, History and Origins

of Maine Coon Cats

Origins and History of Maine Coon Cats are well known, but tend to be a concept surrounded by many myths that are both intriguing and fuel the imagination.  One of the myths is responsible for the word, "Coon", getting into the Maine Coon Cat name.  Several breeds are considered natural breeds by CFA, but Maine Coon Cats are America's only natural, long-haired native breed.

Maine Coon Cat origins are an evolutionary process over a 250+ year time history in the  climate of Maine with its short summers and snow-packed winters. Maine Coon Cats gene-pool origins are likely rooted in longhaired cats brought in from the Scandinavian areas and Baltic sea areas of northern Europe and possibly from longhaired cats as far east as Saint Petersburg. History tells us the old sailing ships maintained cats for rat control, and Maine was a commerce area.  Cats smaller than Maine Coon Cats, but somewhat resembling the early Coon Cat were likely left behind in Maine even before human settlements were common.  These Early Maine cats likely cross-bred with the heavier-bodied, powerful, Americanized versions of short-haired cats common to the central seaboard states of the US which, originated from central Europe such as France and England.  This evolutionary process created a native American and natural breed adapted to the harsh New England Climate.  So the cat then adapted and developed, out of necessity.

The Maine Coon Cat has a long (freight-train), rectangular body with a deep chest  to get between the thick weeds and bush of the New England countryside.  They possess the incredible mass and strength that were required to catch their food and also maintain the many native and wild competing carnivore species at bay if confronted. To us in modern times, this seems, initially, almost hypothetical, as they are such sweet, intelligent pets.  They have extremely long whiskers, being night hunters, so they could feel the proximity of side branches and weeds without having to actually bump into them (in the dark) and get weed seeds stuck to their long fur. The massive tail with a thick, muscular base served several vital survival functions. The length makes total balance and agility, at high speed and climbing, an easy accomplishment. While at rest, that heavy 8-inch diameter fur on the tail (sometimes called a brush) is wrapped around the legs and stomach to conserve vital body warmth. These were the most perfect predators of any of the purely domesticated cats, and they have no exotic wild-species bloodlines in them.
Shaded cameo with white
Click on Me!   Hello, I went out on my enclosed patio

Even still, modern teeth are formidable and long (my breeding stock has them that way) to permit penetrating deeply into rats, etc. to kill their food. Some of the modern cats' teeth are still so long as to actually protrude slightly from the upper lips giving a slight "saber-tooth" effect. I think this is great, as it shows the origins of this noble and yet viable breed. 
The long muzzle that is broad as well, facilitates the cat's ability to quickly mouth-grab fairly large moving things, like prey. 

In today's time, following a stuffed cotton mouse cast by a fishing pole, they can grab the mouse from mid-air while pursuing it at high speed.  (and then cut the line - it's great recreation!)

 
Silver tabby with white
Hi! I'm not being nasty. My owner is trying to take a picture of my profile, and I am too busy chattering at the feather toy to cooperate. A rare shot!

Adult Maine Coon Cats have a three-layer coat.  The under coat consists of the most fine and numerous downy hairs and also longer awn hairs.  These undercoats of two lengths are very soft and keep the cat warm.  As cats grow out of the kitten phase, they develop the third, outer coat called guard hairs.  The thicker, coarser, guard hairs do get quite long.  When you look at the adult cat, the glossy guard hairs are about all you see along the cat's back, sides, and tail. 
Cameo Tabby
Hi: I'm Mosley.  Click on my picture to see a bigger picture of my shaggy coat at one year age!

When the breed was naturally developing in past centuries, the guard hairs kept the snow off and repelled water.  In winter, when the length of daylight shortens, their under coats become extensive, to keep the cat warmer, if need be.  The seasonal growth of undercoat is mostly along the cat's lower neck and underside, leading to the term "shaggy coat".  In the picture to the right, Max is just coming out of his third winter, and has a soft-to-touch, warm-colored, and very impressive undercoat along his underside! 
Brown Tabby
Hi: I'm Max.  Click on my picture to see a bigger picture of my shaggy coat at three years age!

In time, there came to be numerous barns and houses across the North Atlantic Coast and New England countryside, so these cats lived and evolved in close proximity to humans, mostly rural, coastline, and farming families.  Initially supported for their ratting skills, they were also highly admired by the families for their friendly and highly intelligent personality, and began to take on an important role inside the farm home and near the fireplace.  As they  became a more important part of New England culture, about 150 years ago, it became a popular pastime for the families to admire, care for, and brag about their cat.  Popularity over the last 150+ years in rural New England is why they have such an amiable and friendly disposition.  Their admirers even maintained informal, lineage pedigrees on them back then, as there was no CFA yet.

In the mid 19th century, the Coon Cat became a special exhibit at many county fairs in Maine, thus becoming America's very first "show cat".  By the late 19th century, popularity of the "cat fancy", an English pastime of holding large cat competition shows in big cities, spread to the North Atlantic cities of Boston and New York.  The "big one" of the early prestigious shows was Madison Square Garden, NY, NY in May, 1895.  Best-of-Show (first place) went to a female, brown tabby named Cosey.  (That historic medal has since been secured by a CFA club and is now preserved by CFA)  The New York show did not develop into the prestigious event hoped for, but the Boston show circuit did. One of Mrs. Pierce's brown tabby Maine Coon Cats, King Max, dominated this classic for three years, winning in 1897, 1898, and 1899, until defeated by his son Donald in 1900.  CFA was founded in 1908, and the 5th registered breeding cat was a Maine Cat named Molly Bond.  

With the increasing popularity of the cat fancy, our American Native Longhair slowly began assuming a "back seat" to the European imports including, most of all, the imported Persians.  After Best-of-Show went to a Maine Cat in 1911, the America's breed went into obscurity for the next 40 years, as far as the show circuit was concerned, as CFA had lost interest in America's show cat and instead developed a love affair for extremely bred Persians.  So once again, the Maine Cat was supported by their admirers back in New England.

Then a miracle happened.  Admirers promoted the American breed nationally; they began competing at cat shows again.  Between 1968 and 1976, the registering and cat-show bodies admitted them back into championship status, lastly even CFA.  Initially, they weren't too competitive, because the exhibitors didn't know how to give "top show baths" like the grooming of the other longhair breeds who where already "in the groove".  Enthusiasm and devotion prevailed, and this wonderful cat breed made the come back into the halls of fame with time.

Since the comeback, many National Wins have been awarded  to magnificent Maine Coon Cats, and public demand for the extremely bred Persian has all but dried up.  And in the year 2000, the Maine Coons had six National Winners in CFA!  Three were in Championship, two in Premiership, and one in the Kitten Class.  And one of those three Championship cats, National Win, Best of Breed Verismo Wotan, became the highest placing Maine Coon Cat in the History of CFA, so far.  Then in 2003, the Maine Coons had four National winners in CFA, One was in Championship, one in Premiership, and two in the Kitten Class.  And the Championship cat, National win, Best of Breed Verismo Donner, became the second highest placing Maine Coon Cat so far.  The cat fancy is also in England, Continental Europe, Japan, and other Pacific counties where America's Native Longhair Cat is prominent and adored now.  As it should be!

They have been shown, handled, and selectively bred for personality for so long that their temperament with people is probably even more laid-back than their ancestors.  Certainly richness of color and vividness of tabby markings on the modern Cats has come a long way.  Other improvements in the modern Cats are the increasing of ear size, body length, and build.

Now they are the second most registered breed in CFA.  Their history as a pedigreed "natural" is a rich one.  Their breeders slowly come in and go out of the fancy; realizing they are stewarding something very special that will continue on. 


Maine Coon Cats by Verismo - Maine Coon Cat pictures