Maine Coon Cats - History

The origin of Maine Coon Cats is not clear. There exist several theories and legends. According to one of them, the history of Maine Coon Cats goes back to a cabin boy, Tom Coon, who collected cats ashore and brought them aboard for vermin control. They were beautiful longhaired cats, which accompanied him everywhere and popped up in various places along the coast of Maine. The natural intermingling of this variety of cats is believed to be the genetic basis for today's Maine Coon Cats.

Another theory says that Maine Coon Cats' genetics descend from the Norwegian Forest Cats that accompanied the Vikings, or Angora Cats, brought by the New England seamen. There even exist the belief that these cats bred with raccoons, because they look like raccoons and make the similar sounds.

A more logical theory is that the Maine Coon Cat developed from the domestic shorthaired cats of first American settlers and longhaired cats from trading ships. They began populating the Eastern seaboard, and only the fittest survived the harsh New England winters. The most intelligent and communicative of them found their way into the settlers' homes and became beloved pets and good workers. This breed is the official Maine State Cat. Maine Coon Cats became the first show cats of America in 1878.

from: http://www.maine-coon-cats.org/maine-coon-cats-general-information.htm