Maine Coon History Timeline

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The history of the Maine Coon cat is not set in concrete let us not forget! But the timeline below fits the general consensus about this cat breed:

1620 - pilgrims from England land at Plymouth in Maine. They brought ships cats. Some were long haired or semi-longhaired and some were shorthaired. More pilgrims arrived later. Ships cats were routine in those days and polydactyl cats (cats with extra toes) were it seems favored. These longhaired ships cats are thought to be the precursors to the purebred Maine Coon. They are the founding cats if you like. The shorthaired cats started the American Shorthair purebred cat by the way. These cats were random bred cats (moggies).

1620 to 1850s - Random bred cats are farm cats in Maine and elsewhere. Some are longhaired and some shorthaired.

1850s - breeding of Maine Coon commences.

1861 or thereabouts - early cat shows as additions to farm livestock shows at which "Maine Cats" were shown. These became formal cat shows apparently in mid-1860s.

1895 - formal cat shows in USA at Boston at which Maine Coons are shown and win competitions.

1895 to present - selective cat breeding takes place to refine the Maine Coon. The cat breed becomes ever more popular overcoming the Persian as the favored purebred cat.

1980s - accepted and recognized by all major cat registries.

2011 - most popular cat breed, probably.

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