5 Fun Facts About Maine Coons, the Gentle Giants of the Cat World

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Anyone who has ever had a Maine Coon in their life knows that these gentle giants are something special. Their incredible size and loving personalities have made them one of the most popular cat breeds in the world.

As one of the oldest natural breeds in North America, Maine Coons are majestic cats that have a delightfully playful side. These adept mousers love hunting down prey, and therefore, enjoy playing with their owners in order to keep up this skill.

Maine Coons are so beloved that they even have their own society: the Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association. Founded in 1968, this global organization helps promote the breed, which fell so far out of popularity that at one point in the 1950s, it was thought to be extinct!

If you want to learn even more about Maine Coons, read on for some fun facts about these giant cats with wonderful personalities.

Learn about Maine Coons, the gentle giants of the cat world.

They’re world record holders

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Maine Coons are well known for their size, typically weighing between nine and 18 pounds. Males can get even larger, with some tipping the scales at 25 pounds. But it’s not just their weight that makes them impressive. These felines actually hold quite a few records. A Maine Coon named Barivel, who lives in Italy, has been named the World’s Longest Living Domestic Cat by the Guinness Book of World Records. He measures three feet and 11.2 inches and is the latest in a long line of Maine Coons to dominate the category over the past 10 years. In fact, a previous record holder named Stewie, who passed away in 2013, was even longer, measuring just over four feet.

They come in a variety of colors

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Most Maine Coon lovers are used to seeing this cat’s coat in a classic brown tabby. But the truth is that Maine Coons can come in a whole variety of colors. While they aren’t bred to be lavender or chocolate, it’s possible to find everything from solid to tortoiseshell to calico. Maine Coons will also typically have green, gold, or copper-colored eyes.

They’re the official state cat of Maine

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As the name suggests, these felines are native to the northeastern state of Maine. They are ready for the harsh New England winter thanks to their shaggy, uneven double-layered coat, which is also water repellant. They also have tufts of fur on their paws that act like built-in snowshoes.

But just where did the Maine Coon originally come from? There are a few legends around the breed’s origins. One story states that during the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette made a plan to escape and shipped six of her pet cats to America. While she never made it, they landed in Maine and helped start the breed. Another, more plausible, story credits the breed’s origins to Vikings who landed in New England in the 1700s. It’s thought that short-haired domestic cats bred with their long-haired cats to kick off the breed.

They have a great temperament

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Known as the “dogs of the cat world,” Maine Coons are generally good-natured and love people. These gentle giants can also be trained to play fetch and even love water! Extremely loyal, they love to be around their owners, though they can keep themselves occupied when needed.

Maine Coons also make great pets for families with children. Their playful nature makes them good fun for little ones and their size means that they aren’t intimidated or afraid to be handled by children.

They’re Instagram Superstars

While Maine Coons were very popular in the 19th century—a Maine Coon even won the first cat show at Madison Square Garden in 1895—their popularity declined in the early 20th century when other long-haired cats like Persians were introduced. However, since the 1970s their popularity has steadily been on the rise and now the Maine Coon is the third most popular breed according to Cat Fancier’s Association.

Their popularity is evident on social media platforms like Instagram, where over 6.5 million images have the Maine Coon hashtag. In fact, there are quite a few “Instagram famous” Maine Coons, who delight their fans with their good looks and playful antics. This includes Lotus, a big blond feline based in Sweden who has over 350,000 followers.

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