The origins of this large domestic cat are unknown and shrouded in legend. It may be descended from some breed already large that was brought to America. Various legends have been invoked to account for its singular features.
One such is that it is a hybrid. It was said it was the hybrid of a raccoon and a domestic cat, but this would seem to be impossible. Another legend is that it is a hybrid of a domestic cat and a bobcat, but that is just as unlikely.
A further legend is that the species was brought to America aboard the ship of a Captain Coon.
Another story is that when the French Revolution occurred, the imprisoned Queen Marie Antoinette tried to escape, putting her prized possessions aboard a ship. These included six special cats.
The unfortunate queen's plan did not succeed, but the cats, stowed safely away, managed to reach America, where they became the ancestors of the Maine Coon Cat. I stress, this is no more than a legend.
The Maine Coon Cat is the world's largest domestic cat and may have developed due to the rigors of the Maine climate.
Maine Coon Cat |