Maine Coon Cat | Trivia & Fun Facts
While the Maine coon cat isn’t actually a cross between a raccoon and a domestic cat, it’s still a fascinating animal. Learn more about this furry feline.
By Edgar Allen Beem|Oct 13 2020|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine Keenan
Photo Credit : Pixabay
Maine Coon Cat | Trivia & Fun Facts
The Maine coon’s closest relative may be the Norwegian forest cat, lending credence to the theory that the first coon cats came to Maine on Viking ships.
The Maine coon was designated the state cat in 1985, making Maine the only state with an official domestic-cat breed. (Massachusetts’ state cat is the tabby, while Maryland’s is the calico; both are coat-color patterns.)
The Maine coon’s tufted ears and paws, water-resistant coat, and long, bushy tail are thought to be adaptations to the area’s cold, harsh climate.
The Maine coon was America’s earliest indigenous show cat, first listed in cat-show records in 1861. When breeders began importing the more exotic Persian cats around 1900, Maine coons fell out of favor.
A brown tabby Maine coon named Cosey won “Best in Show” at the first National Cat Show in 1895 at Madison Square Garden.
Photo Credit : Pixabay
How much does a purebred Maine coon cat cost? Expect to pay around $700 for Maine coon kittens as a family pet, $1,000 for a breeding female, and $1,500-$2,500 for a stud.
Once thought to have died out in the 1950s, the Maine coon cat made a dramatic recovery in the 1960s. The Cat Fanciers’ Association granted them championship status in 1976.
Looking to help the Maine coon breed or interested in adopting a more needy member of the Maine coon community? The Maine Coon Rescue is a network of volunteers working to place adoptable Maine coon cats into loving forever homes.
Are you a fan of Maine Coon Cats? This post was first published in 2013 and has been updated.SEE MORE: Guide to New England Animal Sanctuaries New England State Symbols | Honoring the Quirky, Unusual & Delicious 20 Favorite Books Set in New England
Leave a Reply
You might also like...
I own a Maine Coon Cat. He is now 6 years old.. He had 2 sisters but they were taken and his mother was put up for adoption. She was pregnant with 3 kittens and her owners obviously didn’t want any kittens so they dropped her off on our college campus. That is how I got Bear. He doesn’t like to be held will only stand at arms length to be petted, but he sure does talk a lot. He follows me like a shadow talking the entire time. He loves snuggling up to my little female tiger kitten I got 3 months before I got him, She was 4 weeks when I took her and Bear was 6 weeks when I took him. He is 37-1/2 inches from tip of nose to tip of tail. His fur is really long and hi9s tail is so full. He would love to be outside, but I live in the city apts so he can’t go outside.
how can you read that I can’t even read it with my glasses on
Had a Maine coon…………. showed up on the back porch one day, about 6-8 weeks old I’d guess. Baddest cat east of the Mississippi. Lasted 18 years til the vet screwed up and killed him by giving him worm meds before he came outta anesthesia, choked to death.
Have had a Maine Coon for over 12 years. Lola was a rescue, originally the family bought her from a breeder but their autistic son began to get a bit rough with her. We got her at 2 months. She is a lap cat, mannerisms more of a dog—faithful to those she trust, follows you around non stop, talative—chirps. Will lay in between doorways if we are in different rooms, loving, amazing with her paws–she hasn’t eaten with them from day one. She’s 27 from tip of tail to nose, 15lbs, and per the vet a perfect picture of health. Adores sleeping on her back and is loving and nurturing like a dog. She’s an indoor cat, but has a hunter instinct—she snuck out once and grabbed a field mouse with one flick of a paw and slit it’s throat. She didn’t toy with it. She’s not aloof and she is can’t be taught almost anything. If you love dogs but don’t have the space, get a Maine Coon.
My mainecoon is a one cat person. She is very lovey but can be very mean at the same time. She is the Queen of the house, just like her momma
I found my cat in a ditch when she was only days old. She was lifeless and cold with her cord still attached. A lot of vet visits, a lot of trail and error in finding the milk she could handle, but a year later she is a interesting animal. Her name you ask? Princess Tigeress. She is a perfect loving cat when she wants to be and a tiger other times. She weighs in at 21lbs. She is beautiful to look at, has a awesome coat, and I wouldn’t trade her for the world.
Michele,
Our Maine Coons were also rescued from a ditch. There were originally three boys, but the weakest died after a few days. My daughter and I took over the feeding of the two survivors. The girls had named them after characters in the Harry Potter books (I think Prisoner of Azkaban had come out a few weeks before), but I could not remember those names so I called them Ingard and Snorpi from that morning’s Jumble. Ingard unscrambles to Daring which he definitely was. Snorpi seemed a little more vulnerable than Ingard. My middle daughter and her husband adopted Ingard, now called Tom and I kept Snorpi. He died at the age of 10 after a battle with mast cell sarcoma. Tom is still going strong at the age of 15 though.
Our yard sale cat.. he showed up in our yard six years ago during a yard sale.. hasn’t left yet.. I think we will keep him as long as he wants us. He has bonded with and my wife is upset about that. He loves to play and when he wants something he comes to me. He is also a lap cat that loves to be brushed and combed.
I have had two Maine coon mixes. (not pure bred) The first one was given to us as a kitten because she didn’t like having to deal with the long fur. I had never heard of the breed, I just thought he was beautiful. We had him for 12 years. Very smart. Didn’t like lap sitting, but sat next to me every evening. He was brutally killed by a pack of wild dogs. We went on to adopt one from the local humane society. He was about a year old when we adopted him, and loves laying on my lap, sleeping next to me and generally my shadow. Also very smart. I am so fortunate to have had both of these cats. Teddy is now four and travels with us.
Have an adorable black and white tuxedo Maine Coon mail – named Tux! I believe he was the cutest kitten I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen a lot of cute kittens. He is very smart and understands EVERTHING I tell him. He is very sociable and loves to be wherever I am. To show affection, he bumps heads with me – and hard, I might say! He weighs about 17 pounds and is about 10 years old. Still very playful, but very cautious before jumping up on a high shelf – I guess because of his size – he really calculates the jump! I tell him “you have to stay forever young” because I do not know what I would do without him. Love my Tux!
In 1998, we lived on the island of Dutch Harbor, Alaska where I worked as an aircraft mechanic. One day the Grumman Goose flew in from Nicholski, which is the next island to the west. The pilot brought in a box that a native had given him to bring to the pound. Long story short, we’ve had Goose as we named her ever since. She’s about 18 years old now and slowing down, has gotten to be more of a lap cat with that age. You can tell by watching her that she still longs to hunt, which she used to be prolific at.
One thing people who love this breed may not realize is that the island of Nicholski has a huge population of Maine Coons that have been there ever since the Russian fur traders set foxes loose on the island in the late 1700’s. Apparently, they were popular on the ships for their ability to kill the Norway rats that would also be on board.
I was looking for a kitten to adopt and I saw the cutest round eyed stripped kitten I had ever seen, so I adopted her. I found out after I got her and took her to the Vet that she is a Main Coon and her birthday is the same as mine. Wow talk about omen. I didn’t know this till I took her to be spade. She is a year old and she already weighs about 12 lbs. and is 24in long from nose to end of tail. Loves to cuddle, gives kisses, and is very smart. She learned the meaning of, no, bed time, time for work, and are you hungry. She can open the bedroom door. I want another Main Coon, they are great cats to have. Her name is Nyla.
Maine Coons are the best. We lost our rescue Reba to cancer after just two years; I could live without another so purchased a cat for the first time in my life, a retired lady cat just three years old from a breeder. Amy is wonderful company, sitting my lap as I type. Maine Coons’ greatest asset is their incredible personality.
I found Hector and Jasmine in a trailer full of cats. They were not being well cared for, and although I just wanted one I took Hectors sister as well. Hector was the most wonderful cat I have ever owned. He was smart, affectionate, and not afraid of anything. He was born with a stub for a tail that stuck out like a feather duster. Unfortunately Hector contracted kidney disease when he was seven and didn’t live long after that. I miss him so very much, but I still have his sister and a tom cat to share my life.
We acquired Max, a full-bred Maine Coon cat about 7 years ago as a stray who had been coming into our garage at night for about 3 months. One cold icy day he moved into the house on his own. Although we live in South Texas, I grew up in New England. He sure looked like a Maine Coon to me but they’re too valuable to be strays. The vet confirmed he was however, as x-rays showed the unique shape of the heart. I later discovered how he got lost — he loves to ride in cars. More than once I’ve discovered him in the back seat after I was half-way somewhere. I’m sure he jumped into someone’s car or truck, and when he bailed out didn’t know where he was. He’s very sweet and gets along beautifully with the other dogs and cats.
Years ago I had a cat who was simply incredible. I found her when she was a kitten. On reading about these great cats, I now think she was a Maine Coon cat. A couple of things decided me. She always followed me around, even outdoors. None of my many other cats did that. She was a one person cat. Not a lap cat, but she would purr when sitting near me. Also a terrific hunter. I thought instantly of her when I saw the photo of 3 Maine Coon cats at the beginning of this article. The round eyes and kind of long-ish face made me stop and read this. What a wonderful cat!
We have five Maine Coons and love them all very much. They all have very different personalities, but are very loving. Our largest is a boy weighing in at 31.4 lbs. The others are beautiful girls. They all entertain us. Don’t know what we would do without them!
I’ve had Maine Coon cats for the past 28 years. I have 3 now: Comstock age 16, Harley age 13 and Sundance age 9. My boys are like dogs in a cat suit; they follow me around the house and curl up on the floor at my feet when I sit down. Their favorite hobby is bird watching and talking to me.
i adopted a maine coon from a shelter;she meets me at the front door,is very sweet;i awaken in the am & she is next to me in bed speaks very little,is always hungry & stinky stools so i bought food for digestive problems which helps
I have a 6 yr old Maine Coon named Bailey. I almost lost him last year due to a urinary blockage, but got him to the vet just in time. He is orange or whatever color they call it. He is such a talker, always wants to eat and loves to be loved.
Where can we buy a beautiful Maine Coon cat and how much do they cost?
The answer to both of those questions is in the last three full paragraphs of the article.
Loved all your comments. I was born and grew up in Maine. Nobody I knew had a Maine coon. I live in NC & would like to adopt. I’m not sure how easy this will be! Currently I have a 9 yr old dachsund and she pretty much runs the house! Wish me luck!
I have 2 Maine Coons that are half brother and sister. They are so loving and more like dogs than cats in personality. My big red boy is 17 lbs and 7 yrs and has a funny habit of flushing the toilet after he uses the cat box! They are not lap cats but like to be right near me to get petted and to talk to me. So sweet.
I just realized that we had a Maine coon. He adopted us coming from a neighbor which we never knew for years. He hiked up our mountain with us. Scared dogs out of our yard. Lived to 21 and then disappeared. Incredible cat. Fred.
When we were living in NH my wife and I were on a walk in the woods when a white Samoyed dog came out of the woods onto the trail we were on, barked once and started out ahead of us, whenever we got close he would scratch the earth and run ahead. This lased for about a half mile when we came to a brush pile blocking the trail. He stuck his head in it and barked once then backed out. I had to look into the pile and there was this tiny kitten hissing and spitting. I took her out of the brush and she was palm sized and still had her blue eyes. Once I did that the dog left – job completed. At that point in time my wife was not a cat person, but on the drive home she suggested we keep it. One of the best decisions we ever made. We named her Moses based upon the biblical story (we thought she was a male). She was a brownish black and grey tiger with an orange belly, ear tufts and a fury mane on her neck. Every day when I came home from work she would grab a toy and take it upstairs to me and drop it at my feet. I would throw it down the stairs and she would retrieve it. This would continue for about 5 minutes and then she would drop it and push it under the bed – game over. She tolerated car rides including our relocation to TX. She passed on at age 17.
Lovely reading all the stories. I had a Maine Coon as a child-born in a woodpile and caught in a set trap in my Uncle’s barn. He was a dear boy, tiger markings with a white belly and orange accents. Loved to sleep in high places, never on the floor! Sweet and talkative and seemed to understand whatever you said to or asked of him. Miss him still though it was a long time ago!
Adopted my Maine Coon @ age14- almost 3 years ago. He is an angel -responds to commands, talks a lot , sweet tempered, affectionate, best thing in my life. The day he came was a miracle for me. He has healed my sadness at losing my son.
Aww I’m happy you have your baby. I have a Maine Coon also that my cousin gave me after I lost my Mom. He’s the sweetest , most lovable animal I’ve e we had. He loves me so much and he keeps me company… I feel like he saved my life ..,
I’m sitting there when I start hearing cat meows, very faint. I pause the game, and hear it again. I ask my wife if she heard it, and she says “Yeah, it’s just one of ours.” I say, “No…it’s a kitten. That’s tiny kitten meows”, as ours were all 6 and older at this point.
So, I step out on our screened in front porch, and hear it again…really faint meow. I grab the flashlight, and look out towards our trash cans that we put against the side of the house. That’s when I meet to little glowing eyes. A little orange Maine Coon kitten.
So, I step outside, and coerce him over to me with a little food, and a belly rub. He was a sweet little thing. But again, 5 animals already, and there was a neighbor that fed all the strays.
“He’ll be fine”, I say, as we go back in the house.
Went to go let the dogs out an hour later…there’s the kitten sitting on our back deck. “Ignore him”, I say to my wife. “He’ll go somewhere once he realizes we aren’t paying attention to him”.
Next morning, I go out to get the lawnmower from under the deck to get some yardwork done, and out from under a pile of old siding we have down there, I hear rustling, and an orange kitten pop his little head out, and come running over to me. I sigh, laugh at him, scoop him up, and plop him in the house.
4 years later, Quinn is my buddy. He sleeps beside me literally every night. Best cat ever.
I was so lucky to find Cosmo at our local shelter. He is black (I’m a black cat person) with a dark grey “beard”. His belly colors go from a dark black to charcoal, mid grey, light grey and some white.I was told his owner had passed away. He was a young (cat under a year) and he cried day and night. It really got on my nerves but I thought he must be so depressed and sad I would give him time. It took almost 3 months and I guess he finally accepted me. He loves when I comb and brush him…. it’s a zen thing for me. lol. He is now 10 and happy and healthy. He also had a kidney issue…when he was 3. Crystals formed in his kidneys and he couldn’t urinate, he was in so much pain. Vet prescribed Hill’s Science Diet c/d – he has been fine ever since I changed his diet. He is so loving and understands everything I say. I love when he begins trilling.
They’re great pets; but, there’s no need for breeders, there are plenty of Maine Coon rescues available
Was adopted by a maincoon cat. I was sitting on my porch with my husband and this huge cat came and crawled on my lap. I gave it some food and water. He started to come in and stay overnight on bad nights.when we moved he came along. I put him in the back yard and he acted like he belonged .we have had him going on three. years. He loves my dog and she loves him
I’ve been researching and looking for the ideal pet. Your article on Maine coon cats seems to be the answer. Thank you for the comprehensive descriptions.
I have an 18 year old half Maine Coon and half Siamese cat, adopted as a kitten from a shelter, which had gotten her from a woman who bred Maine coon cats and Siamese. She’s all black, and a talker. She’s not a lap cat, but definitely a couch cat who loves to purr!
My son has a Maine coon cat named Ben and he is so beautiful. He is so loving and playful. Has beautiful markings and is so fluffy. He likes to open the kitchen cabinets and hide inside. He’s such good boy and they just love him so much.
My sister-in-law’s sister was down sizing and moving to an apartment where she could only have one pet. She chose to keep the dog and we adopted the Maine Coon cat (Zack). He took very little time to settle in with our cat and dog. He is quite independent and as no fear. Sometime graces us with his nudges and bread making. I frequently have to give him fur ball medicine to help with hair balls. Other then that he is healthy as an ox!