Maine Coon Cats

1) Maine Coons are one of the largest domestic cat breeds. Males can weigh up to 25 pounds and females as high as twenty! Our little boy is 6 months old and is at 10 pounds right now.

2) Maine Coons are slow growers, like many large breeds. We will get to enjoy this kitten stage for several years and our little ones will reach adult size and behavior between three & four.

Fur
3) The Maine Coon is America’s native longhair cat. Their fur is in two layers, an undercoat and then the longer silky top coat. This keeps them warm in cold winters and provides insulation and resistance to water.

Paws



4) Their paws are very large and well tufted. (Tufts in between the toes are an essential feature for a Maine Coon.) With their large paws, they are capable of scooping up objects, toys and food using their paws. They can even stretch themselves up and use their flexible paws to open doors using door knobs!




Tail
5) Their amazing tail is one of the most unmistakable features of the Maine Coon. The tail grows to be as long and thick, and when they lived as farm cats they could cover up with their tail to stay warm.

Behavior
6) Maine Coons are often described as having dog-like behavior. They will follow you around, they will sit at your feet, will come to greet you (whenever you’ve been out), they will fetch and retrieve, they will also carry favorite objects such as a toy stick in the mouth and drop it at your feet.

7) Just like Maine Coons everywhere, my kittens always want to “help.” When something is happening in the house, we are on the computer, doing housework, putting things together, just about anything, they want to be in the middle, sitting on the computer keyboard, chasing after the broom, joining in and participating!

8) Maine Coons definitely have their own voice. This is one of the most special things about these cool cats. They are very talkative and engaging, using a distinctive vocabulary of chirps, peeps and trills to communicate – in addition to their meows and purrs.

9) These cats simply love water. It is the most amazing thing! They play in it, dip their paws in it, sit in the tub and watch the faucet drip, shake it all over the floor. The theory is that this personality trait comes from their ancestors, who were aboard ships for much of their lives.



10) Maine Coons are loyal, people-loving cats with a laid back temperament. They are highly intelligent and learn new games and household routines quickly. And they also get along well with children and other pets- even dogs.

Fame!
11) On May 8, 1895, the first North American cat show was hosted at Madison Square Garden in New York City – and the winner of this first show was a female Maine Coon brown tabby, named Cosey!

12) In 1985, the state of Maine announced that the breed would be named the official State Cat. The Maine Coon is the second most popular cat breed, according to the amount of kittens registered with the CFA.

13) Mrs. Norris in the Harry Potter film series is a Maine Coon. Three Maine Coons were used to build the part of this cat, but the one that had the most film time was Pebbles.


I found this write up about getting her ready for the act - Mrs. Norris was a scrawny, ill-kept and matted creature who constantly patrolled the corridors, looking to catch even the smallest student infraction. Three Maine coons played the part of Mrs. Norris. The unkempt appearance was achieved using a collar with fake fur attached. In addition, hair was spiked up using a non-toxic hair gel. Mrs. Norris’ malevolent red eyes were achieved using digital effects, not contact lenses.