The Maine Coon was originally the American wild cat, living mainly on farms where it was held in high esteem by farmers for its ability to catch vermin. The cat has all the points of a typical hunter. It has large eyes and ears, essential for detecting prey, and a big, muscular body for catching them.
The Maine Coon takes 3-4 years to finish growing, and people expect to see a giant cat sitting in a pen, when at fifteen months he’s still only a baby. Fully grown females average 7-12lbs and males 10-18lbs. Granted, a few do reach the 20’s but imagine stewarding at a show and having to cope with a two stone monster who barely fits in the pen and certainly doesn’t fancy going back in once you’ve given him a taste of freedom!
Maine Coons are the clowns of the cat world, with a rather quiet but extrovert personality. They normally adapt to new surroundings with the greatest of ease, taking one stopping. They are in general, highly intelligent, but a dripping tap can turn them into idiots, as they happily spend hours catching drops, without realizing that they’re slowly starting to resemble a drowned rat. The great mystery of “Where does melting ice go to?”, is another problem they try to solve – without much success! The Maine Coon is a very affectionate creature. He adores happily be loved by any member of the household, he does tend to choose one particular person, on whom to bestow most affection. Also known for sleeping in the most weird positions and places (probably originating from the days when he slept rough in barns), perhaps the most unique thing to the Maine Coon is the noise he makes. Rather than the standard meow, this cat “chirps”, a noise which is difficult to describe but one heard is never forgotten!
So what are the pros and cons of choosing a Maine Coon as a pet? Well, advantages include a highly intelligent, affectionate, and not overly demanding cat which adapts animal, with very few defects. The coat is relatively easy to maintain, and because of the colour and pattern combinations, no two are ever the same.
There is one major disadvantage to living with a Maine Coon – one cat is never enough, and before long you’ll be looking for another one!
Animal Planet about Maine Coon
WARNING !!!
Beware of buying so-called Pedigree kittens without papers, you have no guarantee that what you are buying is that which is claimed, they may come from registered pedigree parents, but more often than not, only one is pedigree & the kittens just look vaguely like the breed ! They will probably not have been vaccinated or health checked by a vet so you’ll have this expense for a start, if the female has got out & the litter sired by the local tom your vets bill could be considerable. Often these kittens are sold by people who have bought a registered pedigree kitten as a pet and don’t see why they can’t make some money by having a few litters, however kittens sold as pets are not always suitable for breeding, for various reasons, so you may well be buying yourself heartache and a lot of expense ! If you are keen on a particular breed, but can’t quite manage the full kitten price, have a word with some breeders, who may have adults for re-homing, a lot less expensive but you still get all the paperwork & most of the Breed clubs run re-homing schemes, so may be worth contacting.