The Maine Coon: A Breed Shaped by Myth and History

August 19, 2025

The Maine Coon: A Breed Shaped by Myth and History

As the name suggests, the Maine Coon was first found in the US state of Maine. Maine sits in the far north, closer to the North Pole than anywhere else in the US. As a result, its winters are harsh and snowy. The chilly environment in winter influences the looks and attributes of this majestic cat, the Maine Coons.

There are numerous fascinating stories about the origin of the Maine Coon breed. The first story is incredibly charming, and I would love to believe it’s true. There once lived a semi-long-haired cat who often crossed paths with a family of raccoons. The female cat partnered with one of the male raccoons and produced beautiful kittens that have tails resembling raccoons. The legend is charming, but it is unfortunate that it is not true. People interested in Maine Coons discovered that such crossbreeding is biologically impossible.

One legend speaks of a sea captain who often traveled to America, bringing goods from England. But he has a problem. His mighty ship carries delicious goods but is plagued by rats and mice.

Overwhelmed by this stress, he takes a vacation in Turkey. While resting on the dock, he spots numerous cats and comes up with a brilliant solution. Armed with sharp-clawed, quick, fast, and long-haired creatures, these charming new arsenals will effectively solve the threats.

So, ahoy! To the land of the free, he sailed with his long-haired, beautiful kittens. On the ship, he bonded with these sweet kittens, and whenever he went, they followed. So, when he docked in the Pine Tree state called Maine, his kittens followed him, too. Town folks saw this and called those kittens “Coon’s Kittens.”

Not too long after this, the short-haired cats of America became friends with Coon’s kittens, and after a few months, they began seeing dazzling, large kittens that had tufts on their ears and paws. They got popular and populated more in Maine, so people finally called them Maine Coons. Now, I may have added some twists to these tales, but as written in Wikipedia and mainecoonlife.com, these stories are the most popular ones, along with Marie Antoinette’s cat, the Vikings’ cats, and the crossbreeding with lynx and bobcats.

Maine Coons may have arrived with the Puritans from England, but the breed’s traits grew from adapting to their surroundings. The harsh weather and the necessary survival skills in this environment have shaped their majestic looks.

Documented Maine Coon History:

Maine Coons had risen in popularity in the state of Maine in the 1860s when the farmers started doing cat shows on them at their yearly state fair, the Skowhegan State Fair. This popularity has extended to Massachusetts and all the way to a more prominent cat show in Madison Square Garden in New York, the first North American cat show, in which a female brown tabby named Cosey won the Best in Show in May 1895. It is heartwarming to know that Cosey’s silver collar, which she won that day, still holds deep sentimental value and remains on display at the CFA Foundation Feline Historical Museum in New Jersey.

Maine Coon cat Cosey, first winner cat show in New York, May 1895

Picture Source: Unknown author – Public Domain, Breed Council Maine Coon der C.F.A [1]

Cosey Silver Collar

Picture Source: https://www.catscenterstage.org/breeds/maine-coon2.shtml

Courtesy of the CFA Foundation Photo: ©Tetsu

In the early 18th century, records described them as ‘Maine Cats.’ By the century’s end, people were calling them ‘Coon Cats,’ probably because of their raccoon-like tails in the old Maine legend. In 1985, the state of Maine officially designated the Maine Coon as its state cat.

In England in 1871, a cat enthusiast and natural history artist, Harrison Weir, established standards for different cat breeds, which he applied while judging at the first Crystal Palace cat show in London, which he organized. Because of this, he is often referred to as the Father of the Cat Fancy. In his standards, long-haired breeds were not differentiated by specific breeds; Maine cats were included in this group. Weir’s criteria for judging white, long-haired cats, including Maine Coons, focused on the quality of their fur and tails, with each category assigned a score of 10 points.

The first cat show was held at Crystal Palace

Picture Source: https://cat-world.com/history-of-cat-breeds/

In 1892, he detailed in the Preface to the New Edition of his famous book “Our Cats and All About Them,” he mentioned his interest in these cats from the US, particularly from the islands of the coast of Maine, which he frequently referred to as “Coon Cats.”

As the popularity of the cat shows spread to America and Europe, judging in cat shows refers back to his standards, with the Maine Coon included in the Persian long-haired group. His standards do not specifically include some unique characteristics of the Maine Coons; thus, cat enthusiasts import more Persian cats.

Picture Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/35450/35450-h/35450-h.htm

In 1900, American author and journalist Helen Winslow published a book called “Concerning Cats.” In chapter 3, titled “Concerning Other Cats,” she mentioned another author, Sarah Orne Jewett. Jewett, she too, had referred to her cat as “coon cat”, down from Maine. She described the adventures of her coon cat named “Polly.”

In 1903, English author and feline historian Elizabeth Frances Ann Simpson published her book “The Book of Cats.” In Chapter 28, titled “Maine Cats,” F.R. Pierce wrote in this whole chapter a detailed history and description of the Maine cats, along with her experiences with them since her childhood. She and her brother owned a beautiful black, pointed with white Maine cat. She and her brother clearly loved the character of the play, “Captain Jenks of the Horse Marine,” that they named their cat the same.

She mentioned that in 1869, a ship’s cook gifted a Maine sailmaker, in port for repairs, with two beautiful white Persian females with blue eyes. The sailmaker cared for the kittens and later paired one with a suitable male. As a result, she began noticing white Maine kittens appearing from time to time. In fact, she owned a white cat named “Dot,” who she believed came from the original white Persian with blue eyes. “Dot” had been winning multiple show competitions despite being deaf.

Pierce praised Maine’s natural conditions for raising cats. She wrote, “No doubt they do still better in Maine, but the difference comes from the fact that they have the freedom of living a natural life, without dopes or over-coddling. Their offspring are beautiful because they are from their own choosing and not from compulsory mating, often distasteful, no doubt.”

Even then, Maine cats could grow remarkably large. Richelieu, a seven-year-old silver or bluish tabby, won first place in his class at shows in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia, and weighed twenty pounds. She also noted that untreated worms often caused Maine cats to die young. Yet Leo, who received proper care, lived an impressive seventeen years.

Image Source: “The Book of The Cat” page 329, photo by Hunton, Hallowell

The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA), founded in 1906, became the largest registry of pedigreed cats in the United States. CFA hosts championship competitions; however, at that time, CFA does not recognize Maine Coon as a cat breed.

In 1911, a national cat show in Portland, Oregon, recorded a win for a blue Maine Coon cat. Sadly, Maine Coons vanished from recorded cat shows for over 40 years after this event.

During the years 1911 to the 1950s, the popularity of Maine Coons declined due to the importation of Persian breeds. The decline was so extreme for so many years that it was thought that Maine Coons had become extinct. Due to this decline in popularity, three remarkable women—Ethylin Whittemore, Alta Smith, and Ruby Dyer—committed themselves to preserving the breed’s significance.

In the early 1950s, the Central Maine Coon Cat Club (CMCCC) was established to promote the Maine Coon breed. They organized cat shows to raise public awareness of the breed and to seek recognition from larger cat fancy organizations.

To refine the club, in 1956, Dr. Rachel Salisbury, a college instructor from Maine who also breeds Persian cats, wrote, published, and printed the standards for Maine Coons, which are used during judging in their cat shows. The standards are more detailed and breed-specific to the Maine Coon. Unlike Weir’s standard, Salisbury’s standard includes points for head, ears, eyes, tail, body, legs and feet, coat, health, and condition.

Dr. Salisbury’s standard used by the CMCCC

Image Source: http://mainecooninternational.com

In 1963, the CMCCC disbanded due to insufficient support from its founders, as some commitments were reduced because of personal obligations. Additionally, the CFA did not recognize the CMCCC standards, weakening its influence.

However, in 1968, their hard work was forever recognized as they inspired breeders to form the Maine Coon Breeder and Fancier Association (MCBFA), in which the aim is to create a pedigree for purebred Maine Coon cats. The Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association (MCBFA) played an important role in developing the original Maine Coon standard, which serves as the foundation for the breed we know today. This standard outline the distinctive characteristics and traits that define the modern Maine Coon; it will be discussed down below.

The Unified Standard:

The year 1969 is significant in the history of the Maine Coon breed, as it marks the start of the creation of the formative breed standard. Three Maine Coon standards were formed initially. The first one, three women—Sonia Stanislow, Florence Wartell, and Lilias Vanderhoff—developed a more detailed, descriptive, and organized standard for the Maine Coon compared to the one established by the Central Maine Coon Cat Club (CMCCC). In the spring of that year, they implemented this new Independent Cat Federation (ICF) standard at their cat show.

In 1970, Sonya Stanislow, the founder of her own club, the Maine Coon Cat Society, revised the standards of Maine Coon for her club and published them this year. Her standards differ only slightly from the ICF Maine Coon standard, as she was also involved in creating that standard.

In the winter of the same year, the Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association (MCBFA) developed its own breed standard for Maine Coons. The MCBFA standard is considered an improvement over the previous two standards. This time the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) approved the MCBFA standards but only for registration purposes, the Maine Coon breed is still not recognized for championship competition in the CFA.

In 1972, members of all Maine Coon associations were confused about using three different kinds of standards for one breed. So, the founders and creators of the three Maine Coon standards meet up to form the “Unified Standard,” integrating and refining the standards of the previous three.

In 1973, the “Unified Standard” was accepted throughout the USA, and even other cat fancier associations like the American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) accepted it. But the CFA still did not.

Finally, in 1975, because of the successful and widely acceptable “Unified Standard,” the Cat Fancier Association (CFA) finally accepted the Maine Coon as a breed. It included them in championship competitions in May 1976. Much to the surprise of the CFA and other significant feline associations, the Maine Coon breed’s popularity has surged rapidly, dominating cat shows in the US and around the globe.

The Top Five Foundation of the Maine Coon Cats:

In 1969, while the members, founders, and breeders of the MCBFA were improving the breed of the Maine Coons by creating standards, at the same time, they also focused on registering their breed to start the Maine Coon pedigree. The breeders Ethelyn Whittemore, Sonya Stanislow, and Conny Condit began to be intentional about their club’s purpose, registered their cattery, and registered their Maine Coon cats for breeding. Thus, their cats became the cornerstone of all the purebred Maine Coons that we have today.

Conny Condit whose cattery name is Heidi Ho chose a long-haired kitten named Andy Katt, born in 1969 in Maryland, and paired it with a tortoiseshell female named Bridget Katt, born in 1969 in Florida.

Sonya Stanislow, whose cattery name is Tati-Tan, registered a female named Tatiana, born in 1965 in New York, and paired her with her America’s first Grand Champion Maine Coon, Dauphin de France of Tati-Tan, born in 1967 in New York.

Ethelyn Whittemore, whose cattery name is Whittemores, has Smokie Joe of Whittemores, born in Maine with parents listed only as foundations.

These five cats will show up on the lineage of all the registered pedigrees of Maine Coons databases. Hence, they are called the Top 5.

Who where they and how did they influence the breed?

There were other Main Coon breeders during the success of the MCBFA. However, the cats of Heidi Ho, Tati-Tan, and Whittemores have championship status, and new breeders and existing breeders have been using these catteries cats contributing to this Top 5.

According to Pawpeds Article in Past-Present-Future:

It is estimated by the breeders who created this site that the genetic makeup of the average pedigree of the 90’s when traced back to the foundation, contains:

65-70% of the top five cats

50-55% of the top three cats

35-40% of the top two cats

30-35% Clones

Heidi Ho’s cat became one of the most widely used in cat breeding when the popularity of Maine Coons surged for several reasons. One notable factor is Andy Katt (MCO n 09 23), whose appearance, fur, and color are beautiful. He has won numerous championships, ranging from state competitions to Grand Championships, making his lineage well-known. Heidi Ho’s cattery has produced many beautiful kittens, often achieved through frequent inbreeding among sisters, brothers, and the father. As breeders increasingly choose her kittens over those from the other top three breeders, her cattery contributes the highest percentage to inbreeding coefficients.

The clones of Heidi Ho’s catteries began in 1978, when the son of Andy Katt, Heidi Ho Henry Sayward, was bred to the granddaughter of Andy Katt, Heidi Ho Henrietta Katt, who is also the daughter of Henry Sayward, whose mother is also the sister of Henry Sayward. This tangle of complicated inbreeding produced Heidi Ho Sonkey Bill, a beautiful black silver mackerel tabby. So Sonkey Bill’s father is also his grandfather on his mother’s side, while his grandmother is also his aunt.

Heidi Ho Sonkey Bill was bred to Tanstaafl Polly Adeline of Heidi Ho, a beautiful black classic tabby from Germany. Together, they produced four litters between 1979 and 1982, resulting in 17 offspring that closely resembled one another. The kittens were limited to the following colors: black silver mackerel tabby, black silver classic tabby, black mackerel tabby, and black classic tabby. This striking similarity among the kittens led to their being referred to as “clones.”

These beautiful kittens with championship status were widely used by breeders and distributed to different parts of the world for breeding. Hence now, Heidi Ho’s cattery will be traced back to all registered purebred Maine Coons.

The use of these clones brings the genetic diversity of Maine Coons lower. Today, the average genetic diversity is 34.5%.

An excerpt from Wisdom Panel, “Generally speaking, cats with a higher percentage of heterozygosity will have a lower risk of genetic disorders and other complications associated with their breed background.

Image Source: WesterosCat Maine Coon.NO

Sources:

Image Source: WesterosCat Maine Coon.NO

Henning Mueller-Rech,2021, “The Maine Coon History in 9 Short Chapters”

https://www.mainecooninternational.com

Cat-O-Pedia, A Collaboration of The CFA Foundation and The Harrison Weir Collection. “The History Project,” “Cosey (c. 1893)

https://cat-o-pedia.org/cosey.html

Wikipedia, “Maine Coon”, last edited Nov. 2024 by Maincoontee

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine_Coon

Beth Kus, Dirigo, 1998, Revised 3/21/2011, “The Maine Coon Cat Authenticated”

http://maine-cooncat.com/authentc.html

Julia Wilson, “History of Cat Breeds: Where Did Cat Breeds Come From?”

https://cat-world.com/history-of-cat-breeds/

Orrono Maine Coons, 2017-2024, “The history of Maine Coons”

https://www.orrono.com/history-maine-coons/

Helen M. Winslow, Posting Date: August 31, 2012 [EBook #9501], “The Project Gutenberg EBook of Concerning Cats, by Helen M. Winslow,” Produced by Dr. Dwight Holden, Ted Garvin, David Garcia

and PG Distributed Proofreaders

www.gutenberg.org

Pawpeds, “Tati-tan Originals”

https://www.pawpeds.com/cms/index.php/en/education/articles/history/our-cats-en

Pawpeds, Connie Condit and her Heidi Ho Cattery

https://www.pawpeds.com/cms/index.php/en/breed-specific/breed-articles/heidi-ho-cattery

Simpson, Frances (1903). “The Book of the Cat” Chapter 28: Maine Cats, Contributor: University of California Libraries

https://archive.org/details/bookofcatsimpson00simprich/bookofcatsimpson00simprich/page/n7/mode/2up

Harrison Weir, “Our Cats and All About Them”, 1892, “Preface to The New Edition,” “Othello”

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Our Cats and All About Them, by Harrison Weir

Produced by David Edwards, woodie4 and the Online

Distributed Proofreading Canada Team