Key facts
- Other names
- Coon Cat, Maine Cat, Maine Shag, American Longhair , American Coon Cat, American Forest Cat
- Common nicknames
- Gentle giants
- Origin
- United States
- Cfa
- standard
- Fife
- standard
- Tica
- standard
- Acf
- standard
- Acfa caa
- standard
- Cca afc
- standard
- Gccf
- standard
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
The Maine Coon is a large domesticated cat breed. The breed is selectively bred from one of the oldest landraces in North America, and is pedigreed in all major cat registries worldwide. It originated in the U.S. state of Maine, where it is the official state cat. The Maine Coon is a large and social cat, commonly referred to as "the gentle giant". The breed is predominantly known for its large size and its long and dense coat of fur which helps it survive in the harsh climate of Maine. The Maine Coon is often cited as having "dog-like" characteristics.
The breed was popular in cat shows in the late 19th century, but its existence became threatened when long-haired breeds from overseas were introduced in the early 20th century. The Maine Coon has since made a comeback, and is the most popular cat breed in multiple global cat registries.