Felis catus
Maine Coon
Featured photomaine-coon.jpgThe Maine Coon is one of the largest domesticated cat breeds and is native to the U.S. state of Maine, where it was a working farm and ship cat from at least the mid-19th century. A Maine Coon named Cosey won Best in Show at the 1895 Madison Square Garden cat show. CFA championship status followed in 1976, and TICA recognized the breed at its 1979 founding. The State of Maine declared the Maine Coon its official state cat in 1985. The standard describes a large, slow-maturing cat with a heavy shaggy coat and prominent ear tufts.
Quick facts
- Origin country
- United States (Maine)
- Origin period
- Mid-19th century (state cat of Maine 1985)
- Coat type
- Long
- Coat colors
- Brown Tabby, Silver Tabby, Red Tabby, Blue Tabby, Cream Tabby, Solid Black, Solid White, Solid Blue, Solid Cream, Tortoiseshell, Calico, Bicolor, Smoke, Shaded
- Size category
- Large
- Average lifespan
- 12-15 years
- Recognition
- CFA 1976 · TICA 1979 · GCCF 1993 · FIFe 1982
Origin
Long-haired domestic cats are documented in 19th-century New England as working barn and ship cats, where the heavy water-resistant coat and tufted feet were practical traits in the Maine winter. The earliest published reference to the breed name is from 1861 in F.R. Pierce's account of his black-and-white tom 'Captain Jenks of the Horse Marines'. A Maine Coon named Cosey won Best in Show at the inaugural 1895 cat show held at Madison Square Garden in New York City — the documented anchor for the breed's recognition in the American cat fancy.
Recognition
The Maine Coon Breeders & Fanciers Association was founded in 1968 to coordinate the championship-recognition campaign that followed a mid-20th-century decline. The Cat Fanciers' Association admitted the breed to championship status in 1976. The International Cat Association recognized the Maine Coon at its 1979 founding in Texas. The FIFe standard was published in 1982, and the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy granted championship status in 1993. The Maine state legislature designated the Maine Coon the official state cat in 1985.
Standard
The CFA standard describes a large, muscular, broad-chested cat that matures slowly over three to four years. The head is medium-wide with a squared muzzle, high cheekbones, and large ears with prominent furnishings and lynx tips. The coat is long and shaggy, shorter on the shoulders and lengthening down the back and flanks, with a full ruff at the throat and a long flowing tail. The breed is recognized in all traditional tabby, solid, particolour, and shaded divisions; pointed and chocolate/lilac colours are not accepted under the CFA standard.
Sources & further reading (3)
- registry-breed-profile — accessed 2026-04-30
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-04-30
- tica-standard — accessed 2026-04-30
Frequently asked questions
When did the Maine Coon achieve championship recognition?
The Cat Fanciers' Association admitted the Maine Coon to championship status in 1976. The International Cat Association recognized the breed at its 1979 founding. The FIFe standard was published in 1982, and the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy granted championship status in 1993.
Why is the Maine Coon called the state cat of Maine?
The Maine state legislature designated the Maine Coon the official state cat in 1985, in recognition of the breed's long history as a working farm and ship cat in the state. The 1895 Madison Square Garden cat show — at which a Maine Coon named Cosey won Best in Show — is the documented public anchor for the breed's identification with Maine.
How large is a typical Maine Coon?
Adult males commonly weigh 5.9 to 8.2 kilograms; adult females weigh 3.6 to 5.4 kilograms. The breed matures slowly over three to four years and is one of the largest recognized domestic cat breeds. Reported lifespan averages 12 to 15 years across CFA and TICA parent-club records.
