Limiting this article to just 12 facts about Maine Coons was a real struggle!
There are tons of interesting, fun, and unique Maine Coon facts that all contribute to making them incredibly unique cats.
There are many bizarre facts about Maine Coon cats, including their love of water and even swimming, their obsession with human companionship, and their role as movie stars in the movie “Harry Potter.” Famous for being the state cat of Maine and the largest cat breed in the world. Their mysterious origins have intrigued owners, veterinarians and history scholars.
If you love Maine Coons and want to know a little more about them, then you’ve come to the right place.
Maine Coons are a unique and interesting breed of domestic cat that has a very different history from the majority of other cats.
While this article aims to share some of the most interesting facts about Maine Coon cat breeds, it may also leave you even more in awe of the mysterious lives of these big cats.
Stick with us for some of the most interesting Maine Coon facts that you may not be able to find anywhere else!
12 Weird Facts About Maine Coons
The Maine Coon is one of the most misunderstood breeds of domestic cats in the world. As well as one of the greatest!
Although we have some general ideas about the The origins of the Maine Coon catwe are not 100% sure where the Maine Coon comes from.
But, there are some things that we do to know. Like these 12 bizarre facts about Maine Coons:
1. They produce less Fel d1 protein
Did you know that one of the biggest contributors to allergic reactions in cats doesn’t come from their hair at all?
It’s the protein in their saliva that causes most people to flare up rather than the hair and dander.
This protein is called “Fel d1” and is much less present in large, long-haired cats like the Maine Coon.
Maine Coons are not hypoallergenic but they are definitely better than most cat breeds for people with sensitive noses!
Learn more about how Maine Coon cats are hypoallergenic, in this article.
2. They have a very mysterious origin in folklore
The Maine Coon is one of the most mysterious cat breeds. Simply because we don’t know much about them.
How were Maine Coons created? Where do they come from?
Have you heard the strange Maine Coon folk tale that Maine Coon cats are descended from a pair of wildcats and raccoons? Otherwise, read this guide.
You might be wondering where this myth comes from…
The truth is, Maine Coons and Raccoons share these physical characteristics.
So, people assumed that these similar physical traits resulted from mating between raccoons and a domestic long-haired cat.
Let’s set the record straight, this myth is absurd and has been scientifically refuted.
3. The Maine State Cat
It should come as no surprise that the Maine Coon was, and still is, Maine’s state cat!
These iconic kittens cemented themselves in the local community and helped put Maine on the map for people around the world.
While Maine may be well known in the United States, outside of the United States that’s a different story. This is because few people even know it exists.
However, given the mad popularity of the Maine Coon cat, chances are people have started taking notice.
4. A Maine Coon cat has been cloned!
When we think of Maine Coon genetics, we normally think of the physical characteristics that are emblematic of the breed.
What we don’t often think about is their genetic makeup in a more scientific sense.
Someone who thought a bit more about their genetic makeup was Julie from Texas.
She had a 17-year-old Maine Coon named Nicky whom she was very fond of. Sadly, Nicky passed away. But not before he managed to create a genetic clone of Nicky.
The clone was named Little Nicky and costs $50,000 to create. Little Nicky is the first commercially cloned cat (source 1).
5. Some Maine Coons have human faces!
Maine Coons have quite unique, cat-like faces, which is part of why people love the breed so much.
However, someone who has gone further is a lady named Tatyana Rastorgueva.
Tatyana has been selectively breeding Maine Coons for over 20 years with the goal of making them look as humane as possible.
And, to be completely honest, she did a surprisingly good job!
His Maine Coons have faces so unique they almost look like their own species.
Some find it cool! Others find it disturbing!
Whether or not you have one of Tatyana’s cats for yourself is up to you (source 1).
6. Maine Coons are the largest breed of domestic cat.
Maine Coons aren’t just one of the largest domestic cat breeds in the world. They are the biggest.
The size of the Maine Coon is pretty much the most iconic thing about these cats.
Of course, their bushy feet and pointy ears might make them stand out from other cats. But it’s their bulky size and impressive length that makes them truly special to behold.
There is some debate over whether the Maine Coon is technically the largest breed of domestic cat in the world. However, there is no doubt that they are the the longest.
It all depends on how big you define!
7. Maine Coons may come from royalty
There is a rumor that Maine Coons may have originated from the last queen of France, Marie Antoinette.
Marie attempted to flee France after the abolition of the monarchy, intending to travel to America for refuge. However, she was captured before they could set sail.
The ship on which she intended to flee would have fled without her and on board, carrying her precious Angora cats.
It is these cats that some people claim to be the ancestors of the Maine Coon.
It’s probably nonsense, but it’s still a fun origin story!
8. The oldest Maine Coon ever was 26 years old.
The oldest Maine Coon pet (at least we have a record of) was a 26-year-old cat who lived in Portland, Oregon.
Considering Maine Coons are only expected to live an average of 12-15 years, that’s a pretty impressive feat.
It’s also proof that Maine Coons, despite their size, can live much longer than ordinary house cats!
To put that into perspective, a 26-year-old Maine Coon has double his life expectancy. It’s like a person living to be 160!
9. Maine Coons are addicted to water.
Maine Coons can unquestionably be considered real water addicts!
To say Maine Coons love water is an understatement. They simply love it and can’t get enough!
Maine Coons are big water lovers and are unique in their desire for water play and bathing.
The stereotype of a cat terrified of touching water does NOT apply to Maine Coons.
Some Maine Coon cats can even swim!
10. Mrs. Norris from Harry Potter was a Maine Coon
Did you know that Mrs. Norris from Harry Potter has actually been played by three different cats over the years?
All Maine Coons!
It’s pretty hard to get a cat to do what you want when you’re filming. Especially when the schedule is tight.
Even something as simple as walking down a hallway can be a tedious task. With Maine Coons, their trainability makes it much easier!
Most of the scenes with Mrs. Norris are played by a Maine Coon named Pebbles.
11. Maine Coons are one of the easiest cat breeds to train.
Maine Coon cats are one of the easiest cat breeds to train.
The reason is that their well above average intelligence makes them quicker to grasp what we are trying to convey to them. And, allows them to have better mental recall when trying to replicate the trick down the line.
Combined with their strong affection for us, Maine Coons can be considered pleasant people and genuinely want to make you happy.
Even if it means repeating stupid little tricks over and over again for our entertainment.
Here is how to train a Maine Coon cat to play fetch.
12. There are over 75 color combinations and coat shades of Maine Coons
Maine Coons, while sharing many similarities, come into play all shapes and sizes.
They vary greatly in height and length and you will even find that siblings can look very different from each other. After all, some Maine Coons even have human faces.
When it comes to coloring, Maine Coons come in 75 different color combinations, from tabbie to blue.
You can bet their propensity to come in such different colors has added to their mystique and intrigue over the years. After all, no two Maine Coons are the same!
Conclusion
I hope you found these 12 interesting facts about Maine Coons as interesting as we do here at Maine Coon Central.
The Maine Coon is such an interesting cat breed that while many of these facts can give you a bit more to say about the Maine Coon; this probably also led to even more questions!
For example, where does the Maine Coon actually come from? Why have they remained so faithful to their physical nature when other domesticated races have not?
related questions
100 Maine Coon Facts
There are hundreds of other amazing Maine Coon facts just waiting to be discovered. You can find a ton of additional Maine Coon information here on Maine Coon Central!
