Published on 05/13/2008

The Maine Coon is one of my favorite cat breeds. It is a natural cat that originated in Maine. You will find them in almost any village in that part of the world.

Adopting Kittens: Maine Coon Appearance and Personality

The Maine Coon is one of my favorite cat breeds. It is a natural cat that originated in Maine. You will find them in almost any village in that part of the world.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, domestic cats brought to the United States on ships faced very severe winters in Maine, where the strongest and most adaptable cats survived. The Maine Coon developed outdoors into a large, rugged cat with a water-resistant, thick coat and a hardy disposition.

The first Maine Coon cat I met was in a local vet’s office. He was lying on top of the reception counter.

As I walked in the door, I was impressed by his beauty. He was a deep gray with white on the face and a white collar. He was a massive cat having a long, rectangular body and a flowing coat.

He looked me straight in the eye and I said, “Who is this?” When the receptionist began to answer he quickly turned his entire body to face her and started patting his full and beautiful tail on the counter. I took this to mean he preferred the receptionist over me!

She said, “he stays up here with me most of the time, but he does have other places and people here he goes to visit.”

Throughout the entire transaction he continued to ignore me as if I was not even in the room. He just laid there staring at the receptionist and patting his tail.

I was insulted, however, impressed with this antic just the same! I started to demand he talk to me, but thought I better not, he had made it so very clear the receptionist was whom he adored.

I will try to get a picture of this particular Maine Coon for the web site.

The following appearance description is offered to help you decide if the Maine Coon cat is right for you, your family and lifestyle.

Appearance Description

• Massive cat
• Broad chest
• Long, rectangular body
• The outstanding coat of a Maine Coon cat is a distinctive feature
• The fur is short at the shoulders, long on the stomach and longer on the back legs
• The coat is heavy and shaggy with an overall uneven-look to it
• Coat is silky to the touch
• Tail is long and full
• The Main Coon has five color classes: solid, tabby, tabby with white, parti-color and “all other colors.”
• Males average between 16 and 19 pounds and some get up to 20 pounds or more. Females are smaller, averaging between 8 and 12 pounds
• Head is medium in width and length with square-looking muzzle
• Cheekbones are high
• Chin is firm in line with the nose and upper lip
• Nose is medium long with a slight concavity in the profile

The following personality description is offered to help you decide if the Maine Coon cat is right for you, your family and lifestyle.

• Gentle and loyal
• Strong, tranquil and a pleasure to see and touch
• Easygoing temperaments that make them ideal family pets
• They get along well with children and dogs
• Intelligent

Grooming Tips

• Easy grooming
• Combing and brushing the coat several times a week is recommended
• The Maine Coon will use the scratching post if provided

Follow the link in the resource box of this article to find pictures and more information about many different breeds of cats.

Written by: Connie Limon. Visit “Adopting Kittens” at http://smalldogs2.com/AdoptingKittens to find a complete online reference for choosing and caring for the perfect kitten, which matches you and your lifestyle. Learn about litter box training at http://smalldogs2.com/LitterBoxTraining

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.