Your Maine Coon Guide

This short note to publicise the good news for Maine Coon cat aficionados that the breed has become the most popular in the UK according to the UK's biggest pet sales website, Pets4Homes.  They should know from the fact that the most cat sales from the purebred category are of Maine Coon cats. Incidentally, the second most popular is the Oriental Shorthair and the third is the Savannah . They say that last year 185,173 cats were sold on their website up from 179,273 in 2019. The Maine Coon cats sold for as much as £2,600 on their website. This does not surprise me. They can cost more or less depending on quality. Beware of scams. Don't by Maine Coon mix cats if you want a purebred. You might know that the Maine Coon cat was not always as popular - see link below. RELATED: At one time the Maine Coon cat was highly unpopular . The change in popularity has probably been brought about by the Internet. There has been a lot of discussion on Internet about this breed because of it...

Image by DALLE-E 3 and AI computer that creates images on request. The  Maine Coon cat , one of the oldest natural breeds in North America, has an intriguing history that contributes to its current popularity. Let’s explore why this majestic feline has captured the hearts of cat enthusiasts: Historical Decline and Revival : In the late 19th century, the Maine Coon was a  popular breed  in cat shows. However, its existence faced a threat when  long-haired breeds from overseas  were introduced in the early 20th century. The Maine Coon’s popularity  declined  during this period, especially with the emergence of exotic breeds like the Persian. Fortunately, dedicated breeders refused to let the Maine Coon’s legacy fade. Their unwavering commitment led to a remarkable  revival  in the Cat Fancy world during the 1960s and 70s. Origins and Myths : The Maine Coon’s lineage is surrounded by mystery, folk tales, and myths. Some myths claim that the...

It's hard to believe now but at one time just after the beginning of the cat fancy in America and the early formal cat shows, the Maine Coon cat's popularity declined rapidly because of the importation of highly exotic new breeds (as they were seen at the time) such as the Siamese and Persian. Please read on.... In the early years of the cat fancy in America, the Siamese and the Persian were exotic breeds which eclipsed the Maine Coon forcing a decline in the Maine Coon cat's popularity to near extinction of the breed. Image: MikeB A bit about the Maine Coon cat history before their popularity declined There are many theories about the history of the Maine Coon cat. You make up your own mind about it but in my personal viewpoint, the common-sense argument is that the Maine Coon cat history started with the introduction of longhaired and medium-longhaired European cats into the east coast of the United States of America with the settlers from the late 1600s onwards. Click to...

Pets Best Insurance Services LLC, a leading pet insurance business, tells us that, based upon their data in which they tracked 46 cat breeds (quite a small number it has to be said) the most popular cat is not a breed of cat at all but a random-bred cat or mixed breed cat.  In other words, the most popular cat in New York state is a moggy followed by the American Shorthair (a purebred that looks like a moggie!). In third place is the Siamese cat and the fourth most popular cat type in New York state is the Maine Coon.  The others in the top 10 are as follows in declining popularity: Bengal, Persian, Ragdoll, Himalayan, American Longhair and Russian blue. The American longhair is not a cat breed. I believe that there are referring to longhaired moggy cats. Infographic: MikeB What can I take from this? The Maine Coon cat is the third most popular cat breed in New York state which means they are a popular cat which we know.  As a cat breed, it is normally around third most ...

This is the other side of the coin to the last article about why you shouldn't buy/adopt a Maine Coon (MC). So why should you? Because if your heart is set on adopting a purebred cat, the MC is the best! Simple. Of course, that is a personal viewpoint but that said polls tell us that the MC is in the top three most popular cat breeds 2022 . Their popularity has surged over the past 5 years. Please note that I have made the presumption that you are committed to adopting a purebred cat. If not, adopt a rescue cat and do a good turn for animal welfare. But no criticism if you don't. America's cat the Maine Coon. Image: MikeB from (cat) Colorado Maine Coons and (flag) Amazon. America's very own big domestic cat Why are they the best cat breed? One reason is that if you are an American living in America, you'd be adopting America's very own purebred cat. And the MC is so American in appearance; big and bold. It would be a patriotic act to adopt one 😊. The MC is co...

This is possibly an interesting philosophical point at least for some people. It's a brief discussion on whether the popularity of the Maine Coon cat is exclusively because they are the biggest domestic cat breed. Or is it a combination of reasons? And if being the biggest domestic cat breed is a major factor as to why this particular cat is very popular, what is behind that thought? Big Maine Coon family including the human. Image: Instagram. Bigger is better There is certainly a mentality in humankind (but not by all people) that bigger is better. And it probably comes from our origins, going back to when we were hunter gatherers and even before that when we were just emerging as bipedal, intelligent creatures at a time when the planet was entirely different and when lions inhabited Europe. Why is bigger better? When you're starving the more food that you have, the better. If there is a chance of you starving, then the more food you have stored in the pantry the better. And ...

One website author says that Maine Coon cats (MCs) are so popular because they have great personalities. True, but I believe that it is not the first reason for their popularity. All domestic cats, provided they are socialised to people and other pets and are treated nicely, have good personalities. Maine Coons are popular due mainly to their appearance and this photo tells you why! Image: in the public domain. In my experience of living to an advanced age, the MCs are popular because of their impressive appearance. The first thing most people are attracted to is appearance. This applies to almost any 'object' living or inanimate.  Humans mainly live visually. The dominant sense is vision. And humans love nice looking things.  They like to have attractive possessions. This observation is supported in all manner of contexts. Cars come to mind. For most people, particularly women, whether they buy a particular car or not is down to its appearance. And most people who make the de...

In 2022 the Maine Coon (MC) is in the top 3 most popular cat breeds and rightly so. They have a great appearance and big is best for a lot of people who are in the market to adopt a cat companion.  It is hard to believe that in the mid-20th century (1950) the breed was declared extinct! That was probably a guess and an exaggeration but clearly there were very few Maine Coon cats in the USA at the time. Maine Coon. Showing the ruff around the neck, the lynx-tipped ears and the general size. This is a tabby Maine Coon which are very popular. The ruff is amazing on this cat. The photograph is in my opinion in the public domain. Before that moment, the last Maine Coon to win at a cat show was in 1911, 40 years earlier. This sharp decline is all the more mystifying because at the first North American cat show held at Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 8, 1895, a female tabby MC, Cosey, won the best in show.  Cosey was owned by Mrs Fred Brown who was presented with a silv...

Although the information that I am reading, which is a study from 1999, is outdated I am sure that the trend reported 20 years ago is still in place today and therefore feel justified in referring to this study. Dutch bred Maine Coon from the Numa Coon Cattery Amsterdam. Photo: the cattery. The scientists conducted a survey of the Dutch cat fancy. They assessed the number of registrations by the cat clubs participating in the foundation 'Overleg Platform van de Nederlandse Cat Fancy'. The Dutch cat fancy accepts 34 different cat breeds which is actually less than the CFA and substantially less than TICA. They found that the number of "Longhair and Exotic Shorthair litters decreased by 9%'. Litters of Maine Coons, Birmans, British Shorthairs and Norwegian Forest Cats increased. The Abyssinian, Siamese and Oriental shorthair cats remained static in terms of popularity. I am deducing that if more litters are registered, more cats are being created in order to feed the mar...

According to the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), the Maine Coon was the second most popular cat breed in 2021. In 2020 it was in third place as you can see from the infographic below. The Maine Coon has jumped over the Exotic Shorthair to take second place.  The Infographic above shows you the top 10 cat breeds as per CFA registrations for 2020 worldwide, in which you can see that the Maine Coon was in third place during that year. It does not surprise me that the Maine Coon has jumped over the Exotic because it is a better cat breed. Both cat breeds have some inherited health problems but the Exotic has the same health problems as the better-known Persian which, on my calculation, as in the top two breeds with the most inherited health problems with the Siamese . RELATED:  Do Ragdolls have health problems ? I like to focus on health because, in my mind, health is more important than appearance. I know people tend to conveniently forget about health problems but when they ha...

In an apparent anomaly, a study measuring beauty using the 'golden ratio' organised by the website All About Cats concluded that the Maine Coon is the 9th most attractive cat breed with the most attractive breeds being the Norwegian Forest cat together with the Russian Blue. I say "anomaly" because it is likely that the Maine Coon is today's most popular cat breed.  Russian Blue - mathematically the most beautiful. Image: Daily Mail. Explaining the difference between mathematical beauty and observed beauty In another anomaly, the Persian and the Himalayan, both flat-faced-bread cat breeds, are the least attractive under a mathematical formula called the "golden ratio". Both these breeds are popular among the cat fancy. For decades, the Persian was the most popular cat breed as recognised by the Cat Fanciers' Association (most registrations). There are three possible reasons for this anomaly. The first is that the popularity of a cat breeder is no...

They are the largest! People like big. Big is best. They are the most glamorous. Big is glamorous. They are the most standout pure domestic cat after the F1 Savannah cats but Savannahs are wildcat hybrids. They are not registered purebred cats. Maine Coons can have fantastic faces that sometimes look like humans. Their fur is shaggy and natural. They come in  a huge range of colours and patterns. They have loyal and charming characters when well-bred and properly socialised. Their ears are large and prominent with ear tufts sticking out the top making them look even bigger (lynx-tipped ears). They have the mot impressive tails of all the breeds: glamorously plumed. They are America's purebred cat and as such represent America, a big and bold cat for a big and bold country. They have sweet, small voices the sounds of which are juxtaposed against the big bold body conformation. They are part of the history of America and particularly the east coast as the foundation cats come from th...

Are Maine Coons the best purebred cat? The answer depends on you and what your preferences are with respect to the appearance of domestic cats. What distinguishes each cat breed from the other is their appearance because, at heart, their character is very similar if not identical subject to variations between individuals because each cat has their own character. There will be some variations on character between the breeds but less than the experts profess to be the case. So, what you are buying or adopting when you select a Maine Coon is a cat with a certain appearance and there is no doubt that Maine Coons have a very definitive appearance which is large and distinguished. You know what they look like otherwise you wouldn't be here. Maine Coon kittens. Photo: Helmi Flick. So, if in your eyes the appearance of the Maine Coon cat is exactly what you want and is the sort of appearance that attracts you then they are the best cat breed. I know I'm stating the obvious but I thi...