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Maine Coon, the Gentle Giant, a totally Loveable
big ball of Fur
Presented by: Baby Kitty & Sir Alfred


The Maine Coon is a domestic cat breed that has a very
distinct physical appearance. In Northern America it is one
of the oldest natural breeds. It is the official State Cat
of Maine where the breed originated.

In the late 1800's the Maine Coon was popular in cat shows,
but in the early Twentieth Century its existence was
threatened by other long-haired breeds that were introduced
from overseas. Now, however, the Maine Coon has made a
comeback and is one of the most popular breeds in the world.

This breed does have some individual lines with genetic
health issues like feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and
hip dysplasia, but because of recent advancements in science
there are now tests that can screen for these diseases and
help to reduce the frequency that they occur in individual
cats.

The Maine Coon is one of the largest domestic cat breeds.
The male cat can weigh between fifteen and twenty-five
pounds (six and one half to over eleven kilograms) and
female cats can weigh between ten and fifteen pounds (four
and one half to seven kilograms). The height they can reach
varies between ten and sixteen inches (twenty-five to forty-
one centimeters) and they can be as long as forty inches
(one meter) including the tail, which can be up to fourteen
inches (thirty-six centimeters) long by itself!

The body of the Maine Coon is muscular and solid, and its
strong body is necessary because of its great size. The
chest is broad and the body shape is rectangular. Maine Coon
cats mature very slowly and it can take up to four years for
the cat to reach its potential full growth.

The Maine Coon cat can be medium-haired or long-haired. The
coat is silky and soft and the texture and coat color can
vary between individual cats. The length of the fur is
shorter on the head and shoulders. Some may have a mane-like
ruff around their necks. Maine Coon cats can come in all
colors and patterns although they can't be shown if they
show hybridized colors or patterns such as Siamese points.
The most common color seen is brown tabby, which contributes
to the Coon part of the breed name. All eye colors except
blue and odd eyes are accepted.

Unlike other long-haired cats, the fur of a Maine Coon cat
is self maintainable; due to an undercoat that has a light
density. They do shed seasonally, and some grooming help may
be needed during this time. The coat is thinner in the
summer and thicker in the winter. The tail is unique in that
it resembles a raccoon's tail and is long, heavily furred
and tapering. They also have tufts of hair on the ends of
their ears and fur between their toes.

These cats are known for their gentle personalities and
above average intelligence, which makes them easy to train.
They are loyal to family and cautious around strangers. They
aren't clingy like some cats and tend to be independent.
They get along fine around other cats, dogs and children
because of their relaxed personalities. Most Maine Coon cats
are affectionate and tend to like curling up in their humans
laps. They also are fascinated by water and some have even
been known to go swimming.


Picture Maine Coon Cat





Maine Coon Cat's need a high biological value protein food
Dr. Jane Bicks


At first glance, you might think the Maine Coon Cat
is a dog in drag, and with good reason. This is a
large cat. At ten months, my nephews Maine Coon,
George, was nineteen pounds of muscular machismo and
had taken a lion's share of awards at the Empire Cat Show.


My advice for keeping a Maine Coon in keen shape is
to feed it a high biological value protein nutritionally
balanced cat food. Three to four times daily (no free feeding).


If you are using a supermarket label cat food, add a
well rounded supplement with vitamins, minerals, amino
acids and fats. This will supply correctly proportioned
amounts of energy, keeping the cat muscular and active.


You do not want a fat Maine Coon, believe me - obesity
problems aside, you could get a hernia just carrying him
to the vet!


As big as Maine Coons are, they are gentle, loving, 
adaptable to all sorts of household situations and 
climates, and they make terrific pets.


A regular, weekly combing should be enough to keep
their coats tangle free, but you may want to add
brewers yeast or torula yeast for that "extra"
hair conditioning, and don't forget hair ball  treatments!


*   My Personal Suggestion on the Finest Feline
adventure in dining in America
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(we offer you Free samples of our food, so be sure and try some today)

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