Maine Coons...Americaīs Gentle Giants

 ...there are cats...and there are Maine Coons...

and everybody who knows them,

knows what I want to say and will agree with me...Ines Fleischer

Playful, cuddly, intelligent and engaging are words often used to describe a Maine Coon.          

        Their striking features and substantial size attract your first attention, but itīs their personality

 that is the hook. Maine Coons have the nickname "dog loverīs cats" because of their companionable

  temperament. Maine Coons love people. They follow you about the house not only for

 companionship but also to see what amusing things you may be up to. This longing for

 companionship along with their physical characteristics that enable them to withstand harsh 

winters are what brought them from their early beginnings in New England to contemporary life.

The Origins

There are many myths surrounding the Maine Coon, especially regarding itīs origins. The myths are

 probably more interesting than the truth, so the myths endure. The most chimeric belief is that the

 Maine Coon was derived from the mating of a raccoon and a wild feline. This myth springs from the

 idea  that their large size and bushy tail are characteristics acquired  from its raccoon forefathers.

 Zoologists know that this is a genetically impossible  occurrence, as well as the myth of a mating 

with a bobcat. Another fancyful tale tells that they are descendants of Angora cats belonging to 

Marie Antoinette that were shipped  to Wiscasset, Maine for safekeeping during the French Revolution.

 Once here, they mated with the native feral felines to produce the Maine Coon breed.

There are some things about the ancestors that are known to be true. Living conditions were extremly

 harsh in New England when the country  was first settled. Cats came aboard ships even before

 permanent settlements were established. They were useful for seamen because they helped control

 the rat population and were good company. When ships landed ashore, it is likely that cats also went

 ashore too, and some were probably left behind. Maybe the Norwegian Forrest cats were their

 ancestors who traveled on ships with the Vikings  to the New World and stayed behind.

 These cats produced offspring but only the offspring that were adaptable and bearing

 certain physical characteristics could survive in the harsh New England climate and conditions. 

Such cats might have had a large and sturdy frame and could fluff up and stand menacingly, 

as a deterrent to predators as like wolves and coyotes. They would have an easily maintained,

 long shaggy hair coat for protection against the cold, with very little undercoat to mat. 

Big furry paws would function like snowshoes and furry ears would keep out the

 snow as well. And so it is concluded that the Maine Coon has descended or ascended from

necessity. The Maine Coon was very popular in the 1800s when cat fancy hobby began to emerge.

First recorded in cat literature in 1861 with a mention of a black and white cat named 'Captain Jenks 

of the Horse Marines,' Maine Coons were popular competitors at early cat shows in Boston and New York.

 A brown tabby female named 'Cosie' won Best Cat at the 1895 Madison Square Garden Show. In

 the early 1900s, other long haired breeds started to become more popular, especially, the Persian, the

 enthusiasm for the Maine Coon declined rapidly. During the first half of this century, the Maine Coons

  were largely ignored, except for a few ardent New England supporters of their native cats. In the early

  sixties, a few of these supporters organized into a loosely strucured association and began the work

 necessary to return the Maine Coon to popularity. From this group emerged

 the Maine Coon Breeders and FanciersīAssociation (MCBFA), established in 1968 for the promotion

and protection of the Maine Coon Cat... we are proud to be full breeder member of MCBFA.

 Ines Fleischer-Bonfires Maine Coon Cats

 
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