spot running to reach them.
And, they're short haired.

 

[sabian]

I am tempted to consider another.
Rags was the ultimate cat, maybe better described as a house lynx.
The only cat I've had that came close to his uniqueness was a big black Manx tom I had many years later.
He terrorizes all the neighborhood dogs.

I could only keep a brown or gray based long haired example and be satisfied with it.
Zoe's pic in the front yard, if she were brown based she'd look like Rags.
But, keeping one like that here under a semi tropical climate would be quite cruel for that type of cat.

I had never seen a cat pant before seeing our two guys pant around here.
In the summer both of our black cats pant a lot and move from shady spot to shady spot running to reach them.
And, they're short haired.

I always shave mine during the summer. Never seemed to be bothered by the heat.

 

[Ilovemyfelines]

Zoe is very gentle, affectionate and intelligent.

Zoe with a break away collar on.

Zoe CloseUp 1

• Shane Kent
• Jun 1, 2017
• 1

Zoe laying on the bed with her pink collar on.

I gave up putting the break away collars on Zoe and Taz. They both kept getting them off and I wasn't certain how at first. Then I witnessed it as Zoe hooked hers with her claws and pulled it off and then she proceeded to hook Taz's and pull his off as well. They are ID chipped and both are indoor-only that get supervised visits to the outside so not a problem worth tackling.

Initially I took Taz and Zoe outside on harness and leash but after a few times Zoe would refuse to go out when I put the harness on her. She would lay at the door and refuse to go out with it on. It took a little bit of chasing Taz onto the neighbors property at first but both go outside without harness or leash and stay on our property.

Zoe on the front lawn.

Zoe Front Lawn 1

• Shane Kent
• Jun 1, 2017

Zoe on the front lawn under the oak tree.

Taz in the backyard.

View attachment 205365

What gorgeous cats they are....you're all blessed to be a family. You're their human, you know....best behave yourself! LOL

 

[Purr-fect]

Ive never had a maine coon cat. I do admire them, they are beautiful in many ways: size, power, looks, personality.

My boys arent maine coons, but they are the size of a typical maine coon, currently 18 and 22 lbs.

After having big cats, i admit i feel something is missing when I pet a "normal sized" cat. I used to think my sisters cats were big at 12 lbs. There is just something about the heft and cuddliness of a large long haired cat.

 

[MyOllie]

Hi there I'm new here and I'm no sure where to ask this question but I was hoping someone could tell me if they think my boy could be part Maine Coon? I'll try be upload a pic.
He is twice the size as my friends kitten who is the same age (5 months) and has the most adorabe personality. He sits for his dinner and absolutely LOVES going for a walk on his harness and leash every day (he comes running as soon as I say "Wanna go for a walk Ollie?!" Or if he hears the sound of his leash rattling. He's the most remarkable cat I've ever met!
Thank you in advance if u could help me in figuring out his breeding, oh and I'm in Australia and I rescued him from a shelter. The first pic is to show you his size and quite bushy tail considering his coat isn't all that long.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
MyOllie - Welcome to TCS! Ollie's muzzle is certainly representative of Maine Coon ancestry, and kitten coats on longhaired breeds aren't generally representative of the "finished product" - especially in high Summer. As Autumn progresses - and especially as Winter comes on in June - you might well see a markéd difference in his coat length. He really is one beautiful fellow!
.

 

[sabian]

MyOllie I agree with at 1CatOverTheLine that he does resemble a MC with his muzzle shape and his paws look to be fairly large. MC's don't typically get a full coat until the 2nd year so it will probably get longer. At this point he would be called a Domestic Medium Hair without papers or a DNA test. He is a handsome guy and sounds like a great personality to boot. He looks like he's going to be a big guy too!

 

[MyOllie]

.
MyOllie - Welcome to TCS! Ollie's muzzle is certainly representative of Maine Coon ancestry, and kitten coats on longhaired breeds aren't generally representative of the "finished product" - especially in high Summer. As Autumn progresses - and especially as Winter comes on in June - you might well see a markéd difference in his coat length. He really is one beautiful fellow!
.

Thank you 1CatOverTheLine , he sure is a beautiful boy...inside and out!

 

[MyOllie]

MyOllie I agree with at 1CatOverTheLine that he does resemble a MC with his muzzle shape and his paws look to be fairly large. MC's don't typically get a full coat until the 2nd year so it will probably get longer. At this point he would be called a Domestic Medium Hair without papers or a DNA test. He is a handsome guy and sounds like a great personality to boot. He looks like he's going to be a big guy too!

Oh yes i think your right about him growing to be a big boy, I can't believe how big he is already! And yes he is definitely quite the character, he's always got everyone in fits of laughter with some of the odd things he does lol

 

[Hops123]

The Maine Coon is actually a natural breed. They originated here in the U.S. They are descended from cats that came over on the ships with the earliest European settlers. They were rodent control on the ships for the long journey. They were in the cold Northeast and developed the long hair, deep undercoat, and the large snowshoe type paws. That may even be why the extra toes are common in the breed, cats with those did better in the snowy winters.

Of course cat fancy has refined the breed. The Associations came up with standards and breeders began breeding to the standard. The main defining characteristics of the natural breed remain though.

Thank you for the good information