The biggest pet cat
It is the largest breed of pet cat. Big males can measure more than a metre from nose to tail tip.
Fancy cats · Time every day
Maine Coon
Pedigree breed · from Maine, United States
A huge, shaggy cat with a ruff round its neck, tufted ears and an enormous bushy tail. Often brown tabby.
- Size
- Up to 40cm at the shoulder; 5 to 8kg or more
- Lives for
- 12 to 15 years
- Suits
- Families with room for a very large cat
Lumbers after you, chirping. Move your pointer and see.
Good to know
Six things about the maine Coon
Not half raccoon
An old story says it is part raccoon, because of the ringed bushy tail. That is impossible, but the name stuck.
Built for snow
Tufted paws work like snowshoes, and it wraps its long tail round itself to keep warm.
It chirps
It rarely miaows. It makes soft chirps and trills.
The gentle giant
For all its size it is known for a mild, friendly nature, and often gets on well with dogs.
Five years to grow
It may not reach full size until it is four or five years old.
The real thing
Photos of the maine Coon
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Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
Looking after one
Brush the coat two or three times a week, paying attention to the ruff and the trousers. It needs a large litter tray, a strong scratching post and plenty of play.
Before you get one
Maine Coons are sociable and easy-going. Ask the breeder about heart and hip checks on the parents.
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