Certainly Maine Coons were well established more than a century ago, and had evolved into a hardy, handsome breed of domestic cats, adept at keeping down the mouse population on New England farms. They had not only become rugged of coat and build, and tough enough to withstand even the hardest winters, but had also become one of the largest breeds physically. Relatively tall and long-bodied, males commonly weigh up to 11 kg. (23 lbs.), females rarely more than 6kg. (12 lbs.). The coat is long and flowing, being relatively silky and shaggy, shorter on the shoulders and longer on the belly and tail. With their well-developed ruff offsetting the relatively long, square-muzzled head, Maine Coons are indeed handsome as well as strong cats.
First recorded in cat literature in 1861 with a mention of a black and white known as Captain Jenks of the Horse Mariners, Maine Coons were popular competitors at early cat shows in Boston and New York, one winning at the 1895 Madison Square Gardens show. They declined as show cats with the arrival of the more flamboyant Persians from cat breeders in Britain, but as household pets they still reigned supreme in the northeastern states. It is not hard to understand why these tough, agile, independent cats were thought to have wild raccoon ancestry and why they were treasured as very special pets right through the early 1950s, when cat fanciers began once more to pay attention to them, show them and record their pedigrees.
All along there had been a small core of breeders - albeit very few - who had persisted with the breed in spite of its unpopularity. Once pedigree records were established, Maine Coons once again became respectable, and cat lovers and breeders outside their native territory realized just how attractive they were. In 1967 a special show standard was accepted by the CCA, ACFA, and ACA, but it was not until 1976 that the breed was also recognized by the CFA. By 1980, it was one of the most popular cats at TICA shows and recognized by all nine cat registering associations.
Right through their history there has been no restriction, official or otherwise, on the patterns and colors acceptable in Maine Coons (with the sole exceptions of chocolate, lavender and Siamese-pattern). As a result, a wide range of colors are bred, including solids (selfs), bicolors, tortoiseshells, tabbies, tabby-torties (torbies) and shadeds. Undoubtedly, however, the brown tabby remains the most popular. Eye colors range through green, gold and copper to blue; odd eyes are also permissible, and there is no restriction in the show standards on any combinations of coat and eye color.
By far the most important features to judges are the head, body and coat. The head is wedge-shaped with a square muzzle. Ears are large and set high on top of the head, well tufted. The body is long, rectangular and the chest is broad. The coat is silky, shaggy, uneven with a slight undercoat. The closest breed to the Maine Coon in appearance is probably the Norwegian Forest Cat.
Maine Coons develop relatively slowly, and may not achieve their full size until they are about five years old. Many people consider them to be the perfect domestic pets, with their clown-like personality, amusing habits and tricks, and easily groomed coat.
At Advent Hill Cattery we emphasize health and a loving disposition as well as correct type and size. We handle each kitten with gentleness and love from birth onward to ensure that, whether they are destined for the show ring or to be treasured family pets, they will be loving and confident. We will sell no kitten until it has had sufficient time to develop its personality as a cat and receive its immunizations. We feel that the wait is a small price to pay to ensure that the new owner receive a healthy, well-adjusted cat. For a breed that remains kitten-like its whole life, a few weeks extra is not so important.
We specialize in shipping our cats all over the world. An Advent Hill Maine Coon Cat was the first Maine Coon in Hong Kong. We have Advent Hill cats living in Japan, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, England and France, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico.
We only sell our kittens by reservation and only to approved homes. If you are interested in acquiring one of our beautiful, happy Maine Coons we welcome your inquiry. We encourage anyone interested in Maine Coons to contact us and learn more about this wonderful breed. Our cattery specializes in Brown Classic, Brown Mackerel, Blue Classic, Red Classic, and Classic Torbies, with and without white.