These shaggy sections keep a Maine Coon’s lower body warm when it sits on or walks across ice or snow. Their crowning feature is a dense, water-repellant coat that’s longer on the stomach, ruff, and flanks. Maine Coons evolved to survive harsh winters by developing characteristics like large, tufted paws that serve as built-in “snowshoes” and a thick, bushy tail they can wrap around their bodies when they're cold. Another theory is that Maine Coons are descendants of six pet cats that Queen Marie Antoinette shipped to Wiscasset, Maine, as she was planning her escape from France during the French Revolution.Ī less intriguing-but more plausible-story is that the furry kitties originated from short-haired domestic cats breeding with longhaired cats, which may have been brought to America by the Vikings or European sailors who docked in New England during the 1700s. Since genetic testing indicates that Maine Coons are actually a descendent of both the Norwegian Forest Cat and a mysterious extinct domestic breed, the Vikings are likely responsible. Thanks to their brown coats and bushy tails, one popular (but scientifically unsound) explanation for the breed's origin is that it resulted from semi-wild domesticated cats mating with raccoons.
Maine Coons have colorful origin stories.Īs their name suggests, Maine Coon cats are native to the Pine Tree State. Some people like to say Maine Coons are the biggest cat breed, but they actually fall somewhere between Norwegian Forest Cats, which weigh up to 16 pounds, and Ragdolls, which can weigh up to 20 pounds. Maine Coons tip the scales at anywhere from 9 to 16 pounds (female) and 13 to 18 pounds (male). There’s a reason why some people have mistaken pet Maine Coons for bobcats-they’re huge.
Here are 12 facts about one of the world’s largest domesticated felines. Thanks to their sizeable bodies and sociable natures, Maine Coons are known as the “gentle giants” of cats.
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