Historical Background
The history of the domestic cat began about eight thousand years ago when cats first started hanging around human settlements because they provided easy access to food and shelter. Cats would eat the rodents that threatened our grain stores and sleep in our barns. In other words, the cat chose to seek out human companionship to gain important resources that they needed for their survival.
It was not until the nineteenth century, however, that cat-loving humans started breeding cats deliberately to create animals with certain appearances or demeanors. Cats were never bred for specific hunting or herding tasks the way dogs were, and consequently, the domestic cats we know today have changed very little genetically from the wild cats that first hung around our ancient farms. That explains why the differences between cat breeds are not as great as the differences between, say, a Border Collie and a Dachshund.
Scientists do not completely agree on how many different cat breeds there are in the world, so the numbers you can find vary greatly depending on your source. While Encyclopedia Britannica only lists fifteen cat breeds, The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), the largest American cat registration body, recognizes forty-five different breeds as of 2022. Among these different cat breeds, many have an interesting origin story, and we are going to feature some of them here. The first one up is the Maine Coon.
The Maine Coon Cat
Maine Coons are also called “the gentle giants of cats” due to their affectionate personality and generally sweet disposition. As the name suggests, Maine Coons are native to the State of Maine, and we also know that they are the oldest cat breed native to America. But where do they come from?
One popular myth says that the Maine Coon is the result of mating between a raccoon and a semi-wild, domesticated cat. This claim, however, is not scientifically sound as such different animals are unlikely to breed. Another popular theory is that Maine Coons are descendants of six pet cats brought to Wiscasset, Maine, by the French queen Marie Antoinette as part of her plans to escape France during the French Revolution. Again, given the turmoil of that historical period, this seems to be a myth rather than fact.
Based on genetic research, it is much more plausible that the Maine Coon is the result of mating between local, short-haired cats and a long-haired breed, brought to America by the Scandinavian Vikings as their boats reached American shores about one thousand years ago. Maine Coons are genetically related to both the Norwegian Forest Cat and a mysterious, extinct domestic breed, known to have sailed with the Vikings on their ships.
Whatever their origin stories, Maine Coons are highly intelligent cats with fascinating personalities.
Here are three fun facts about them that you might not have heard before:
Fact 1: A Maine Coon named Pebbles starred in the Harry Potter movies! Pebbles was a female Maine Coon and one of three cats cast as Argus Filch’s pet feline, Mrs. Norris. She was great at walking and stopping on command. So, whenever you see Mrs. Norris policing the hallways of Hogwarts, it is likely to be Pebbles!
Fact 2: In 1985, one of America’s first well-known cat shows was held in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, and the “Best Cat” award went to a brown tabby Maine Coon named Cosie.
Fact 3: Maine Coons can croon! They communicate with a unique, slightly peculiar chirping sound, unlike the familiar feline meow – and they are not shy about vocalizing to get your attention, either!
The Maine Coon was made the official state cat of Maine in 1985, but the breed is loved by cat owners across the world.
