History
In the 17th and 18th centuries, domestic cats brought to the new lands from Europe faced very severe winters in New England, only the strongest and most adaptable cats survived. Through natural selection (as opposed to selective breeding), the Maine Coon developed into a large, rugged cat with a water-resistant, thick coat and a hardy constitution. These days, the breed has many more recognised colours, including black, blue, cream, red, tortoiseshell, blue tortoiseshell, white, smoke, silver tabby, brown tabby, red tabby, blue tabby, cream tabby, and bi-colour.
It is possible that the cat got its name because a farmer’s wife, watching her fluffy brown tabby, exclaimed, "Look at that cat. He looks like a big old coon!" Maine folks, long known for their sense of humour, soon began remarking to each other about their "coon cats". The name stuck. Exhibited in America's earliest cat shows as Maine Cats (but known only as "coon cats" back home), the breed is now formally called the "Maine Coon Cat". Maine people invariably still call them "coon cats". Those from other states outside Maine are the only ones to call these cats "the Maines". In 1985, the Maine Coon Cat was designated the Maine State cat by act of legislature.
It is possible that the cat got its name because a farmer’s wife, watching her fluffy brown tabby, exclaimed, "Look at that cat. He looks like a big old coon!" Maine folks, long known for their sense of humour, soon began remarking to each other about their "coon cats". The name stuck. Exhibited in America's earliest cat shows as Maine Cats (but known only as "coon cats" back home), the breed is now formally called the "Maine Coon Cat". Maine people invariably still call them "coon cats". Those from other states outside Maine are the only ones to call these cats "the Maines". In 1985, the Maine Coon Cat was designated the Maine State cat by act of legislature.
Legend
There are many legends associated with the Maine Coon.
1. A domestic cat bred with a raccoon, producing what came to be known as the Maine Coon.
2 A domestic cat bred with a bobcat and voila! Maine Coon.
3 They’re descended from Viking cats - Norwegian Forest Cats. Big, thick-coated, built for hard northern winters. So let’s say that some of the Viking explorers who landed in North America in AD 1000 or thereabouts had cats on their ships, and some of those cats stuck around long after the explorers were gone. Over the generations, and possibly after breeding with other cats that arrived later, the Viking cats gave rise to today’s Maine Coons.
4 They are descended from the Persian and Angora cats who sailed as ship’s cats with a certain captain in the 1700s. The name of the captain? Coon. At some point (or perhaps many points) in his travels along North America’s east coast, Captain Coon stopped in Maine, and one or more of his cats went ashore and bred with a local female. The resulting long-haired kittens were called “Coon’s cats.”
5 They have royal blood and are descended from Marie Antoinette’s Persians and Angoras. This romantic tale has its origins in the French Revolution. The ill-fated queen was supposedly going to be rescued by an American sea captain before she could be guillotined. The captain, named Clough, managed to get many of the queen’s things, including six cats, onto his ship, the Sally. He could not save the queen, though. He brought the royal cats with him back home to Wiscasset, Maine, where they “got involved” with the local cats and voila! Maine Coons.
1. A domestic cat bred with a raccoon, producing what came to be known as the Maine Coon.
2 A domestic cat bred with a bobcat and voila! Maine Coon.
3 They’re descended from Viking cats - Norwegian Forest Cats. Big, thick-coated, built for hard northern winters. So let’s say that some of the Viking explorers who landed in North America in AD 1000 or thereabouts had cats on their ships, and some of those cats stuck around long after the explorers were gone. Over the generations, and possibly after breeding with other cats that arrived later, the Viking cats gave rise to today’s Maine Coons.
4 They are descended from the Persian and Angora cats who sailed as ship’s cats with a certain captain in the 1700s. The name of the captain? Coon. At some point (or perhaps many points) in his travels along North America’s east coast, Captain Coon stopped in Maine, and one or more of his cats went ashore and bred with a local female. The resulting long-haired kittens were called “Coon’s cats.”
5 They have royal blood and are descended from Marie Antoinette’s Persians and Angoras. This romantic tale has its origins in the French Revolution. The ill-fated queen was supposedly going to be rescued by an American sea captain before she could be guillotined. The captain, named Clough, managed to get many of the queen’s things, including six cats, onto his ship, the Sally. He could not save the queen, though. He brought the royal cats with him back home to Wiscasset, Maine, where they “got involved” with the local cats and voila! Maine Coons.
Buying a Maine Coon cat or kitten
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On purchasing a kitten or older cat from a Club breeder, you are assured peace of mind regarding the health and breeding of your cat, and you will be given a range of information to assist you with your new pet. Your kitten will be weaned and eating well, house trained and socialised. The breeders have a care sheet, which details the correct diet for your Maine Coon, worming and flea control advice, and immunisation details. You will also be given an immunisation card for your kitten signed by a vet. Many breeders now have their kittens routinely desexed prior to selling them. This is a safe and quick procedure, the kittens are able to return home a few hours later and recovery times are much quicker than in older cats. If buying your kitten as a pet or as a show neuter and it has not been desexed, you will be asked to sign a conditional sales agreement, which requires the cat to be desexed and not be used for breeding.
Club breeders are able to assist with any questions related to the care and welfare of your Maine Coon kitten or cat. While they are not vets, they have built a wealth of knowledge and experience over their years of breeding and showing Maine Coons. Your breeder will be able to assist with all aspects of caring for your new kitten, settling into a new home etc. Remember the only silly question is the one not asked. If you in any doubt about the health of your Maine Coon, you should seek veterinary advice immediately. |
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Show standard
MAINE COON
GENERAL STANDARD
The Maine Coon is a working cat, muscular, solid, long-bodied, and large, with a look of the wild, which is emphasized by the large, tufted ears, square muzzle and shaggy coat. It is capable of surviving a harsh climate by itself, but is of amiable disposition. Ultimate type can take 3 or 4 years to develop in this breed; the largest of all pedigreed cats. Males are generally considerably larger than females.
HEAD: Medium in width and slightly longer than wide. Broadening with age and jowls in males may combine to make the head wider than long and allowance should be made for this in maturity. Skull curves gently in front view and in profile, with only a slight dip between the eyes at the top of the nose. The muzzle is of moderate breadth, square when viewed from any angle.
EARS: Large, tall, wide at the base, tapering to appear pointed, with lynx-like tipping and inner tufts extending beyond the outer edge of the ears. They are set high on the head; the distance between them being equal to the width of an ear at its base.
EYES: Large and oval, with a slightly oblique setting. Eyes are well-opened and expressive.
NOSE: Broad, of even width and medium length, in proportion to length of head. Nose leather to extend the full width of the nose, with large nostrils. The profile is slightly concave between the eyes, with no break, then straight to the tip of the nose.
CHEEKS: Cheekbones are high and become broader with age, particularly in stud males.
JAWS: Firm and moderately broad to create the squared muzzle.
CHIN: Firm, strong and deep, in a vertical line with the tip of the nose.
NECK: Medium to long, strong and in proportion to the body. Thick and muscular in older males.
BODY: Medium to large in size, muscular and broad chested. The body is long, with all parts proportioned to create a rectangular appearance when viewed from above or in side view. It feels solid, with firm muscle and no flabbiness. When viewed from the rear, there is a definite squareness to the rump. Due to the rapid growth of this large breed, there may be a lack of body bulk, muscle and balance until maturity. Allowance should be made for this.
TAIL: Long, at least the length of the body, but in proportion to it, wide at the base, with bone structure tapering towards the tip.
LEGS: Sturdily boned, well muscled, wide-set, medium in length and in proportion to the body.
PAWS: Large, round and well tufted both between the pads and underneath.
CONDITION: Excellent muscular condition is required. Any indication that the cat is not in good physical condition or has not had proper grooming should be penalised.
SCALE OF POINTS
Head (incl. shape, ears, eyes and profile) 35
Body (incl. neck, body shape, tail and paws) 35
Coat length and texture 15
Colour (incl. eyes and coat) 10
Overall condition 5
TOTAL 100
FAULTS / PENALTIES
REFER TO GENERAL LIST OF FAULTS FOR ALL BREEDS, PLUS:
PENALISE:
Flared or widely spaced ears.
Round, small or deep-set eyes.
Short or narrow nose or Persian-like break in nose.
Small nose leather or small nostrils.
Short rounded muzzle.
Narrow or pointed jaw or jaw which is too broad.
Short tail.
Un-tufted paws.
Persian-like undercoat.
Lack of depth in eye colour.
Flabbiness or obesity.
WITHHOLD:
Undershot chin.
Delicate bone structure.
Short cobby body and legs.
Overall even coat.
COAT AND COLOUR
COAT LENGTH AND TEXTURE: A light density undercoat covered by a waterproof outer coat. Not fluffy. Texture may vary with coat colour and pattern. It is uneven in length and markedly subject to seasonal variation. Fur on head, neck and shoulders is short, becoming gradually longer along the back towards the tail and down the sides toward the belly. Britches and belly fur is full and shaggy. The smooth coat flows down the body, continuing in the same manner onto the tail. There is a frontal ruff, generally heavier on males than females. The tail is heavily furred, long and flowing, but it is not bushy as is a fox’s brush.
COAT COLOUR AND PATTERN: Any recognized colour or recognized combination of colour except Chocolate, Lilac, cinnamon, fawn, caramel and apricot. Any recognized pattern except the Himalayan pattern. The colour and pattern clear and distinct, well marked and even. White trim around the chin and lip line allowed except in solid colour cats.
EYE COLOUR: There is no relationship between eye colour and coat colour. Eye colour should be shades of green, green-gold, gold, orange or copper, preferably clear and deep. Blue-eyes or odd-eyes are also allowed for white or bi-colour (including vans) patterned cats.
NOSE LEATHER: Plain or mottled to correspond with coat colour.
PAW PADS: Plain or mottled to correspond with coat colour.
BREEDING NOTES
No allowable outcrosses.
GENERAL STANDARD
The Maine Coon is a working cat, muscular, solid, long-bodied, and large, with a look of the wild, which is emphasized by the large, tufted ears, square muzzle and shaggy coat. It is capable of surviving a harsh climate by itself, but is of amiable disposition. Ultimate type can take 3 or 4 years to develop in this breed; the largest of all pedigreed cats. Males are generally considerably larger than females.
HEAD: Medium in width and slightly longer than wide. Broadening with age and jowls in males may combine to make the head wider than long and allowance should be made for this in maturity. Skull curves gently in front view and in profile, with only a slight dip between the eyes at the top of the nose. The muzzle is of moderate breadth, square when viewed from any angle.
EARS: Large, tall, wide at the base, tapering to appear pointed, with lynx-like tipping and inner tufts extending beyond the outer edge of the ears. They are set high on the head; the distance between them being equal to the width of an ear at its base.
EYES: Large and oval, with a slightly oblique setting. Eyes are well-opened and expressive.
NOSE: Broad, of even width and medium length, in proportion to length of head. Nose leather to extend the full width of the nose, with large nostrils. The profile is slightly concave between the eyes, with no break, then straight to the tip of the nose.
CHEEKS: Cheekbones are high and become broader with age, particularly in stud males.
JAWS: Firm and moderately broad to create the squared muzzle.
CHIN: Firm, strong and deep, in a vertical line with the tip of the nose.
NECK: Medium to long, strong and in proportion to the body. Thick and muscular in older males.
BODY: Medium to large in size, muscular and broad chested. The body is long, with all parts proportioned to create a rectangular appearance when viewed from above or in side view. It feels solid, with firm muscle and no flabbiness. When viewed from the rear, there is a definite squareness to the rump. Due to the rapid growth of this large breed, there may be a lack of body bulk, muscle and balance until maturity. Allowance should be made for this.
TAIL: Long, at least the length of the body, but in proportion to it, wide at the base, with bone structure tapering towards the tip.
LEGS: Sturdily boned, well muscled, wide-set, medium in length and in proportion to the body.
PAWS: Large, round and well tufted both between the pads and underneath.
CONDITION: Excellent muscular condition is required. Any indication that the cat is not in good physical condition or has not had proper grooming should be penalised.
SCALE OF POINTS
Head (incl. shape, ears, eyes and profile) 35
Body (incl. neck, body shape, tail and paws) 35
Coat length and texture 15
Colour (incl. eyes and coat) 10
Overall condition 5
TOTAL 100
FAULTS / PENALTIES
REFER TO GENERAL LIST OF FAULTS FOR ALL BREEDS, PLUS:
PENALISE:
Flared or widely spaced ears.
Round, small or deep-set eyes.
Short or narrow nose or Persian-like break in nose.
Small nose leather or small nostrils.
Short rounded muzzle.
Narrow or pointed jaw or jaw which is too broad.
Short tail.
Un-tufted paws.
Persian-like undercoat.
Lack of depth in eye colour.
Flabbiness or obesity.
WITHHOLD:
Undershot chin.
Delicate bone structure.
Short cobby body and legs.
Overall even coat.
COAT AND COLOUR
COAT LENGTH AND TEXTURE: A light density undercoat covered by a waterproof outer coat. Not fluffy. Texture may vary with coat colour and pattern. It is uneven in length and markedly subject to seasonal variation. Fur on head, neck and shoulders is short, becoming gradually longer along the back towards the tail and down the sides toward the belly. Britches and belly fur is full and shaggy. The smooth coat flows down the body, continuing in the same manner onto the tail. There is a frontal ruff, generally heavier on males than females. The tail is heavily furred, long and flowing, but it is not bushy as is a fox’s brush.
COAT COLOUR AND PATTERN: Any recognized colour or recognized combination of colour except Chocolate, Lilac, cinnamon, fawn, caramel and apricot. Any recognized pattern except the Himalayan pattern. The colour and pattern clear and distinct, well marked and even. White trim around the chin and lip line allowed except in solid colour cats.
EYE COLOUR: There is no relationship between eye colour and coat colour. Eye colour should be shades of green, green-gold, gold, orange or copper, preferably clear and deep. Blue-eyes or odd-eyes are also allowed for white or bi-colour (including vans) patterned cats.
NOSE LEATHER: Plain or mottled to correspond with coat colour.
PAW PADS: Plain or mottled to correspond with coat colour.
BREEDING NOTES
No allowable outcrosses.
General Care
Care of the Eyes and Ears
Check your cat/kitten's ears regularly. Clean them carefully with cotton buds. If you repeatedly find small bits of dark matter and if the cat scratches and shakes its' head a lot, consult a veterinarian, as the cat may have ear mites. If your cat has continually runny or weeping eyes, consult a veterinarian.
Trimming Claws
You should trim the tips of the claws on the front feet once a month with special clippers available at pet stores. Ask your vet to show you how to do this.
Checking the Teeth
If you feed your cat a complete diet it should have perfect teeth. Unfortunately, however, some cats develop tartar and inflamed gums. You should therefore check your pet's mouth regularly. Consult your veterinarian if you see something you suspect requires treatment, the cats' breath is offensive or the cat dribbles continuously.
Grooming
The coat of a semi-longhaired cat should be thoroughly combed at least once a week. In the spring and autumn, when the cat grows a new coat, weekly combing is necessary because the fine hair of the undercoat gets matted easily at these times.
Start grooming the coat and checking ears and teeth early, when the kitten is about twelve weeks old, so that it will become used to these procedures. Most cats love to be brushed, particularly if you stop periodically to pat them.
When giving your cat its daily cuddle, let your fingers automatically feel in the obvious areas where knots usually form (behind the ears, under the chin and tummy) and gently tease the knots out. If your cat objects to this, get help from another person and carefully cut the knots out before they become large masses.
Start grooming the coat and checking ears and teeth early, when the kitten is about twelve weeks old, so that it will become used to these procedures. Most cats love to be brushed, particularly if you stop periodically to pat them.
When giving your cat its daily cuddle, let your fingers automatically feel in the obvious areas where knots usually form (behind the ears, under the chin and tummy) and gently tease the knots out. If your cat objects to this, get help from another person and carefully cut the knots out before they become large masses.
Bathing
It is not necessary to regularly bath your kitten/cat, unless you intend to show it, or you reside in an area susceptible to fleas and other parasites. Club members can explain to you the simplest method for bathing your cat, but again it is better to get the cat used to it at an early age. Remember, most cats do not like water. Members can also guide you in preparing your Maine Coon to show standard if you intend showing it.
