Maine Coon Cats: An Interview with Fancy Cat

Fancy is one of our office cats who also sometimes tests products, reads over articles, and does interviews with members of the 10 most popular cat breeds in America. Other times, she naps for a week solid; creative souls do need their flexibility.

But this week, Fancy was energetic and did an interview for us. Max the Maine Coon cat visited our office, and Fancy sat with him and asked him the questions we all have about his breed. Here, you can see the uncut version of this fun interview.

Fancy: Hello, Max! Thanks for coming in to talk with us today. How are you?

Max: Oh, I'm doing well, thank you. I really never have a bad day.

Fancy: Really? That's fascinating! Is that a common characteristic for Maine Coon cats?

Max: Yes, we're usually easy-going and happy. We love to make happy noises and talk to our people.

Fancy: That sounds like a great way to be. Personally, I'm always trying to do yoga or meditation or bird-watching to maintain a calm attitude. Say, do you guys get along with other cats, dogs, and kids well?

Max: Yep, we usually love all of our housemates. We're playful and fun, and we don't care who you are: if you want to have a game of fetch or chase, we'd love to join you.

Fancy: That is so nice. I am a little leery of dogs, myself; you can never be too careful. But you're a lot bigger than I am, so you can probably hold your own. Is your size typical of members of the Maine Coon breed?

Max: It sure is. We are large-boned, big cats that average between 9 and 18 pounds. It's still important to make sure we don't get overweight, though. Big is one thing, but being overweight creates health problems for cats.

Fancy: Speaking of that, are there certain health conditions to which Maine Coon cats are more prone than other breeds? The humans like to know what they might need to watch out for if they share a home with certain cat breeds.

Max: Unfortunately, like most purebred cats, there are certain medical issues that occur more commonly in Maine Coons. They include HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), hip dysplasia, and spinal muscular atrophy. HCM is a heart condition, hip dysplasia is a joint problem, and spinal muscular atrophy causes weakness in leg muscles but no pain.

Fancy: What about routine care? Are Maine Coon cats pretty labor-intensive for the humans to care for?

Max: Actually, not really. We need routine veterinary care, tooth-brushing, and claw trimming like all cats. We have pretty long, silky hair, but it doesn't mat easily, so we just need to be brushed once a week or so.

Fancy: I just thought of something that I've heard about Maine Coons. Are you a cross between a cat and a raccoon?

Max: No, that isn't possible. My breed probably developed when short-haired cats already here bred with long-haired ones brought over from Europe. I like to think we descended from the cats that Vikings carried on their boats for rodent control. I can totally see myself sailing on a Viking ship.

Fancy: That is so interesting! It sounds like Maine Coon cats are sweet, playful, easy to take care of, and have a long history of being faithful friends to the humans in the United States.

Max: Thanks for the compliments, Fancy! And thanks for inviting me to interview with you. I had a lot of fun. I noticed a bird feeder outside the office window over there; mind if I climb up on that Maine Coon-sized scratching post and take a gander?

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