The history of the Maine Coon breed: facts, myths and legends.

Maine Coons are furry giants that are adored all over the world. Indeed, this breed has practically no flaws, but it has a rich history shrouded in myths and legends. If you decide to get a Maine Coon, you just need to separate the truth from fiction and get acquainted with the unique features of the breed. Our article, which briefly lists the most common legends about the Maine Coon breed, as well as the history of their occurrence and informative facts, will help you with this.

The first representatives of the Maine Coon breed have been known to the world for about 150 years. The exact date of the appearance of fluffy giants varies from 1861 to 1878, but at the same time the place of their appearance is indisputable – the Isle of Man in the northeastern United States. It was the location of the island, its cold climate and abundance of water that created the distinctive features of the breed: a long fluffy tail, under which it is convenient to hide on cold nights; thick wool that protects from frost; wide paws for movement in the snow and excellent hunting skills.

Soon after the appearance of Maine Coons at exhibitions, the breed won the love of the public. First in Maine, and then in the USA and the world. After all, the combination of friendliness, high intelligence and hunting skills made such a cat an indispensable assistant on farms. Moreover, Maine Coons get along well with young children, fully justifying their nickname “cat nanny”. They are calm about children’s games and do not show aggression. However, their formidable appearance still creates anxiety and generates a lot of myths.

MYTH 1. Origin from the lynx

One of the most common misconceptions is the origin of Maine coons from lynx. Indeed, these two species have similar tassels on large ears, a long body and a massive jaw, but they have no kinship. External similarities can be explained by the cold habitat of the first representatives of the breed.

MYTH 2. Origin from raccoon

The name of the breed “Maine Coon” comes from a combination of the name of the Isle of Man and an abbreviation of the word raccoon. According to legend, Maine coons appeared as a result of crossing a raccoon and a cat, so they are often called Maine raccoons. In addition, cats of this breed sometimes emit unusual cooing and purring, from a distance resembling the sounds of a raccoon. However, this is also a myth – Maine coons are as related to raccoons as Russian blue cats.

MYTH 3. Aggressive and introverted

We have already said that Maine Coons are exceptionally peaceful and sociable cats. This breed, despite its intimidating appearance, almost does not show aggression and prefers to avoid conflicts. They are strongly attached to their owners and love affection, so it is not recommended to leave them alone.

MYTH 4. A paw for good luck

This belief is very common in the USA: Maine coons bring good luck on warships. Polydactyls, cats with extra toes on their paws, were considered especially lucky. In fact, Maine Coons were taken on board because they are not afraid of water and easily tolerate voyages. After all, their habitual habitat is an island with many rivers and lakes. And excellent rodent hunting skills helped to preserve provisions. But even now, despite the popularity of these facts, Maine Coons remain the mascots of ships.

MYTH 5. The letter M on the forehead

Many Maine Coon cats have the letter M clearly visible on their foreheads, which caused a well-known misconception: this is a mandatory sign of pedigreed cats. In fact, the letter M on the forehead is just one of the types of coloring.

In addition to myths and legends, it is no less interesting and useful to learn informative facts about Maine Coons. After all, this breed has several world records and a rich history.

FACT 1. The largest size

Looking at the Maine Coon, it’s easy to guess that they own the world record for length. In the Guinness Book of Records, you can meet Stewie – the longest cat in the world. Its dimensions are 123.2 cm in length. In addition, this breed also has the longest mustache, which can reach 16 cm or more.

FACT 2. Polydactyly.

Among Maine Coons, polydactyl representatives are often found, on the paws of which there can be up to 8 fingers! Such cats are jokingly called “mittens”. After all, from a distance it may seem that they put mittens on their paws. Extra fingers are a genetic mutation that is inherited. According to some experts, a large number of fingers made it easier to move around the snow cover.

FACT 3. Amenable to training

The character and developed intelligence of Maine Coons allows them to be trained like dogs. Cats can perform simple commands: lie down, sit, bring something or give a voice.

FACT 4. Were met on coins

In 1993, the Maine Coon was depicted on the coins of the Isle of Man with a face value of 1 crown. During these years, this breed also gained worldwide fame and popularity.

FACT 5. Maine Coon Colors

Chocolate, brown, purple and acromelanic cats are not recognized at exhibitions, so such Maine coons are not bred. The natural color is considered to be “black marble”, and the most precious and exclusive are “blue smoke” and “red solid”.

The Maine Coon breed is now one of the most popular in the world. Since they have an unusual pleasant appearance and an amazing character: they get along with children, do not spoil furniture and amaze with their calmness and friendliness. If you still haven’t decided on the breed of your future pet, pay attention to Maine Coons. These cats have earned worldwide love and recognition. However, do not forget that you need to buy a Maine Coon only from trusted breeders, for example, in “Moonrisecoon”. We have only healthy and the most affectionate kittens who will become a tailed member of your family.