Where does the largest Maine Coon live? Noble and mysterious Maine Coon cat: distinctive characteristics of the breed and recommendations for caring for your pet Large Maine Coon cats.

Affectionate purring fluffies are the dream of every child and a way to relieve stress for any adult. Cats are the only domesticated animals in the world that were domesticated by choice. Their grace is captivating, and their love of freedom and rebellious disposition are attractive. Even despite the peculiarity of this animal, cats live in almost every family, and their warmth and softness is tempting to touch.

Cats are not record holders in size among animals, and this is of no use, because then they would not be so common, but at the same time, the impressive uncharacteristic dimensions of pets attract even more. The largest breeds of domestic cats today are officially recognized as Maine Coons and Ashers, but their representatives are not the only record holders.

Weight record

The fattest cat in the world Himmi's pet is rightfully recognized. His weight was 21 kg, which allowed him to get into the Guinness Book of Records, but, unfortunately, posthumously. The fact is that the cat was too lazy, and this provoked such weight gain. He died at the age of 10 from respiratory arrest, because before that he simply could no longer move on his own. The fat man's waist circumference was 84 cm. Himmi's record-holder predecessor was the cat Spice, who weighed 20 kg.

The officially registered record holder for length among cats is representative of the Maine Coon breed. A cat named Stewie measures 132 cm from the tip of his nose to his tailbone, which allowed him to get into the Book of Records at the age of five. According to the animal's owner, American Robin Hendrickson, her pet is the most gentle and affectionate creature, despite its impressive size.

Record size

For a long time, representatives of the breed held records for the size of domestic cats. Maine Coon. They are also called:

• Maine cats;
• Maine raccoons.

This is due to the fact that the first cats of this breed were externally of a characteristic color - black tabby. Adults can reach a weight of 10 kg, and are similar in appearance to their wild forest relatives. The characteristic tufts on the ears and the structure of the skull will not allow the Maine Coon to be confused with any other breed, and their majesty and look visually increase the real dimensions of the representatives of the breed.

Today The largest Maine Coon lives in Australia. The cat named Rupert is 3 years old and already weighs about 9 kg. It will seem to many that such a weight is within the acceptable range for the breed and there is nothing special about it, but Maine Coons gain weight for more than one year. Most likely, the pet will increase its weight by half over the next few years, which brings it significantly closer to the record, and this is without progress towards obesity. The fact is that the impressive size of Rupert's cat is just a natural constitution and well-developed muscle mass.

Recognized record holders

Together with Maine Coons, they are recognized as the official record holders among domestic cats. representatives of the Ashera breed. They appeared relatively recently thanks to the efforts of American geneticists under the leadership of the English entrepreneur Simon Brodie. Leopard cats, as the breed is also called, were obtained by crossing the Serval and the Asian leopard predator. Since the purpose of the experiment was to create an ideal creature, the resulting animal was named after the goddess.

The appearance of the largest cat is exotic and menacing, although its character is very affectionate and peaceful. The cost of such a pet today exceeds 20 thousand dollars, but with the kitten itself, each owner receives:

Tallest cat

Despite the fact that Ashers are officially recognized as the largest cats, they can also compete with him. representatives of the Savannah breed, which in reality weigh more than 15 kg. This breed was developed back in the 80s by crossing a wild African cat and a domestic cat. Absolutely all representatives of the breed are very active, despite the fact that they eat little.

The record holder in height is a representative of the Savannah breed named Trumble - the cat's height is 48 cm, but she weighs only 9 kg. Trumble is included in the Book of Records in three years old and lives with his owner in the United States of America.

Conclusion

Domestic cats are distributed all over the world thanks to people who never cease to improve them, constantly breeding new breeds. Large and small representatives of the species have been living next to people for more than 10 thousand years, but their character is still fully understood. The skilled furry hunters number 256 breeds worldwide today, but who knows how many there will be in 10 years and what they will look like.

According to the latest statistics, the largest cat in the world is a representative of the Maine Coon breed and weighs 15 kg. The cat took first place in the whole world thanks to its size. He is not overfed or overfed, but simply large. Another rare specimen of this breed weighs about 10 kg.

Description

The breed was bred in North America. From in English the name of the breed is translated as<< енот из штата Мэн >>. The average weight of the animal is about 15 kg for males, and about 10 kg for females.

This breed has a majestic appearance. The coat of the species is shaggy and smooth. They cannot meow and are also among the quietest cats in the world. The voice they make resembles a chirp. This is how they express their emotions. The breed is hardy, able to survive in harsh climates. They love to sleep in incredible positions and in the most incredible places.

This large cat breed takes longer to reach maturity than others. They reach puberty by 2 years, the process ends around 4 years. The first record holder for size was the cat Stewie, with a body length of 123.2 cm and a tail length of 40 cm. The cat died from incurable disease in 2013.

The color of the breed is varied, it can be dark brown, lavender and Himalayan color. In dark individuals, the nose and pads are mainly black or chocolate in color, while in light ones - from pink to chestnut. Representatives of the breed are born with a genetic defect - polydactyly. They can have up to 7 toes on each foot. Maine Coons love water and water treatments. Playing with water is a favorite pastime of cats of this species.

They are of a gentle nature, affectionate and undemanding. They contact people with great pleasure. Friendly and intelligent intellectuals, they can be an excellent company for both older people and families with small children.

The Maine Coon has a strong skeleton with well-developed muscles and a wide chest. Males have wider heads than cats. The chin is strong, the muzzle is wedge-shaped. Maine's coons are big and expressive eyes oval-shaped, green or green-golden in color. The neck is long.

Photo Maine Coon

Health

Maine Coon is prone to:

• Hip dysplasia;
• Hypertrophy cardiomyopathy;
• Spinal muscular atrophy.

Careful grooming of the Maine Coon's coat is essential. The animal's long hair quickly rolls into tangles, especially near the ears, limbs and tail. The procedure is performed twice a week

The fur cannot be cut, as it protects the pet from temperature changes and is a kind of heat insulator.

The Maine Coon should be fed only premium food, without dyes. If the choice is made for natural food, the diet should include poultry meat, rabbit meat, and vitamin supplements, in particular calcium.

The claws on the large paws of the Maine Coon cat are sharp and need to be corrected using a scratching post. Within a month, the claws can be treated by trimming.

Offspring

When choosing a kitten, you need to pay attention to the fact that the kitten is a purebred and not a mixed breed. Metis are significantly smaller in size than purebred cats.

Despite his size, Maine is a kind and loyal coon, and can become his owner's best friend.

Chausie

The largest breeds of cats on a global scale also include Chausie, which are quite small in number and it is not easy to acquire such a cat.

Chausi Photos

Description

The body weight of an adult male is about 14 kg, in females - 11 kg. It is assumed that the ancestor of this mysterious creature is the jungle cat.

Cats of this breed are not fat; their bodies are muscular and slender. The head is small with slightly elongated and angular cheekbones. The chin is strong, the ears are pronounced, with tufts at the ends. The tail of these graceful animals can reach up to 3⁄4 of the body. The coat is thick and dense. The color varies in the following tones:

• Black;
• Brown ticked tabby;
• Black with silver tips.

Character

Chausie is a carrier of wild genes, but by nature he is a very peaceful and kind animal. The breed is energetic, and it is almost impossible to keep such a cat in small spaces. He is a lover of water treatments and never misses an opportunity to swim in the water. He just needs walks in the fresh air at least once a week. You need to walk such a cat on a special strap.

Care

You need to brush your Chausie cat twice a week with a massage brush. Digestive system This large cat is sensitive and has difficulty digesting grain additives and some vegetable mixtures. It is best to feed Chausie with ready-made premium food.

Chausie Good friends and faithful companions, before purchasing this large breed, you need to provide him with a large room and proper care.

Savannah

The Savannah cat is also a large species of cat. The breed is a hybrid of a domestic cat and a wild serval. The peculiarity of breeding is that only females reproduce from the first generation; males are sterile.

Savannah Photos

Description

The breed is tall and large, length can reach up to 135 cm, weight reaches on average up to 8 kg, in some individuals up to 15 kg. The body is elongated, the neck is long. The movements are swift and graceful. The head is small, the ears are small, round in shape, sometimes larger than the head.

The animal's fur is similar to the coloring of wild cats. The color can range from brown to silver tabby. The breed reaches maturity at the age of three. Savannah rarely gets sick.

Character

This breed of cat loves to jump and can jump up to 3 meters. Savannah is active, such a cat needs to be provided with a large space and walked in the fresh air (on a leash).

The pet will respond to kind and affectionate treatment with love and friendship, accompanying its emotional manifestations with a pleasant purring.

Fans of water games and swimming love bright toys.

Care

If you decide to have a Savannah, you should familiarize yourself with the special diet that provides the cat with proper development and good health. Savannah is a descendant of people from Africa, she needs warmth and a lot of space.

It is necessary to provide the cat with personal space; this role is best performed by an enclosure with a small pool.

When choosing meat to feed an animal, you need to pay attention that it is forbidden to give the animal baked meat with spices and salt. You can give raw meat, which is perfectly digestible for the stomach of this type of cat. You can include fish and vegetables in your diet. Sweet-tasting vegetables and potatoes are not recommended.

If the choice is on ready-made food, premium food is recommended.

Savannah is distinguished not only by its large size. In 2015, this breed was recognized as the most expensive in the world. Buying and caring for such a cat is not an easy task, but these cats are worth it. They repay their owners with devotion and loyalty.

Having decided to get a large breed cat, you need to be prepared for all the requirements of caring for them, get acquainted with the nuances of their character and be prepared for all the surprises from these mischievous and beautiful creatures, provide them with the necessary space for free movement. They are able to understand and appreciate love, true friendship and respond in kind.

Maine Coons are one of the most mysterious cat breeds, the history of which is shrouded in mystery and sometimes fiction. Meanwhile, these amazing creatures are very playful, have an excellent memory and a good attitude. So who are they? We'll find out soon.

The Maine Coon cat breed comes from the American state of the same name, Maine. It is assumed that the representatives of the felines received their name due to their external resemblance to ordinary raccoons: color, powerful physique, large fluffy tail and the characteristic sounds that young raccoons make, sounding from the lips of Maine Coons in the form of ringing trills and purrs. Literally translated from English, "Maine Coon" means "Maine raccoon", where the first word is translated as the name of the state, and the second is a residual from the American "raccoon", meaning "coon".

If we remember the legends, they are also associated with raccoons. According to one of them, the Maine Coon is the cub of a female raccoon crossed with a cat. The creators of the myth fuel their statements by the similarity of colors and tails of these two species. The second legend looks even more unusual and fun, since it attributes the origin of the Maine Coon to the North American lynx, just like the raccoon once, crossed with a domestic cat. Here the authors cite as evidence the cute tufts characteristic of Maine Coon ears, which they could have inherited from wild relatives. In fact, the breed of amazing cats is the result of the evolution of species, excluding the mythological component.

Maine Coon: detailed description of the breed

In order not to mistake a mixed breed, which is often found among fanciers, for a genuine Maine Coon, knowledge of the complete characteristics of the Maine will be very useful. So:

• The shape of the head is slightly elongated in length, whereas in other breeds it extends in width. An uneven profile, high cheekbones and voluminous ears with high-set tassels. The presence of tassels is the most important distinguishing feature of the Maine breed.
• The eyes are set wide and shaped like an oval. The color of the eyes usually harmonizes with the color.
• The body is represented by well-developed muscles; animals are often large and very large in size. Long, wide shapes predominate.
• The paws are proportional to the body - just as powerful, with good muscles. There should be small tufts of wool between the pads on the paws.
• A voluminous and very fluffy tail, sometimes equal in size to the length of the entire animal.
• The Maine Coon's coat is thick and quite long. In the area of ​​the muzzle and on the neck, the hair is of medium length.
• A medium-sized Maine Coon will have a total length (including tail) of 95-100 cm.

An important distinguishing feature of the Maine Coon breed is the weight of the animals, which ranges from 6 to 10 kg. The average is between 7 and 9 kg. Cats, as a rule, are lighter than cats and gain about 6 kg of weight, but there are representatives of the “heavy” weight category - about 8 kg. The largest Maine Coon can easily reach a weight of just over 10 kg, which, due to its lush fur, looks much more voluminous, creating a false impression of a 15-kilogram cat. There are very widespread opinions about how much Maine Coons weigh, attributing incredible weights of up to 20 kg to cats. In fact, not a single case has been recorded in which the weight reached such figures. There is a standard system showing the dynamics of Maine Coon weight by month, which corresponds to the vast majority of animals.

Popular colors of Maine Coons

Maine cats abound in various colors, among which in the professional environment the main one is considered to be “wild” or “black tabby”, and all subsequent ones began to appear over time, gaining wide popularity among fanciers and breeders. Coon colors:

• Red Maine Coon is one of the most popular colors with cream, brick or red colored fur, diluted with streaks of light shades;
• white Maine Coon - characterized by exclusively snow-white fur, without any additional shades;
• black Maine Coon - implies an absolutely even black color with the absence of other tint inclusions;
• Maine Coon black marble - a classic color, which is characterized by a design in the form of curls and continuous lines, made in a double color scheme;
• Maine Coon black smoke is an original color where the roots of the coat are painted white, and the subsequent length of the coat is exclusively black.

The black Maine Coons in the photo turn out excellent, embodying grace and showing off the rich coat of a timeless color. Red coons are no less photogenic, always able to lift your spirits with their sunny color.

Maine Coon: character and cat habits

Maine cats are distinguished by their balanced character and easy-going disposition, they are very sociable and have absolutely no selfishness in them. They enjoy spending time in the company of people, love active games or just lie nearby, purring loudly. Maine Coons are also big fans of taking photos together with a person. They strictly monitor their claws and almost never let them out, so when combing the fur, you don’t have to worry about scratches in case you hurt your pet.

A remarkable characteristic of Maine Coon cats is their ability to get along with other pets, which makes life easier for the owner in the event of a new addition to the animal family. True, you should not strongly provoke and have parrots or rodents in the house, since in this case the cats will trigger a hunting instinct, which they simply cannot control. But they will get along well with another cat or dog, as confirmed by breeders and numerous videos on the Internet.

The habits of Maine Coons, judging by the reviews of the owners of these charming creatures, are very diverse and depend on the individuality of the animal, regardless of its affiliation with the Maine. Some of them are partial to the tap with cold water and, as soon as it opens, they admire the transparent streams with interest. Others, before drinking water, wet their paws in a bowl and lick the drops off them, and only then begin to lap them. And sometimes Maine Coons can learn to bring a certain object to their owner, such as a small light toy, if the owner has enough strength and patience to train the kitten.

Maine Coon Care

Since Maine Coons are very clean and constantly lick their fur, it is necessary to take care of special pastes that help remove hairballs from the stomach. If the body is not cleansed, the animal begins to suffer from constipation and cough, and the threat of intestinal obstruction becomes acute. It is also useful to grow grass at home, by eating which the kitten can independently help remove fur residue from the digestive organs.

It will be enough to brush your pet’s fur 1-2 times a week, but during the shedding period you need to brush more often. When working with long fur, fine-toothed combs with a metal base or brushes made from natural materials work well. Brushing a Maine Coon cat can be seen in the photo, which shows different types combs Before the procedure, it is advisable to examine the kitten for possible tangles, so as not to accidentally cause pain to the animal. The most vulnerable places of maines are in the panties area, on the collar and on the sides. If matted hair forms, you can try to untangle it or carefully cut it out if you cannot separate the hairs.

Diet for Maine Coons

When it comes to questions about what to feed a Maine Coon, the opinions of breeders sometimes differ, since some prefer to feed exclusively food like Royal Canin, while others prefer natural nutrition. But no matter what food you prefer for your pet, the main thing to remember is variety and quality, because the good health of your pet largely depends on nutrition. When calculating the weight of Maine Coons by month, try to meet the standards and do not give the animal large portions - this can harm its well-being.

When choosing food for your Maine Coon, preference should be given to high-quality varieties designed specifically for large cats. Many breeders try to organize the nutrition of Maine Coons using a variety of Royal Canin foods, which contain a full range of micro- and macroelements, as well as a vitamin complex, with which a kitten or adult cat will feel great. It is important to follow the feeding regimen, instructions for which can be seen in the pictures on the back of the food package. Balanced varieties of the Royal Canin line will provide large cats with a healthy shine to their luxurious fur, fill them with energy and help strengthen the immune system.

When composing your pet’s diet from natural food, you must remember that cats are carnivores and need to be regularly fed meat and fish. Lean parts of chicken, turkey, rabbit or beef are ideal. Maine Coon kittens, like adult representatives of the breed, will never refuse a raw piece of meat, chopped into small pieces and scalded with boiling water. But fish can be given exclusively in boiled form, preferably low-fat species. Be careful that your pet doesn't get any bones, as they can get stuck in the throat and cause a lot of trouble.

When an animal eats specialized food, its body receives all the vitamins necessary for development, but when the animal eats homemade food, it is imperative to choose vitamin complex in addition to the diet. And also indulge in various cereals, vegetables (they can be mixed with meat), low-fat cream and kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt or cheese.

Good nutrition will allow the fur to be beautiful and shiny, and the pet to be healthy. Pay attention to meal times and do not try to make larger portions, guided by the Maine Coon weight chart by month. Large Maine Coon cats, whose photos delight many onlookers, can often suffer from obesity, which is dangerous for any animal. Feed your cats fully and in moderation, then the answers to questions about how long Maine Coons live will coincide with the real terms and the pet will be able to delight you with its presence from 12 to 15 years.

How much does a Maine Coon kitten cost?

Becoming the owner of a Maine Coon kitten is quite an expensive pleasure, since it involves costs not only for its purchase, but also for its further maintenance. The minimum cost of Maine Coons is about 45,000 rubles. If we talk about kittens that can take part in specialized exhibitions, the amount can rise to 120,000 rubles. In cases where the pedigree of a Maine cat is not particularly important, the animal can be purchased from numerous advertisements selling cats for 16-18 thousand rubles and even lower.

Of course, the purchase will be quite risky, since many sellers are focused on breeding for the purpose of sale, and therefore may not take special care in caring for the parents and the kitten itself. As a result, future owners are faced with the ill health of their small pet and, instead of joy, get trips to veterinary clinics. If the kitten is inexpensive, be careful when making a purchase and follow the description of the breed to avoid a mixed litter. Look at photos of the Maine Coon cat breed, compare the external characteristics with the kitten you are offered to buy, and feel free to buy a new furry friend for the whole family. After all, photographs of beautiful large cats do not leave anyone indifferent and, looking at a big bundle of joy, you immediately want to become the owner of this great happiness, no matter how much it costs!

Maine Coons are adorable large pets. They are significantly different from other cats in their intelligence, kindness, and tenderness, thanks to which North American cats will willingly become your reliable companions. On the Internet you can see many photos and videos where owners have difficulty holding their pets in their arms. I wonder what size Maine Coon can claim the title of the largest cat?

More details in the article:

The largest cats in the world

Disputes regularly flare up among coon breeders about what is more important: a really large size or compliance with breed standards. The battles are fueled by the fact that there are many gaps in the history of Maine Coons. The North American Semi-Longhair was bred in early XIX century in Maine and is considered a natural breed. After moving to Europe, the Maine Coon breed was divided into two sub-branches: classic American and European.

European Coons are much smaller, but they have the characteristic features of the breed - tufted ears, a large bridge of the nose. Such changes can be explained by the fact that only at the beginning of the 21st century the WCF limited interbreed matings of Maine Coons.