Are you a dog lover who wants to own a cat? If so, the Maine Coon Cat is the breed for you. This breed is extraordinarily intelligent and has a personality that is more like a dog than a cat; for example, a Maine Coon Cat might decide to take a leisurely dip in your family's wading pool.

The Maine Coon is known as a gentle giant. These lovely cats weigh in at anywhere from nine to 22 pounds and even at the heavy end of the scale, they are not fat. They have a square face, a thick neck, large ears, big, rounded eyes, and a large, muscular body. The tail is long and quite bushy.

This cat breed was first seen in Maine in the late 1800’s and most likely developed its thick coat as a way to protect itself from the bitterly cold winters in that area. When the breed was first established, only the brown tabby color was recognized. This coat color and the Maine Coon's bushy tail gave it the look of a raccoon, hence the reference to “coon” in the name. Today, this breed comes in many more recognized colors, including black, blue, cream, red, tortoiseshell, blue tortoiseshell, white, smoke, silver tabby, brown tabby, red tabby, blue tabby, cream tabby, and bicolor. Cats can have green or gold eyes, unless their fur is white, in which case, eyes can also be blue or mismatched.

The Maine Coon gets along well with other cats, dogs, children, and just about every other type of animal, except rodents of course. They are notorious for excellent hunting abilities. Additionally they have wonderful personalities and are the perfect breed for families. However, they are also content being the only animal in a quiet household.

Maine Coon Cats are a bit on the vocal side. However, the mewling these cats make is a pleasant chirping sound that few people find annoying.

With his long coat, the Maine Coon needs frequent grooming. You should be prepared to thoroughly comb out your cat's coat at least twice a week. If the coat begins to develop knots and snarls, you may need to groom him even more frequently.

Overall, this descendant of hardy farm cats is a healthy breed. If your cat seems to be feeling under the weather, he most likely has a hairball problem. Of course, you should seek veterinary care to be sure it’s nothing more serious. While you are talking to your veterinarian, you may want to consult him about feeding your cat a cat food with hairball control.