Maine Coon Cats of Today
The Maine Coon Cat which must be one of the biggest of the domestic breed of cats is readily recogised by its lovely bushy tail and its striped and long fur. The Maine Coon Cat belongs to North America and not surprisingly is a native of the state of Maine, and it is the State Cat.
The Maine Coon is not a new cat, it has been around for over a hundred years and it is generally thought that their large size, and the way that their paws are made and the density of their fur makes them able to put up with the severe winters which are often experienced in New England. On top of this, their fur is such that it is able to repel water really well.
There are numerous legends associated with this special breed of domestic cat. Some are possible, while others simply are not. Some believe that Maine Coon Cats came into existence when domestic cats and raccoons mated. However, this is not possible - and therefore, not considered to be true by experts. One legend that is more likely, however, is that Maine Coon Cats came into existence when short haired native cats mated with cats that the Vikings brought over. This legend is more possible, because the Maine Coon appears to be closely related to the Norwegian Forest Cat.
The Maine Coon Cats of today would not have been considered as a part of the breed at one time. Only brown tabbies were referred to as Maine Coon Cats, and any 'Maine Coon' of a different color was referred to as a Maine Shag Cat. Cat experts largely agree that the Maine Coon is a product of mating between short haired domestic cats with long hair cats from overseas, at a time when people began migrating from Europe.
Does it surprise you to learn that the Maine Coon in many ways is more like a dog than a cat? They are wonderfully sociable animals, who will respond to you when you call them, and will be waiting to greet you when you return home. They give a lot of love and they expect a lot of love in return.
In the early days of cat shows, going back to 1861, the Maine Coon was a popular participant, but when the Persians came along in the 1900's the Maine Coon went into decline. However their fortunes revived in the 1950's and in 1968 the Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association was formed with the purpose of protecting the breed. Despite this it was not until 1980 that the breed was recognized by all cat registries.
Nowadays there are many, many people who are fortunate enough to own, exhibit and love a Maine Coon Cat. The Association which was founded many years ago by a mere six breeders has now grown to well over 200 breeders, and there are over 2000 other members who are not breeders as well.
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