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Although many people think the Maine Coon comes from the U.S. state of Maine, this cannot be categorically stated. The Maine Coon cat could be seen in all the north of the United States and the south of Canada at the beginning of 19th century, but the inhabitants of Maine State were the first ones to take this breed to rural and country fairs in 1860. The cats were then proudly called “Cats of Maine”, and the nickname remained.
   The origin of the second name, Coon, is at the bottom of many-coloured legends, from the most preposterous (which it states that the Maine Coon is a product of a crossing between a cat and a raccoon) to the one which says that the Maine Coon cat comes from the cats that were on Captain Coon’s boat (British navigator who arrived at the New World coming from the Old Continent) or other legend that states that Maine Coon cats were the product of the crossing between American native cats and those that Maria Antonieta sent to New England, together with her valuable belongings to save them from ruin during the French Revolution.
  Anyway, the Maine Coon’s look seems to fit the first legend because of its great similarity to the raccoon. In fact, the first Maine Coons had the same colour, with the typical marks (tabby), the same tail and the same way of sitting on the back legs as the raccoon. And still today Maine Coons seem to keep some racoon’s habits such as inserting the paw in the water before drinking it (the raccoon breaks the ice and gets rid of leaves and dirt from the surface of the water).
   After the appearance of Maine Coons in cattle fairs in 1860, the breed became successful in a short period of time. In 1895, a brown tabby Maine Coon won a competition of a New York show at the Madison Square Garden. After a period of forgetfulness before the appearance of more exotic breeds like the Persian, Siamese or Abyssinian, the Maine Coon came back again in the 1960s. The “Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association” (MCBFA) was founded in 1968. It promoted the breed and recovered ‘lost land’. The breed was then sent to Europe, and in 1978 the first Maine Coons arrived in Germany. Today, also in Spain, many breeders are working on the improvement of these beautiful cats.

   Somebody said that the Maine Coon is “the dog among cats”, and he was right. The sense of independence and the necessity of some private space is something unknown to a Maine Coon. Maine Coons hate to be alone! They love to be with their owners, and accept the company of other cats and even of dogs: everything except solitude. A solitary Maine Coon will be sooner or later an ill cat.
   Maine Coons are the ideal company because they love to give and return caresses: they are always very affectionate cats. Maine Coons feel so attached to their owner that they follow their master everywhere: to the kitchen, to the shower… If you enter any room and close the door behind you, he will meow so that you will have to open the door. The Maine Coon is, in effect, a very communicative cat. They meow like doves: when you have been living with him for some time, you can even get to understand (as if a language) the meaning of each sound.
   The Maine Coon is a very intelligent cat that can be easily trained, reason why they adapt without problem to apartment life. They understand the meaning of simple orders like “no”, “come here”, or “take”. My cats go like “crazy people” when they hear the word “fly”, because they know that there is “food” at sight (there is no fly that resists to them…).

   In addition, they have a lot of patience with children, to whom they are never aggressive: if they become tired, they simply stop playing and go to some calm site.

   The Maine Coon is a powerful cat that rarely presents health problems. Coat caring is very simple: comb once a month, concentrating on “the most conflicting” zones, like behind the ears, behind front legs, apron of the back…).

Nose and muzzle: face and nose of medium length with a square outline of the muzzle distinct transition can be felt between muzzle and cheekbones
Head: Shape: medium in size; square outline. Profile with a gentle concave slope. Forehead: gently curved. Cheeks: cheekbones high and prominent.
Chin: firm, in vertical alignment with nose and upper lip
Eyes: Shape: large and widely set. Slightly oval, but not almond shaped, appear round when wide open. Set slightly slanted towards the outer base of the ear. Colour: any colour is permitted, there is no relationship between eye and coat colour. Clear eye colour is desirable.
Ears: Shape: large, wide at the base. Moderately pointed. Lynx-tufts are desirable, tufts of hair in the ears extend beyond outer edges of ears. Placement: set high on head with a very slight outward tilt. Ears should be placed one ear's width apart, the width extends slightly in older cats. Lower base set just slightly further back than upper base.
Body: Structure: the body should be long, substantial bone structure, hard muscled, powerful, broad chested, large framed, all parts of the body in proportion to create a rectangular appearance.
Legs: substantial, medium length to form a rectangle with the body. Paws: large, round and well tufted between the toes.
Tail: at least as long as the body from shoulder blade to base of tail wide at the base tapering to the tip; with full, flowing hair. The hair on the tail is long and always remains flowing.
Coat: Structure: all weather coat, dense, short on head, shoulders and legs, becoming gradually longer down the back and sides, with long, full shaggy baggy trousers on the hind legs and belly fur, a frill is expected. Texture silky. Coat has distinct body, falling smoothly. The undercoat is soft and fine, covered by the coarse smooth outer coat. Colour: all colour varieties are permitted, including all colour varieties with white; except pointed patterns and chocolate and lilac, cinnamon and fawn. Any amount of white is allowed, i.e. a white blaze, white locket, white chest, white on the belly, white on the paws, etc.
Condition: the Maine Coon should always be in good balance, condition and proportion

Escale of points (FIFe)
General shape, shape of nose, cheeks and muzzle, jaw and teeth, forehead, chin = 25 points
Shape and placement of ears = 10 points
Shape and placement of eyes = 5 points
Shape, size, bone structure, legs, shape of paws = 25 points
Shape and length of tail = 10 points
Quality and texture = 10 points
Length = 10 points
Condition = 5 points