Maine Coon – People-Oriented and Affectionate “Dog Cat” from Harry Potter
07.10.2022 - Reading time: 4 minutes

You want a cat that is intelligent and playful? At the same time she should be affectionate and cuddly? Then the Maine Coon may be the right breed for you. Maximus is the name of the most famous Maine Coon cat. You probably know the cat as “Mrs. Norris”, because in the famous Harry Potter films he accompanied the spiteful caretaker Argus Filch as a female cat.
Newsletter Maine Coon
Breed | Maine Coon |
Origin | USA |
Size | big to very big, length to 120 centimetres, shoulder height to 40 centimetres |
Weight | Female 4.5 to 6 kilogram, male 5.5 to 9 kilogram |
Physique | robust, muscular, broad chest, elongated body, bushy tail |
body shape | The rounded, wedge-shaped head makes an exotic impression with the large, widely spaced and slightly slanted eyes in green or gold. |
Eyes | green, golden, or copper coloured, very large eyes |
Coat and colour | semi-long fur, long coat on the stomach and back legs, soft undercoat that hardly mats, all colours except for golden are allowed |
Coat care | brush and comb regularly |
Special features | due to breeding and size, tends towards health issues with the kidneys, joints and heart; strong need for movement |
Nature | gentle, social, playful, affectionate, intelligent |
This four legged movie star also shows what Maine Coons are known for: like a dog, he accompanies his master and even reports naughty students to him. Hard to believe, but some Maine Coons even like to retrieve. Due to this and its strong connection to people, the Maine Coon is also known as a “dog cat”.
Maine Coon: Nature
Maine Coons are very people-oriented and affectionate. When interacting, Maine Coons are sociable and friendly, both to other cats as well as dogs and children. They like to have regular play sessions, which can be accompanied by a type of cooing or crowing if energetic. The breed is also a good hunter. In the USA it is still recognised as a “working cat”, a mouse and rat-catcher.
Maine Coon: Keeping and Care
The Maine Coon is a lively cat that likes to hunt and play. This feline with a strong drive to be active is most happy when she can enjoy the outdoors. A Maine Coon’s size and weight pose certain demands on the equipment needed: they need lots of space in the home, a stable scratching post with sufficiently sized lying areas and a large cat toilet. Coat care is also important: as a semi-longhaired cat the Maine Coon needs help to maintain a silky, groomed coat without mating in the undercoat, especially during shedding. For house cats that do not go outside, generally an occasional brushing should suffice, particularly when the coat is less dense and long.
Maine Coon cat colours
Maine Coon cats have almost every coat and eye colour. According to the breed standard, the colour of the eyes should be clear and match the coat: black, white, red, blue or cream – only gold is not recognised. With coat markings, everything except for “ticked”, (multi-coloured kemp), is allowed. The first American show cat is now allowed at some associations. The requirements differ slightly – for example, where the coat colour is concerned. But there are also characteristics that are the same for all, how wide apart the eyes are and big ears with a broad base.

History of the Maine Coon cat
The origin of the Maine Coon is shrouded in legend: some stories claim that the Maine Coon is a hybrid of a cat and a racoon. Others think that the cat originates from a breed of the former French Queen Marie Antoinette. In reality, little is known of the origin of the cat in the north east of the United States. Its ancestors adapted to the climatic conditions there, which is why the Maine Coon is so robust. It has a semi-long, dense and water-repellent coat that also protects it from rough weather. The breed has systematically been bred since the 1960’s and in 1983 the FIFe also recognised the Maine Coon as a separate breed. Because, no matter how the Maine Coon came to be, now it is also a beloved and well known purebred cat over here.
Characteristics of the Maine Coon
Maine Coon cats are late developers, and are fully grown by three to four years. The average Maine Coon age is approx. 12.5 years but 20-year-old “old-timers” have been known as well. The Maine Coon cat defies wind and weather with its coat and paws optimised for adventures in the snow. Due to its origin, this house cat cannot tolerate too warm an environment. The Maine Coon is especially skilful with its paws, using them to transport food from the ground to the mouth. Magic? Maybe it did learn something from Harry Potter – or is just very smart.
Video: “Everything about Maine Coons”
Large, a mild nature, and also very affectionate – these are the typical characteristics of the Maine Coon. The Maine Coons originally come from New England, hence the name, taken from “racoon” – because the bushy tail is reminiscent of its namesake.