Characteristics

Maine Coons are impressive cats whose weight varies in males from 7 to 10 kg and in females from 5 to 7 kg.

 

Maine Coons were already appreciated more than a century ago for their strength, beauty and ability to adapt to the harsh winters of New England. Everything about the Maine Coon indicates its adaptation to a harsh climate. The body is large, long, rectangular and muscular with a solid bone structure. In addition, the wide chest and the strong and muscular neck, especially in male subjects, give the cat an appearance of strength and power. The shiny, heavy and water-resistant coat is not the same as that of any other breed. The longer fur on the ruff, the stomach and the rear legs protects it from the wet and snow while the shorter one on the back and on the neck defends it from the tangle of the undergrowth.

 

The long, thick tail, which the cat wraps around itself when it curls up to sleep, protects it from cold winters. Its ears are more hairy both inside and on the tips, to preserve it from the cold, and mobile, to better capture the sounds of the forest, compared to those of other breeds. The large, round legs with tufts of fur serve as "snow skates". Their eyes and ears are great for improving eyesight and hearing, useful in hunting and escaping predators. The relatively long and square muzzle allows it to easily grab the prey and drink water from rivers or pools. All colors are accepted except: chocolate cinnamon, lilac, fawn in any combination (tabby, with or without white) and colourpoint.

 

Often the Maine Coon is confused with the Norwegian forest. From the latter it is distinguished by the "stop" of the nose, that is, the Norwegian forest has a perfectly straight nose, while that of the Maine Coon has a curve that gives it the characteristic profile.

 

Taken from: Wikipedia

 

Maine Coon at a glance published in TICA Trend June / July 2020