The History Lesson You Didn’t Know You Wanted

The Maine Coon (MCO) cat is a semi-longhaired, large, sturdy cat that developed naturally as a breed in northeast USA, in the state of Maine. They are considered to be “America’s native longhaired cat” (The International Cat Association, 2026). These are the “known beginnings” of the breed from origination until now. The earliest mention of this breed was in 1861 in “The Book of the Cat” by F.R. Pierce. The author wrote of a cat named Captain Jenks of the Horse Marines, who was a black and white Maine Coon. The next known mention of a Maine Coon was a MCO named Cosi who won the first major cat show in America is 1895 (ASPCA, 2026). There are three known origin stories of Maine Coons including the theory that they are interspecies hybrid cats, may have originated from France, and arrived in the U.S. by Viking ships. The interspecies hybrid story is that Maine Coons were developed by the mating of a racoon and a cat, though of course, that is just a myth. Many believed this theory because people had not seen fluffy-tailed cats before this point in history and classic brown tabby coloring is similar to racoon colors. As Maine Coons have the word “coon” in the title, people assumed they were part racoon. Another theory is that Marie Antionette was the original breeder of Maine Coons and supposedly shipped them to America from France in a hope to escape France during the French Revolution and meet her cat friends in America. This theory is also folklore. The final theory of Maine Coon origins is that a man named Charles Coon captaining an English ship delivered cats to the United States. This story is somewhat plausible, as Norwegian Forest Cats may have arrived in the United States on these ships (ASPCA, 2026). MCOs are regarded as natives of the state of Maine, believed to have originated from the matings of domestic cats and long-haired cats, possibly Angora types brought from New England via seamen, or other long-haired cats brought to the USA by Vikings. Maine Coons are muscular, big-boned cats that are built to withstand the harsh climate of New England. Their coat is glossy and water resistant and is longer on the neck, stomach, and bottom, to protect against snow and cold weather. Their feet look and work as “snowshoes” as they have large feet with tufts of hair between the toes, allowing for ease of movement through the elements. Some Maine Coons also have a genetic condition that causes the cat to have extra toes, called polydactyly, which also helps with navigating snowy terrain. Maine Coons became popular for being excellent mousers and were also prized for their beautiful and rugged appearance. In1985, the Maine Coon was recognized as the official symbol of Maine (Maine.gov, 2026). According to the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), Maine Coons are considered the most popular breed to have been “born” in America and are the largest species of pedigreed cats (2026). Similar breeds include the Norwegian Forest Cat and Siberian.