Cody has just asked me if he can put the history of the Maine Coon cat up on my blog, to help people understand more about his breed.
Hi Sheba's fan club. I'm Cody, Sheba's little brother well i would be seeing as I'm of the Feline variety. I can just here Mum and Dad saying thank god for that we don't know what we would do if you grew as big as Sheba. I have got a big heart though and shower Mum, Dad and to a certain extent Sheba with unconditional love. It's just a pity humans can't all get along together and live in peace instead of starting wars and all the other heartbreak they cause. Sheba and i are very lucky to of found our humans because they love all animals and would never harm us.
Don't get me wrong Sheba and I have met some lovely humans so there not all bad. But i think they could learn a lot from us animals why bear grudges life's to short. And all these wild animals on the verge of extinction because of men's greed for money why can't they be left alone in peace they're not doing any harm.
I'm only half Maine Coon and I'm sorry i cant help you with what else I'm crossed with, no one seems to know apart from my feline parents and i don't know were they are. If you would like to see some photos of the handsome me ( I'm not big headed honestly ) you can find them in the May archive
under our cat Cody.
I'm sorry for hijacking Sheba's blog but she wanted a night off because she's got a poorly eye.
p.s I'm not talking to Dad. He's told everyone on Facebook about me running off with the Salmon fillet meant for there tea, how was i supposed to know i thought it was mine, they should be more carefull where fish is concerned.
What is a Maine Coon?
Well, let's start with the name. The
name 'Maine' comes form the North eastern American State where the breed is
thought to have originated. The 'Coon' bit is a little more difficult. The
original cats tended to be brown tabbies, with very dark back and a long flowing
tail, rather like a raccoon, and long ago, people thought that they must have evolved from matings between
domestic cats and raccoons. Of course we now know that this is genetically
impossible, but this may have been where the name came from. In fact there are
lots of legends surrounding the Maine Coon's origins, including one that they
originally came from Marie-Antionette, and
were transported to America from France for safety when things started heating
up at the time of the French revolution. However, it is far more likely that the
Maine Coon actually evolved from matings between domestic shorthairs introduced
by early settlers and angora types later taken across the Atlantic by seafarers.
This is where Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest comes into play and
only the best of the breed survived, mating to produce a hardy animal, capable
of living in a cold harsh climate. I am pleased to say that man's heavy hand has
not altered the breed and the cat's appearance has remained virtually unchanged
since its beginning.
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.
Being a cold climate animal, it has a long silky
shaggy coat, short over the head, becoming longer own the back, stomach, legs
and ruff. This is not for beauty, but for sheer survival. There is a soft
undercoat, covered by a harsher weatherproof topcoat to keep the animal dry.
This must not be fluffy, like a Persian type, otherwise he may become entangled
in hedges whilst out hunting. The shagginess acts rather like layers of
newspaper to wrap up fish and chips, it traps air which helps to keep the animal
warm.
The legs must be long, thick and
powerful, the feet should be large and round, tufted underneath going backwards
to form a 'snowshoe' effect, again for coping with the harsh winters. He must
also have large feathered ears, preferably tufted at the tips - unlike the
Persian - and feathering should extend beyond the outer edges of the ear. The
frontal ruff should start at the base of the ears, and is normally heavier in
males than females. All this is to prevent heat loss. The Maine Coon's coat is
very seasonal, and much can be lost in the summer months, particularly with un-neutered animals.
But the Maine Coon's pride and joy
is his tail. In fact he is often referred to as 'the tail with the cat on the
end'. The tail must be at least as long as the body and is especially long so
that the cat can wrap it around its body rather like a blanket for extra
insulation.
So, this is why the Maine Coon looks
this way. Because it has evolved naturally, that is why many mistake it for a
moggie, after all they have evolved in the same way. But, believe me, once
you've seen a few, you begin to recognise the differences.
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! I for one wouldn't fancy too
many of those to handle in a day.
People seem to have the impression
that any possible colour combination is acceptable. First and foremost,
chocolate, lilac or Siamese Points are definitely not permissible. This is
because they are not natural colours to the area where the Maine Coon originated
from. Most other colour combinations are accepted, but cats aiming for the show bench must not be more than
1/3 white. Blue or odd eyes are only permissible in white cats.
In actual fact there are 64 colour
combinations on the Maine Coon G.C.C.F. Standard of Points. These include
solids, tortioseshells, tabbies (both Classic and Mackerel), tortie-tabbies,
smokes and shadeds, all with or without white. Since the colour can take several
months to fully develop, this can lead to headaches when registering kittens, as
the colour you see at eight weeks may be completely different three months later
as it develops. Coat colour and pattern are of less importance than coat type
and texture.
Although it is fairly new to the
British show bench, the Maine Coon has actually been shown in America since the
1860's, initially by local farmers at their own annual cat show at the Skowhegan
Fair, and Maine Coons from all over the territory competed for the coverted
title of "Maine State Champion Cat". This is an interesting fact since the first
ever cat show in America is generally believed to have taken place at Madison
Square Garden in 1895, some 35 years later. It was probably America's first cat
show. Sadly popularity decreased with the import of the more flamboyant Persian
at the turn of the century. It began to make a comeback in the 1950's, though
interestingly enough, the Cat Fanciers Association (America's largest cat
registering body) declared the Maine Coon to be extinct in 1959! Gradually the
Maine Coon became accepted by all the American associations, and in 1976 it
finally obtained full Championship Status with the CFA. It is now the second
most popular breed in America. In the mid 1980's it began its influx into
Britain. In 1988 the Maine Coon was granted Preliminary Status with the G.C.C.F.
and in 1992 progressed to Provisional Status. Finally, on 1st June 1994, less
than ten years after the first one arrived on our shores, the Maine Coon was
granted full G.C.C.F. Championship Status. The breed is finally on the map. It
is now the seventh most popular breed being registered with the
G.C.C.F..
Because of the way it has evolved,
and the configuration of the Maine Coon, it should really have no more defects
than an ordinary moggie. It is a natural mother, usually giving birth without
too many difficulties, to a litter of about four kittens, though as many as ten
have been known! Mother gives her babies everything, which means that she can
take some time to return to full coat and in Contrary to popular belief, any
old stud cannot be used, to complement its partner. The
amount of white on the body must be taken into consideration, as the white
spotting gene adds up and if two cats with a large amount of white are mated,
then the kittens may be born with more than 1/3 white, which renders them
unshowable. As with most kittens, they are active, playful and very attractive.
the typical Maine Coon points begin to show early on, with the big ears and
outsize paws. Because of be a different colour.
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!
