Talk:Maine Coon
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I would like to post some pictures of my cats as i am sure they are maine coons but I dont know how to do it on the gallery can you help me pls?
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This page was archived on March 11 2006 - the archive can be found here.
Please feel free to browse or post all images of Maine Coons here [1]. If you would like to post your picture to the article please post it to the gallery first and then discuss it below.
Please don't post photos of cats if you have not verified that they really are the breed specified. Without a pedigree, this is impossible.
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[edit] Life Span
How long do these cats live? --Serival 17:29, 16 August 2006 (UTC)
I've heard 10 years easily and 12-15 years tops like most cats that are well kept, have a safe house or yard with low stress. In essence Maine Coons don't reach adulthood until 4 or 5 and remain kitten-like for most of their lives. My cat is 10 and still crazy as ever. He blockaded a rat hole for 36 hours. Our neighbor brought him food and water. Finally the rat, facing starvation (or low blood sugar), chose death by feline. Chasing another rat, he followed it into a hair salon in our neighborhood, and as the rat banked off the walls, he pursued it like a big furry fighter plane, causing complete pandemonium in the salon among stylist and client alike. -kithill@aol.com
Our's is 18 and still active and in good health. GTGleeson 21:21, 30 August 2006 (UTC)
- Cats, like people, vary. You can expect an average of about 15 years, typical for house cats.
+++ behavoir - dog/cat +++ At first when we got our cat from the shelter we wondered if he kitten was around dogs too much. The article is correct. The cat doesn't hate of water. he wont dive in for a swim, but he will not get upset if you splash water on him while playing. Maine coons are VERY smart. For the longest time i said my cat was a CatDog because it shared so many traits with a dog. - Maine coons do play fetch like a dog, our cat actually learned faster then our puppy has. - highly intelligent. If you great the cat with saying "kitty" etc, he'll actually learn to meow when he see's you as a greeting. _ meows to be let in, like a dog will bark to enter or leave the house. - able to open doors (with a handle opposed to knobs), turn on water etc. - he does tend to try to "help" with doing things, they tend to "walk" on keyboards quite often. However, unlike other cats who are jsut trying to walk across the desk, he actually shits there and tries to figure out how this thing works. _ he does tend to pick things up with his paws. If he had a opposable thumb i swear he could work the TV. Dogs as a breed are animals that hunt in packs by nature, therefore they are good at following instructions. If cats hunted in packs the same way dogs do, i think it would be scary how much like a dog a maine coon cat would be.
Maine coon = best of both worlds.
[edit] Behaviour - skimming water
The Maine Coon I share a house with (and no, I'm not being one of those politically-correct pet owners who avoids talking in terms of ownership, this one really isn't mine) will skim his paw across his water bowl and lick it before starting to drink, as if he were testing how it tastes first. Anyone know if this is common behaviour for the breed? JulesH 15:06, 23 September 2006 (UTC)
- I don't know if mine is testing the water but she does exactly the same thing, before proceeding to splash the water everywhere. I think the breed in general enjoys playing with water, the 'Behavioral characteristics' section of the article has more detail. Driller thriller 16:19, 23 September 2006 (UTC)
- My brother's Maine Coon cat, Sophie, just a few weeks old, loves playing with her water dish, often getting soaked in the process. She is most unlike any of the other cats I have known in this respect! Andrewa 06:11, 21 January 2007 (UTC)
I'm not sure if my cats are main coon or not. They have the physical attributes described in the article, like the fact that one is 30 pounds, but they don't really behave the way the article says mane coons do. They don't use their paws alot to skim them across water or knock things off tables, except for one time when my cat was lifting up a shoe with his paw. what do you think?
- Cats are individuals and don't all exhibit identical behavior within a given breed. Maine coons are usually obtained from breeders, although it's possible to find one at an animal shelter if it lost its owner. Unless you planned on having a show cat, it shouldn't much matter what the exact breed is — enjoy what you have.. DAGwyn 20:59, 17 October 2006 (UTC)
- I have the opposite problem. I have a cat who has all the personality, structure and coat of the cat described in this article, but she is not big at all. In fact, she is unusually small for a cat. So she acts like a maine coon but isn't big like they typically are, so I don't know what to think.--Stevekl 05:56, 29 October 2006 (UTC)
- It's possible she's a mixed breed. I once had a small-boned tom who displayed classic Maine Coon behavior, with a perfect ruff and tufts, all the points correct, the ring tail, everything - it's just that he was tiny when full-grown. I called him the Mini-Coon. I don't think he ever weighed even 8 pounds as long as he lived. Of course, he was taken in stray and nearly died of flea anemia, so it's possible his growth was stunted. That's what I thought anyway, until a vet took one look at him and solved the problem. "This cat is part Siamese," he pointed out. Then it made sense; our neighbors bred Siameses, and it was likely thrown out or just ignored because it was the product of some wandering tom. The next time we gave him a bath, it was obvious to see the Siamese bone structure. It was just hidden under all the fur. So something of the sort may be the case with your cat; perhaps it is half-and-half. Kasreyn 05:28, 17 November 2006 (UTC)
My family has a couple of cats. They're both mixed breeds, and the youngest (about 1 year old) enjoys skimming water, and is extremely playful. He enjoys batting our older cat's (around eight years old) tail when she's sitting on a chair and it's hanging down. Usually she turns around and hisses. But lately she's been getting much less active, and licking her shoulder (where we think there is an abcess). Anyone know what could have caused her abcess? Frodo 11011 04:34, 6 April 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Longest Cat Record
The external link to the longest cat on record (according to Guinness World Records), is not functional. Does anyone have a link to this record/picture?
[edit] Maine Coons
The picture of that is below is a photograph of my cat sleeping against my file cabinet and for whose name is the Fuzz and who lives with me in Cleveland Ohio in love and friendship and harmony most of the time and for who this Wikipedia article describes down to a perfect T. I found him about two years ago back in September of 2004. I am truly blessed with a good friend who loves me and I love him. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Berniethomas68 13:03, 19 November 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Lynx
I seem to remember reading somewhere that it was speculated that they may have Lynx-like traits because they are part Lynx. I seem to remember the speculation being due to their distinctive appearance. Are there any noteworthy examples of this?--Marhawkman 22:05, 25 November 2006 (UTC)
- My understanding is that the varied claims that Maine Coons are part Bobcat or Lynx are old wives' tales. Bobcats and Lynxes are members of genus Lynx, not Felis. Interbreeding should not be possible. See the article for a more likely and realistic guess at the Maine Coon's ancestry. Cheers, Kasreyn 02:03, 22 January 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Lap Cat
My Maine Coon always wants to come on my lap and have me pet him, but according to the page this is not usual characteristic. When I am laying down he often lays on me chest so I can pet him. Does this mean my Maine Coon is mixed with another breed? All the other characteristics listed describe him perfectly.. and he looks just like the pictures of "pure bred" Maine Coons I see. KoshkaKat 10:59, 4 January 2007 (UTC)
Dont have one of these cats but Im sure it differs by personality
My Maine Coon as well likes to sit on my lap and lay on my chest when I'm sleeping.Rebelporsche 05:07, 17 January 2007 (UTC)
Indeed. KoshkaKat, every cat's personality can vary widely. I have a very large MC tom who sleeps on my chest or legs every night, and he has about the most perfect MC points I've ever seen on a nonpedigree animal. So don't worry if your cat doesn't show every single behavior quirk listed for his breed. Every cat is unique, after all. Cheers, Kasreyn 02:06, 22 January 2007 (UTC)
- My Maine Coon can fit all the attributes but the water one, yet, like KoshkaKat, mine too was constantly on my lap. He was like a dog, and came when called always ready to be petted. He was huge and regal looking. His broad nose and that fluffy main around his head, and the tuffs of fur out of his ears, and his huge paws, awww.. he was just breath-taking. I miss him. Wish I could upload a pic, but my computer wiped out everything. Anyway, he died of congestive heart failure, just like that, in two days...dead. He was perfectly fine, then boom. The Vet said he never saw a quicker death from heart failure in his career, he saw the quick progression right in front of his eyes. :( The best cat I've ever had, and the most beautiful. Yes, even Maine Coons have individual personality and do not have to have all of the traits listed. The main ones are the type of fur (the under coat), the tail, size, the long hair tuffs of the ears, the paws and playful, loving demeanor. I've never cried so much and for so long as I did for that cat. I was totally heartbroken. He was like a dog, a friend, a person. Very loyal too. (sorry, I know this isn't a message board, but I couldn't resist. I am talking about a Maine Coon breed, and my experience with him.) Jeeny 06:26, 18 March 2007 (UTC)
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- KoshkaKat, it is true that MCs are not "lap cats" actually but it depends on the individual. I have 2 MC males from the same litter. The big bro (Leroy) is a macho man but his little bro (Billy) is a bit sissy. The little bro (Billy) loves to be cuddled and always pin me down or make his silly “meow meow”, so he could sit on my lap or my chest. Leroy loves playing fetch and crazy over water, but Billy is so opposite with his brother's behavior. His borther, Leroy has the 100% behavior for what MC should have. So, different cats have their own characteristic, make them MC or moggies. I posted Leroy's photo in the main page for the "Ruff". - Jay 04:48, 22 March 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Behavioral characteristics
Removed stupid comment about Maine Coons eating children, and even more stupid reply by someone who seemed to believe it.
