Maine Coon ears should be large and well-tufted

CFA breed standard for ears: EARS: Shape: large, well-tufted, wide at base, tapering to appear pointed. Set: approximately one ear’s width apart at the base; not flared.

Well, yes, it is the hallmark of the Maine Coon that their ears should be large and well-tufted. That and the muzzle distinguishes them from the common cat! 😏

No cat is a common cat but you'll take my point. The ears and muzzle are what makes them what they are plus their size and shaggy coat.

And this smoky beauty has those ears. Breeders focus on them. They mould the appearance genetically. I must say I am not a great fan of selective breeding (artificial selection as opposed to natural selection). It is humans playing God. I prefer leaving nature alone as nature knows best. 

Humans can go wrong if they think they are better and bigger than nature. Look at climate change. Nature is telling humankind to get a grip and to stop destroying the planet.

Global warming is like a Maine Coon slapping down a person who has gone too far when handling them roughly. Enough! the cat says; take that. The blistering temperatures in Canada not long ago (in the high 40s Celsius) and the floods in Germany (as two examples) are nature's way of slapping down humankind for abusing her for so long.

I am rambling but why not? There is a link between cat breeding and global warming surprisingly. When breeders go too far and selective breed to extreme because they lack self-discipline they can create cats who are inherently unhealthy. Nature tells them when to stop. 

When humankind abuses the planet nature also tells them when to stop through extreme weather events. The underlying cause is humankind's lack of self-discipline and self-control.

Humans tend to live by short-term thinking. They can be blind to long-term consequences. It is and instant, immediate world. Self-gratification. We need to reappraise how we live. A complete rethink and restart. It is going to be painful and enormously expensive at first. But there is money in climate change for the smart entrepreneur.