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The Maine Coon is
one of the largest
breeds of domestic
cat, known for its
high intelligence and playfulness as well as its distinctive physical
appearance. The breed is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America
and originated from
New England,
specifically native to the state of Maine, (in fact, the Maine Coon is the
official
Maine State Cat),[1]
making it America's first indigenous
show cat. The Maine
Coon cat is known as "the gentle giant."[
In the 17th and 18th centuries, domestic cats brought over
from
Europe
faced very severe winters in New England,[3]
where only the strongest and most adaptable cats survived.
Through
natural selection
(as opposed to
selective breeding),
the Maine Coon developed into a large, rugged cat with a
water-resistant, thick coat and a hardy constitution.
The origin of the breed (and its name) has several, often
fantastic, stories surrounding it. One tale comes from a
story that a domestic cat released in the wilds of
Maine
interbred with a
raccoon,[3]
resulting in offspring with the Maine Coon's characteristics.
Though biologically impossible, this false story, bolstered
by the bushy tail and the most common coloring (a
raccoon-like brown tabby) could have led to the adoption of
the name "Maine Coon." Another story is that the cat was
named after a ship's captain named Coon who was responsible
for the cat reaching Maine shores, or that the breed sprang
from the six pet cats that
Marie Antoinette
sent to
Wiscasset, Maine
when she was planning to escape from
France
during the
French Revolution.[3]
This story is told in "The Legend of Rosalind of Squam
Island".[4]
Nevertheless, most breeders today believe that the breed
originated in matings between pre-existing shorthaired
domestic cats and overseas longhairs, perhaps
Angora
types introduced by New England seamen, or longhairs brought
to America by the
Vikings.[3]
Maine Coons are similar in appearance to both the
Norwegian Forest Cat
and to the
Siberian.
Maine Coons are
very large and energetic cats, sometimes weighing up to around 11-12
kilograms (25 pounds); the average weight is 6 to 9 kilograms (13-20 pounds)
for adult males and less (7-11 pounds) for females. Male Maine Coons may
grow to a length in excess of 1 meter (40 inches); as of
2006, the longest cat
on record is a male Maine Coon measuring 122cm (48 inches) in length.[5]
Growth to full size often takes longer than for most cats, with Maine Coons
usually reaching full size at age four or five.
The most common
color/pattern in the breed is brown with
tabby markings. Maine
Coons are recognized in all colors, including
tortoiseshell, except
for chocolate, lavender, ticked tabby, and the point-restricted ("Siamese")
pattern. Eye color also varies widely. All patterns may have green,
green-gold, or gold. Blue eyes, or one blue eye with one gold eye, are
possible in white coat cats. They share similar facial markings, for example,
a distinct "M" shape on the forehead.
Maine Coons have medium-long, dense fur, with longer hair,
or a ruff, on their chests similar to the
mane
of a
lion
(which is why the breed is sometimes humorously called the
"Mane Coon"). Their fur consists of two layers - an
undercoat
and an additional layer of longer
guard hairs,
which gives the breed their key physical feature. The fur is
generally very soft. Maine Coons have long hair on the backs
of their legs (called pantaloons or britches) and between
their toes which helps to keep warm in the cold. They also
have bushy plumed tails and broad, angular heads,
squared-off muzzles and wide-set ears topped with tufts of
fur (known as 'Lynx-tips'). Their tails can be so bushy that
the Maine Coon has earned the nickname the 'tail with a cat
attached to it'.
Most
Maine Coons keep their fur in good order without the need
for additional human grooming.
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While the Maine
Coon may be
polydactyl,
having one or more extra toes on their paws, this trait is
generally bred out.
Maine Coons have large ears,
which can be tipped at the end with fur. This is a common trait
of a Maine Coon, giving them their Lynx-like appearance.
Maine Coons are a breed
distinguished by high intelligence, dexterity, and playfulness.
They have a tendency to use their front paws extensively (often
curling the paw round to pick objects up) and as a consequence
will easily learn to open cabinet doors, turn on water faucets,
flush toilets, or pick up small objects. Some Maine Coons will
eat, or even drink, from their paws, rather than from the bowl
itself.Due
to their above-average intelligence, Maine Coons are known to be
one of the easiest cat breeds to train. Maine Coons are noted
for their ability to trill their
meows,
which sounds like a combination of a purr and a meow, and they
tend to make this sound when happy or startled. When they do
meow, it tends to be very high in pitch, in comparison to other
breeds. They are noted for rarely eating alone, preferring to
eat in the company of other cats or humans. Maine Coons are not
known to be "lap cats" but of course, this may depend on the
individual cat and some may prefer laps.[3]
Some Maine Coons enjoy
playing with, but not usually in, water. They may dip toys in
their water bowls before playing with them, or just tip the
water bowl over. They may also skim their paws across the
surface of their water bowl.
Maine Coons can be very
dog-like in their behavior. Playing fetch is a favorite game. As
with dogs, they will bring their ball, drop it at the feet of
their intended playmate and wait for the ball to be thrown. They
will often accompany their owner on chores like getting the mail,
walking the dog, and may also come when beckoned, even if
outside.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
is a disease of the heart muscle where the muscle of the left
ventricle thickens and becomes stiffer than normal. In cats, it
can cause
heart failure,
aortic thromboembolism, and sudden death. Hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy can be detected by cardiac ultrasound (echocardiography)
between 1 and 7 years of age in Maine Coon cats.
A mutation in the
gene that codes for cardiac myosin binding protein C has been
shown to cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in certain
genetic lines
of the Maine Coon cat population.[6]
Approximately one third of Maine Coon cats tested for the
mutation have tested positive, although this population sampling
is most likely biased. It appears that another mutation
responsible for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is also present in
the breed. Responsible Maine Coon cat breeders, in an effort to
reduce the occurrence of HCM, now screen their animals both for
the disease long-term (via echocardiography) and for the
mutation and make this information available to potential pet
buyers.
Until 1988,
taurine
deficiency was a common cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in all
cats, including Maine Coons. Since the pet food industry started
adding more taurine to
cat food
in the late 1980s, this kind of cardiomyopathy is rare.
Taurine-related cardiomyopathy can be cured with the addition of
the nutrient to the diet, but genetic hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy causes a permanent thickening of the left
ventricle and is not curable.
Other potential
health problems include
hip dysplasia
and
polycystic kidney disease.
Gum disease
is also more common in Maine Coons than in other breeds. However,
Maine Coons are very hardy, healthy, and resilient animals who
can live to be over 20 years old.
Kilde: Wikipedia
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