Maine Coon

Black / seal, blue / grey-slate, red, white

Chocolate, lilac, fawn and cinnamon are excluded.

Solid / plain, tabby / striped, bicolour, mink / sepia

They are most commonly plain or striped.

Long, mid-length.

Blue and odd eyes are only accepted when the Maine Coon is white-coated.

Maine Coons are definitely one of the biggest breeds of cat. They are massive, powerful and muscular. Their large, slightly rounded heads have square muzzles and strong chins. Often tipped with ‘brushes’ (also called lynx tips), their ears are similar to those of a lynx. Their fur is dense and lustrous. To be honest, the body shape of this breed is spectacular. They have absolutely no equal!

American Longhairs are very affectionate and love to be close to their owners.

It is essential to play with them every day to give them enough exercise and stimulation to keep them healthy.

They strike a good balance between relaxing and exercising.

They’re an intelligent breed, with impressive cognitive abilities.

Several factors can cause Maine Coons to distrust strangers, but in general, they’re very adaptable to new people and things.

Many American Longhairs can take care of themselves completely independently.

Maine Coons are generally not big talkers, but this can vary depending on the individual.  Anecdotal evidence reports that some softly coo.

It is important to include a variety of physical activities in their daily routine.

These big cats do like to roam and explore. Teaching your cat to wear a lead and harness can be useful for outdoor excursions.

Sufficient nutrition to meet their energy needs is essential. By providing food in interactive bowls, you can offer your American Longhair activity at the same time as feeding them, and therefore limiting their ability to be greedy!

There are several factors that influence how well household cats interact, such as how they were introduced to each other and their environment. Creating an environment with multiple high hiding places and ‘observation posts’ is recommended.

The way in which they are introduced to dogs while they’re kittens has a big influence on their subsequent ability to build relationships with dogs. They can cohabit peacefully, as long as they were well introduced. The living space should have multiple high hiding places to allow the cat to flee unwanted canine contact.

Given that they are big cats and children are only small, it is important to introduce them to each other gradually and gently. Never force unwanted contact. It is a good idea to properly supervise the meetings, to teach the children how to respectfully approach the cat and to ensure the goodwill of all. If this is done well, the relationship between Maine Coons and kids can be very rewarding!

These big cats and elderly people can definitely cohabit, just as long as the owners can manage the activity needs of the cat.

They lose more hair in certain seasons, so the length and thickness of their coats varies over time.

On average, Maine Coons live 11 to 13 years of age, but they can sometimes reach the ripe old age of 15.

Their long coat and dense undercoat give them good resistance to thermal variations and extreme temperatures. In addition, their coats are waterproof.

Risk factors for feline obesity include: age, environment, diet and activity. The risk of the cat becoming overweight decreases considerably when their physical activity needs are met. Providing food in interactive bowls can also help ration portions.

Annual medical checkups are suggested to ensure their well-being. They can suffer the same diseases as domestic cats, including oral diseases. They are also known to have certain hereditary diseases, including:

• Spinal muscular atrophy - typical hereditary disease among Maine Coons. It arises after 13 to 17 weeks and muscle weakness is a main symptom.
• Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease that affects both purebred and non-pedigreed cats. Eventually, it causes heart failure.
   

No crossbreeding is allowed. 

On average, litters consist of 3 kittens.

Even today, the true origin of this breed in many respects remains unknown. According to some, its history begins in New England, when the first European ships docked on the shores of the New Continent. Cats escaped from the boats and took refuge in nearby forests. Over the years, their descendants adapted to the rigours of North America: making them bigger, more powerful, densening their fur, etc. These cats then crossbred with cats of different breeds from overseas. Then, in the nineteenth century, specimens from this crossbreeding were presented in competition and were a sensation.
Other stories suggest different origin stories for Maine Coons. Nevertheless, the breed was a great success at its first cat shows in 1860-1861. A few years later, Persians and Siamese appeared in America and stole the show completely. It was not until the 1950s that Maine Coons came back into fashion. Since then, the breed has been spreading ... to the delight of their fans!