History

• It is believed that the coon cat, also called the Maine coon cat, originated with the breeding of short-haired American breeds with longhair cats brought to America by Europeans, possibly by the Vikings, a theory that is supported by the fact that the coon cat is similar to the Norwegian forest cat. The coon cat quickly became a favorite in cat shows during the late 1800s. The early 1900s saw the coon cat's popularity decline as breeds like the Persian caught the public's fancy. In the 1950s, people started to take notice of them again and in 1968, Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association (MCBFA) was formed.
  
  

Features

• The coon cat has a heavy, water-resistant coat, which is longer on the legs and stomach to protect from the snow and shorter on the back and neck to guard against getting caught in the underbrush. The tail is also longer and bushier than other cats so the cat can wrap it around his body to protect it from the cold. The ears are also protected from the cold by extra thick fur and the feet are protected by big tufts of hair. A female can weight as much as 12 pounds and a male as much as 18. A coon cat will not reach its full size until it is between 3 and 5 years old.
  
  

Temperament

• Besides being big, they are also gentle and playful. A coon cat will keep the kitten-like playfulness all its life. They love to play and can even be taught to fetch. They love people, but as a rule do not like to be cuddled. They will sit next to you instead of on your lap, follow you around and are interested in everything you do. Most coon cats get along with children, dogs and other cats.
  
  

Show Requirements

• A coon cat has to have certain features to be a show cat. The head has to be longer than it is wide with high cheekbones, ears that are large and have a wide base, are moderately pointed and have large tufts of hair on the inside. They should be on top of the head and the width of a ear apart. The neck needs to be medium long, the body long and the tail longer than the body. The eyes should be large, round and expressive and set at an angle other than a right angle to each other. The only color not allowed is the point Siamese and the eyes are either green, gold or green/gold. If the cat is pure white, the eyes can be blue or different colors, one blue and one gold.
  
  

Health Problems

• The coon cat does not have that many congenital health problems. Reputable breeders will not breed any animal that has any of the problems. They want to eliminate them for the good of the breed. Coon cats are susceptible to hip dysplasia and cardiomyopathy, which can be a simple heart murmur or something more serious. You can help by controlling the cat's weight. When the cat is young, feed it a high-quality dry cat food. They do tend to put on weight in middle age, from 5 to 10, so switch to a low-calorie cat food.