06/10/2019
The Maine C**n cat is one of the most famous cat breeds in New England and most of the United States. They are the hardiest, furriest and largest cats of all the domesticated cat breeds kept in homes around the Western world. Apart from their good looks and gentle personality, their history is also quite mysterious! Their origins are more folk tale and theory than real proven facts. Some might even say that they are the Maine C**n myths.
One of the most common theories about the Maine C**n catsβ origin is that it is a hybrid. There are two general strains to this origin theory. The first is that a domesticated cat cross-bred with a racc**n. The other is that a domesticated cat cross-bred with a bobcat.
Of the first theory (cat+racc**n) there is little possibility since cats and racc**ns are completely different species and cannot breed with each other. The second theory of a cat breeding with a bobcat might sound more probable but actually isnβt. Cats and bobcats are both from the Felidae family but are not the same species. Bobcats are a lynx species, meaning they cannot breed with normal cats.
Even if the hybrid theory is genetically and scientifically impossible, when it comes to looks and personality, things can get confusing. People from Maine will tell you that the theory of the Maine C**n being half racc**n or half bobcat is an old wives tale. Similarities in fur color and thickness, the love of water, the lynx-like ears, it all makes one wonder.
The cat + racc**n theory also has a bit of influence in the name of the Maine C**n. Before it was called the Maine C**n, it was simply called βMaine cat.β The addition of the second word, C**n, could be from the abbreviation for racc**n, c**n, or as we will see further on, from Captain Charles C**n.
This improbable theory has been around for hundreds of years but has no proof whatsoever.
If you own a Maine C**n cat, then you must know by now, that your cat is very special. The history and origins of the Maine C**n cats are so full of mystery and speculation that it makes them that much more intriguing. With lynx-like ears, wide paws and banded tails, these gentle giants can be the real royalty of a human home.