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History of the Maine Coon CatOrigins of North America’s Oldest Cat Breed
The Maine Coon is the only truly native American cat. But its origins are lost in myth and legend. A Maine Coon owner tries to separate fact from fiction.
There is a wealth of romantic tradition surrounding this beautiful and popular cat breed. So where did Maine Coon cats really come from? Racoon MatingsOne of the best known stories about Maine Coons is that they are the result of a mating between a racoon and a domestic cat. This is, of course, genetically impossible! Bobcat AncestorsMaine Coons have been thought to be the result of a bobcat/housecat cross. This is a possibility. Matings between bobcats and housecats are rare, but they have been documented. The kittens of such a cross are described as sturdy, heavily-furred cats with large tufted ears and big feet, ie they look like Maine Coons! Rescued French Revolution CatsThe next legend is an extremely romantic tale, based loosely on fact. Towards the end of the French Revolution, there was a bid to save the royal cats. A sea captain named Samuel Clough was to bring Queen Marie Antoinette and her cats to the USA. She is said to have had a number of fluffy Persian or Angora cats, which mated with the resident American farm cats. Their descendents are said to be the Maine Coons. This is not impossible, but fairly unlikely, since Marie Antoinette was not even known to have any long-haired cats. Captain Coon’s CatsNext there is the story of a Captain Coon, an English sea captain who was very fond of cats. He had a number of Persians and Angoras, and when he fraternized while ashore, so did his cats! When long-haired cat litters began appearing, they were referred to as “one of Coon’s cats”…and gradually the name stuck. Viking CatsMaine Coons could be descended from the Norwegian Skogkatt, which possibly came over with the Vikings. In recent times there have been many comments on the similarity between the two breeds, so this is quite possible. The longhaired Russian cat could also have been a possible ancestor. The Likely Truth of the MatterThe true origins of the Maine Coon are likely to be a combination of all of the above legends, shorn of the romance and some of the details. Throughout the period of American colonisation, ships came to the North-East of the USA with cargo and crews, and with them, their cats. These would have been cats of many breeds, which mated with the original domestic American cats. Man then added to the mix by selecting the traits that were found to be appealing, adding breeding programmes, and finally producing today’s Maine Coon. But does it all really matter anyway? The Maine Coon is a unique, huge, lovable cat, with devoted fans the world over. Do they really care where he came from? Further Reading That Yankee Cat, Marilis Hornidge, Tilbury House Publishers, 2002 Related Articles about CatsCats - Keep Indoors or Go Outside
The copyright of the article History of the Maine Coon Cat in Cat Breeds is owned by Helen Krasner. Permission to republish History of the Maine Coon Cat in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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