Popularity of the Maine Coon made possible by air conditioning in the USA

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84% of all homes in the United States have some kind of air conditioning. Almost all Texans have air conditioning with 80% using a central air conditioning unit. They need to as Texas can get damned hot. The hottest states are, in descending order: Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Texas and Georgia.

Maine Coon keeps cool by resting in a cool hand basin
Maine Coon keeps cool by resting in a cool hand basin. Image in the public domain.

The Maine Coon (MC) is known for its shaggy, medium-longhaired coat. This is beneficial to the MC if it goes outside in cold climates. The coat is made for a temperate climate with cold winters and living in barns. They are essentially outdoor-living cats.

People like longhaired cats. That's the reason why there are lots of them, not because they need warm coats.

But in Texas the long coat would be a disadvantage because it left unattended it would become matted in hot weather which can lead to infection or infestation of the skin.

The point is that the MC is ill-suited to the hot climates of these states and therefore they benefit from air con. It is probably essential to their health and welfare in these hot states.

This is another reason why all MCs are full-time indoor cats to add to the other reasons: potential theft, attack by predators and abuse by nutcases.

Think what it would be like for MCs in the south of the US if none of the homes had air con. I don't think it would tenable to own a longhaired cat of any breed. 

P.S. the Maine Coon Expert website asks: Can A Maine Coon Stay In An Air Conditioned Room? I mean, that must be a silly question because there is no other practical way in the southern states to own a Maine Coon unless the home is air conditioned and the cats are kept inside.

Helmi Flick the cat photographer had (still has?) a couple of MCs and their home was fully air conditioned. They live near Dallas and their air conditioning bill for the month during the hot season was $400, 12 years ago; probably more now.

Air con in the USA is a major reason why America has by far the biggest carbon footprint per person. And with global warming it will get worse. 

It is a bit of a shame that the MC has to stay inside at all times under air con in these hot places. Ken Flick would think me mad to say that but he is an arrogant man who likes to bully people. What I mean is that the life of a MC would be better with a garden enclosure in combination with the house. But in Dallas even that would probably not work because of the temperatures.

Location: Texas, USA

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