This beautiful cat which has a delightful bushy tail, and which is striped and with long fur, is in fact a domestic cat which is surprising considering how large it is. The Maine Coon is native to North America and furthermore is actually native to the state of Maine, where it has been made the State Cat.

The Maine Coon has been around for more than a century, and it is believed that their physical design enables them to withstand the harsh winters of New England. Everything from their overall size, to the shape of their paws, to the thickness of their fur makes them suitable animals for harsh winter weather. Furthermore, their fur has a water resistant quality to it.

Could the Maine Coon have come into existence as a result of the local domestic cats mating with cats brought over by the Vikings? There is after all a definite likeness between the Maine Coon, and the Norwegian Forest Cat. Some people think this is a more likely possibilty rather than the suggestion that local cats mated with raccoons, an idea which has been discounted by the experts.

At one time only the brown tabbie was considered to be a proper Maine Coon, any cat of a different color was called a Maine Shag Cat. The people who have studied the Maine Coon over the years are generally of the opinion that long haired cats from overseas, probably Europe, mated with the domestic short haired cat, and produced what we know today as the Maine Coon.

Maine Coons have very special personaities similar in many ways to the family dog. Call out their name, and they will come bounding towards you. Go out for the day, and on your return you will find them eagerly waiting for you on the doorstep. They love people, and other animals, and in return they like a lot of love and attention themselves.

You may or may not be aware that cat shows have been taking place around the country since 1861, and it was in the 1900′s, with the introduction of the Persian cat, that the Maine Coons popularity began to wane. But they bounced back again in the 1950′s and their own Association was formed in 1968, the Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association, with the express purpose of protecting the breed. However it was another 12 years before all the cat registries recognized the breed.

Today, there are thousands of people who own, show and adore the Maine Coon Cat. The MCBFA, which was founded so long ago, by just six breeders, now has a membership of over 200 breeders, with approximately 2000 other members (non-breeders) as well.