Do you favor fluffy cats? If that’s the cae, you’ve probably found yourself completely charmed by a Maine Coon at some point. They’re big, lovable felines that are not only super cute, but also very personable. In fact, you’ll likely see more than a few Maine Coon kittens on holiday cards over the next few weeks. A veterinarian discusses this beloved breed below.
History
It’s not known exactly where Fluffy originated. One theory is that Maine Coons descended from Norwegian Forest Cats brought over by Vikings. Another legend speaks of Marie Antoinette, whose tone-deaf quote of ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ led to her being beheaded in 1793. According to the story, Antoinette was attempting to flee France after shipping her most precious belongings to America. Six fluffy kittens were among the cargo, which may have been Siberians or Turkish Angoras. Needless to say, the trip never happened for Antoinette. However, her feline pals were brought to Wiscasset, Maine, where they soon set about charming local felines and making some cute kittens.
Temperament
The Maine Coon is an extremely affectionate and loveable cat. Playful and talkative, these kitties have lots of ‘purrsonality.’ They’re quite vocal, and often make chirps and squeaks when communicating.
Size
Maine Coons can get big. Many of them have broken records for weight and size. There’s Stewie, who holds the record as the longest cat. He was over 4 feet long from the end of his super-fluffy tail to the tip of his nose. Another 4-foot Maine Coon, Samson, held the title of New York’s largest cat.
Celebrekitties
There have been several celebrity Maine Coons, like Pebbles, the cat from the Harry Potter movie, and the first cloned cat named Little Nicky. Then there’s Mr. Vivo, a dignified floofer with his own Youtube channel. You can also find lots of these pretty felines on Instagram.
Popularity
It’s no surprise to hear that Fluffy is the official cat of the state of Maine. They’re also very popular in other states. Though, that hasn’t always been the case. These cute kitties were “the cat’s meow” … until Persian kitties entered the picture. After that, their popularity dwindled sharply. In fact, they were almost extinct by the 1950’s . Fortunately, devout fans stepped in to save the breed, and many more adorable kitties were born.
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