The Maine Coon has a really rich and colorful history that many people don't always take the time to appreciate. They are said to be the oldest "natural" (meaning bred without selective interference) breed in North America and are considered to be native to the state of Maine. Did you know the Maine Coon cat is actually the official Maine State cat? They were also known to be the darlings of the rural world where they dominated in the vermin-hunting arena. Many a farmer was mightily impressed with their hunting skills.
Where did this stupendously attractive and intelligent puss come from in the first place? There are many theories, myths and other forms of speculation that never really get right to the bottom of their origin. The most famous myth being the Maine Coon cat is called that because it mated with a raccoon. Not! It is just not physically possible for that to happen. However you can see by looking at the cat's lovely, luxurious coon like tail and their usual coloring (striped like a raccoon and brown) why the myth got started in the first place. Once upon a time only the brown fellows were called Maine Coon cats. Others were referred to as Maine Shags, mainly due to their rugged coats.
As far as myths go there is another one floating around that has Marie Antoinette sending six cats to Wiscasset, Maine prior to trying to flee France during the Revolution. Interesting story, but not likely true either. Most breeders are firmly convinced that the Maine Coon cat is the result of breeding between shorthaired domestic felines and longhairs that arrived in the country from overseas. How did the longhairs get here? The story goes the longhairs were introduced to America by the Vikings. And, if you look at Norwegian Forest cats, you might just agree with that theory. But it would also make sense if New England seamen introduced the shorthairs to the longhairs.
As delightful as the myths may be, what seems to be the most important point is the Maine Coon cat has a venerable show history. In fact, as far back as 1861 Maine Coons were much admired show competitors in New York and Boston. These darlings of the show world lost favor when their longhaired competitors, the Persians came onto the scene. Knocked off their popularity perch in the 1900's Maine Coons didn't come back into vogue until the 1950's when they hit the show circuit with a vengeance and their pedigrees started being documented.
It wasn't until 1968 that an association was formed to preserve and protect the Maine Coon cat breed. So thanks to a handful of breeders the Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association was born with one of its tasks being to promote recognition for this breed. They did a remarkable job and the cat was firmly ensconced in all registries across the United States.
Of interest is a recent development in the Maine Coon cat world, planned breeding. This is interesting because once this task was solely left up to the auspices of Mother Nature. Planned breeding can also mean breeding to rule out or include particular traits. Having said that, rest easy, as the breed is being preserved for its original qualities, and one of those particular qualities is its natural ruggedness.
This is one strong and really healthy feline that has remained untouched in appearance since its beginnings. In fact there are some who would likely mistake them for moggies, but on an up close and personal inspection would realize their mistake. Moggies or mog usually refers to cats of an undistinguished type, sort of like a Heinz 57 dog. It is also an affectionate term of endearment for domesticated cats.
No matter what you choose to call your Maine Coon cat, always refer to it as exceedingly special, for they are. These delightful creatures can steal your heart away with just one glance, and if you only have one Maine Coon, you will soon have more.
By: adammck
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
If you have enjoyed this article about the history of the Maine Coon Cat then please feel free to reprint it as it is. This resource box must be included with the article. Please visit my blog at www.world-of-maine-coon-cats.blogspot.com for lots more free articles and information.
Shorthair Cats And Different Cat Breeds
A cat is a small felid mammal that has been domesticated for several years. The word cat most usually means a domestic or house cat, even though people used to refer this as member of a feline family. For instance, people often refer tigers, lions, and jaguars as the large cats.
Domestic cats hailed from the inherited wild species such as Felis silvestris, the African and European wild cat. In recent times, people consider a domestic cat as a separate species and call Felis Catus.
While looking at the appearance of domestic cats, they are same as their wild relatives. Even many behaviors such as hunting down and other routine activities remain to be as same as their inherited form. The first ever domestication of cats took place in Egypt.
In 4000 BC, the Ancient Egyptians domesticated cats to protect their grain stores from rats and mice. They considered cats as goddess Bast's avatars. If any person killed cats, he/she would be given death penalty. At times, when domestic cats died, individuals arranged for mummification as similar to human.
Nonetheless, by 500 BC, the Greeks started to domesticate cats and spread this practice throughout the world. Recently, domestication of cats is very popular all over the world, mostly by the colonist from Europe.
Varieties of Domesticated Cat:
There are several names to domesticated cats, each with unique features and legacy. However, because of some common interbreeding in colonized regions, several cats are merely recognized as family members of homogenous varieties of domestic shorthair and domestic longhair, depending on their hair types.
Tortoiseshell (UK) or Calico (USA) cats have various colors. Bicolor cats are partially white. A tabby cat features stripe around its skin. A male domestic cat is a tomcat and similarly a female domestic cat is a queen.
A young domestic cat is a kitten. A domestic cat whose heritage is officially registered is a pedigreed cat or purebred cat or a show cat. The breeders and owners of these domestic cats contend against one another to see who breeds well.
Less than 1% of the entire domestic cats are purebred cats and the rest 99% have varied ancestry, known as moggies or more often domestic shorthairs and domestic longhairs.
Common Domesticated Cats:
Domestic shorthaired cats and domestic longhaired cats are the two major kinds of domesticated cats, which are popular all over the world in recent years.
Domestic shorthaired cats do not represent a renowned cat variety or feature a pedigree, instead they are popular for their wide array of colors around their body. This could be of any color or a mixture of various colors.
Domestic longhaired cats come with moderate or long hair. Their standard colors include tortie and tabby and/or are bi-colored. These cats are excellent family pets, especially for people who are ready to give their hair the additional care it requires.
However, with a little research work, people can ensure themselves to determine the right type of domestic cats for their own needs.
By: Martin Marks
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Go to Cat and Kitten Zone to get your free ebook about Cats and Kittens at Cats. Cat and Kitten Zone also has information on Kittens, Cat Supplies and a Cat and Kitten Forum where you can connect with others who love cats and kittens.
Domestic cats hailed from the inherited wild species such as Felis silvestris, the African and European wild cat. In recent times, people consider a domestic cat as a separate species and call Felis Catus.
While looking at the appearance of domestic cats, they are same as their wild relatives. Even many behaviors such as hunting down and other routine activities remain to be as same as their inherited form. The first ever domestication of cats took place in Egypt.
In 4000 BC, the Ancient Egyptians domesticated cats to protect their grain stores from rats and mice. They considered cats as goddess Bast's avatars. If any person killed cats, he/she would be given death penalty. At times, when domestic cats died, individuals arranged for mummification as similar to human.
Nonetheless, by 500 BC, the Greeks started to domesticate cats and spread this practice throughout the world. Recently, domestication of cats is very popular all over the world, mostly by the colonist from Europe.
Varieties of Domesticated Cat:
There are several names to domesticated cats, each with unique features and legacy. However, because of some common interbreeding in colonized regions, several cats are merely recognized as family members of homogenous varieties of domestic shorthair and domestic longhair, depending on their hair types.
Tortoiseshell (UK) or Calico (USA) cats have various colors. Bicolor cats are partially white. A tabby cat features stripe around its skin. A male domestic cat is a tomcat and similarly a female domestic cat is a queen.
A young domestic cat is a kitten. A domestic cat whose heritage is officially registered is a pedigreed cat or purebred cat or a show cat. The breeders and owners of these domestic cats contend against one another to see who breeds well.
Less than 1% of the entire domestic cats are purebred cats and the rest 99% have varied ancestry, known as moggies or more often domestic shorthairs and domestic longhairs.
Common Domesticated Cats:
Domestic shorthaired cats and domestic longhaired cats are the two major kinds of domesticated cats, which are popular all over the world in recent years.
Domestic shorthaired cats do not represent a renowned cat variety or feature a pedigree, instead they are popular for their wide array of colors around their body. This could be of any color or a mixture of various colors.
Domestic longhaired cats come with moderate or long hair. Their standard colors include tortie and tabby and/or are bi-colored. These cats are excellent family pets, especially for people who are ready to give their hair the additional care it requires.
However, with a little research work, people can ensure themselves to determine the right type of domestic cats for their own needs.
By: Martin Marks
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Go to Cat and Kitten Zone to get your free ebook about Cats and Kittens at Cats. Cat and Kitten Zone also has information on Kittens, Cat Supplies and a Cat and Kitten Forum where you can connect with others who love cats and kittens.
TabTabby Cat And Tabby Kitten Information And Cat Colors
Patterns are a mixture of colors in a definite arrangement. The six fundamental types of coat patterns present in cats with some differences are Tabby, Tortoiseshell, Solid, Bicolor, Colorpoint and Tricolor.
1. Tabby: This coat pattern is the most widespread found naturally and is present in four varieties: blotched (marbled), striped (mackerel), ticked (agouti) and spotted.
2. Tortoiseshell: An unswerving blend of black and orange or thinned shades of blue and cream form this exclusive coat pattern. This coat pattern is a tricolor present almost uniquely in females with a blend of orange and black. Male cats rarely show this pattern and are likely sterile. These cats also show an inner tabby pattern called as “torbie”.
3. Solid: This pattern is the easiest and identifiable one, as it consists of a single coat uniformly spread throughout the body. An interesting solid pattern with hair of different color is seen in young cats. The secondary colored hair vanishes as the cat grows and very soon, the cat displays a solid hairy pattern all over. It is not possible to acknowledge a cat that has a spot of some other color on its coat, as a solid. People generally refer cats with a solid pattern as “self's” or “self-colored”.
4. Bicolor: The word bicolor is actually a white-colored coat along with another color. The other color displays a tabby or a solid pattern. People commonly describe a cat with a white colored coat as a harlequin. “Van” is the term describing a definite variation in which the feline is white colored, with spots of color present only on the tail and head. Names are given for the patches of white present on a bicolor cat, which express their positions such as mittens (paws), locket (chest), and buttons (patches on the abdomen).
5. Colorpoint: The paws, face and tail (points/tips) are dark in color in comparison with the rest of the body in this coat pattern. The colorpoint pattern mainly depends on temperature. The hotter body parts show a lighter color and vice versa. The dissimilarity between the main body color and the spots differ, but this coat pattern is very easily recognizable. The spots are present in varied shades and colors containing red (flame), brown (seal), lilac and blue. In some varieties, generally, the spots have a tabby pattern or a tricolor pattern containing the above-mentioned colors. “Lynx” is the term used to describe colorpoints having a tabby pattern.
6. Tricolor: The main color components of the tricolor coat patterns are black, white, orange and red or thinned shades of blue and cream. The proportion of the color and white displays the number and position of the shades of the additional two colors. If there is some amount of white, the remaining two colors may combine to form a pattern called as a “tortoiseshell and white”. The patches of black and red become visibly distinct, as the white color increases. Calico is the term used for this type of coat pattern in cats.
By: Martin Marks
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Go to Cat and Kitten Zone to get your free ebook about Cats and Kittens at Cats. Cat and Kitten Zone also has information on Kittens, Cat Supplies and a Cat and Kitten Forum where you can connect with others who love cats and kittens.
1. Tabby: This coat pattern is the most widespread found naturally and is present in four varieties: blotched (marbled), striped (mackerel), ticked (agouti) and spotted.
2. Tortoiseshell: An unswerving blend of black and orange or thinned shades of blue and cream form this exclusive coat pattern. This coat pattern is a tricolor present almost uniquely in females with a blend of orange and black. Male cats rarely show this pattern and are likely sterile. These cats also show an inner tabby pattern called as “torbie”.
3. Solid: This pattern is the easiest and identifiable one, as it consists of a single coat uniformly spread throughout the body. An interesting solid pattern with hair of different color is seen in young cats. The secondary colored hair vanishes as the cat grows and very soon, the cat displays a solid hairy pattern all over. It is not possible to acknowledge a cat that has a spot of some other color on its coat, as a solid. People generally refer cats with a solid pattern as “self's” or “self-colored”.
4. Bicolor: The word bicolor is actually a white-colored coat along with another color. The other color displays a tabby or a solid pattern. People commonly describe a cat with a white colored coat as a harlequin. “Van” is the term describing a definite variation in which the feline is white colored, with spots of color present only on the tail and head. Names are given for the patches of white present on a bicolor cat, which express their positions such as mittens (paws), locket (chest), and buttons (patches on the abdomen).
5. Colorpoint: The paws, face and tail (points/tips) are dark in color in comparison with the rest of the body in this coat pattern. The colorpoint pattern mainly depends on temperature. The hotter body parts show a lighter color and vice versa. The dissimilarity between the main body color and the spots differ, but this coat pattern is very easily recognizable. The spots are present in varied shades and colors containing red (flame), brown (seal), lilac and blue. In some varieties, generally, the spots have a tabby pattern or a tricolor pattern containing the above-mentioned colors. “Lynx” is the term used to describe colorpoints having a tabby pattern.
6. Tricolor: The main color components of the tricolor coat patterns are black, white, orange and red or thinned shades of blue and cream. The proportion of the color and white displays the number and position of the shades of the additional two colors. If there is some amount of white, the remaining two colors may combine to form a pattern called as a “tortoiseshell and white”. The patches of black and red become visibly distinct, as the white color increases. Calico is the term used for this type of coat pattern in cats.
By: Martin Marks
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Go to Cat and Kitten Zone to get your free ebook about Cats and Kittens at Cats. Cat and Kitten Zone also has information on Kittens, Cat Supplies and a Cat and Kitten Forum where you can connect with others who love cats and kittens.
Feline Health And Cat Scratching Information
Cat lovers may be familiar with a common habit of cats, that is scratching. They simply appear interesting to watch, when a person sees them scratch walls or the armchair. For those who still want to investigate this, they may place an object in front of their cats provided the cats are not familiar with the same.
Within a moment, owners will notice their cats scratching the object and constantly sniffing it. They may even spray the object with urine. This proves that cats are not only curious about the new thing around them, but also feel threatened at the sight of that object.
Cats generally rub their body against the legs of their owners to call for immediate attention. They support the activity with meowing, which often irritates the owners. It is better to ignore them, at times. Owners also get annoyed, when their cats stroke their hands. Constant stroking may sometimes result in cats attacking their owners with their teeth.
Maintaining Proper Hygiene:
Cat owners need to take enough care to keep their cats clean, always. Proper nutrition helps in keeping cats healthy. Taking cats to the veterinarian regularly for vaccinating them against infectious disease is a practice cat owners need to follow.
On the other hand, grooming the cats at home also gives them a good external appearance. The owner needs to give an occasional bath to the cat. The owner has to brush or comb the hair of the cat so that it appears lustrous and shiny. This will not only make the cat feel comfortable, but will also make the cat more attractive.
Combing and Brushing:
Owners, who have cats with long hair, need to brush them daily to prevent matting and tangling of hair. Brushing removes excess hair from the body of cats. This is necessary, because cats often lick their hair that can convert into a hairball and thus, may cause them stomach disorders such as vomiting or loss of appetite. Giving a personal attention to the outer body of cats helps to detect sores, lumps, bumps or parasites.
Pet shops make available a variety of products for pet owners. Brushes, combs and other grooming appliances give a good physical appearance to cats. For example, for cats with furry skin, a pin brush works well.
A brush with soft bristle is perfect for cats with long, silky fur. A rubber brush is ideal for removing hair from thin coats. Teflon or metal-coated combs are recommended for giving final touch to hair of cats.
Bathe A Cat:
Most cats require occasional bathing. However, the case is not the same with mischievous cats, as they often play in open and roll in the mud. These cats are subject to mischief. It is a good idea to cleanse cats.
Select a shampoo meant exclusively for cats. This is because the pH level of human skin is not the same as that of cats. Shampoos, which humans use may let the skin of cat dry and may cause irritations. They may in future cause infection.
By: Martin Marks
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Go to Cat and Kitten Zone to get your free ebook about Cats and Kittens at Cats. Cat and Kitten Zone also has information on Kittens, Cat Supplies and a Cat and Kitten Forum where you can connect with others who love cats and kittens.
Within a moment, owners will notice their cats scratching the object and constantly sniffing it. They may even spray the object with urine. This proves that cats are not only curious about the new thing around them, but also feel threatened at the sight of that object.
Cats generally rub their body against the legs of their owners to call for immediate attention. They support the activity with meowing, which often irritates the owners. It is better to ignore them, at times. Owners also get annoyed, when their cats stroke their hands. Constant stroking may sometimes result in cats attacking their owners with their teeth.
Maintaining Proper Hygiene:
Cat owners need to take enough care to keep their cats clean, always. Proper nutrition helps in keeping cats healthy. Taking cats to the veterinarian regularly for vaccinating them against infectious disease is a practice cat owners need to follow.
On the other hand, grooming the cats at home also gives them a good external appearance. The owner needs to give an occasional bath to the cat. The owner has to brush or comb the hair of the cat so that it appears lustrous and shiny. This will not only make the cat feel comfortable, but will also make the cat more attractive.
Combing and Brushing:
Owners, who have cats with long hair, need to brush them daily to prevent matting and tangling of hair. Brushing removes excess hair from the body of cats. This is necessary, because cats often lick their hair that can convert into a hairball and thus, may cause them stomach disorders such as vomiting or loss of appetite. Giving a personal attention to the outer body of cats helps to detect sores, lumps, bumps or parasites.
Pet shops make available a variety of products for pet owners. Brushes, combs and other grooming appliances give a good physical appearance to cats. For example, for cats with furry skin, a pin brush works well.
A brush with soft bristle is perfect for cats with long, silky fur. A rubber brush is ideal for removing hair from thin coats. Teflon or metal-coated combs are recommended for giving final touch to hair of cats.
Bathe A Cat:
Most cats require occasional bathing. However, the case is not the same with mischievous cats, as they often play in open and roll in the mud. These cats are subject to mischief. It is a good idea to cleanse cats.
Select a shampoo meant exclusively for cats. This is because the pH level of human skin is not the same as that of cats. Shampoos, which humans use may let the skin of cat dry and may cause irritations. They may in future cause infection.
By: Martin Marks
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Go to Cat and Kitten Zone to get your free ebook about Cats and Kittens at Cats. Cat and Kitten Zone also has information on Kittens, Cat Supplies and a Cat and Kitten Forum where you can connect with others who love cats and kittens.
Choosing the Right Cat Insurance For Your Pet
By : ttilmo
Over recent years veterinary treatment for your cat has increased dramatically mainly due to the more available treatments on the market. It is not unusual for cats to be offered very similar treatment to their human counterparts; the problem is this does not come cheap.
Buying cat insurance is a good way to protect yourself from high vet bills after an unexpected injury or illness and allows you to provide your pet with the best treatment available without having to worry about how much it will cost.
Choosing the right cat insurance can be a tricky business considering the fact that there are many more companies offering pet insurance policies than ever before. Everyone from specialist insurers to supermarkets are now advertising insurance polices to cover your cat, however these policies can vary in the amount of cover offered and the initial cost of the policy can be deceiving.
When deciding on a policy for your cat it is important not to go for the cheapest policy on offer. There will always be a reason for this and you may find out to your cost later on that the policy does not provide adequate cover in many situations. So deciding what sort of cover you want from the outset is an important factor.
Things to consider are:
Do you want the insurance to cover for just vet bill or if you have a pedigree cat it may be that you would also like to be covered for theft and death as well.
If your cat is lost, do you require a policy that will pay for some advertising and possible reward?
Do you want complimentary therapy to be covered?
What about accidental damage caused by your cat to others property
Or cattery fees if you have to go into hospital unexpectedly.
All these things will determine which sort of policy you require and how much your monthly premiums will cost.
Always shop around for your insurance and make sure that you are given the full documentation about the various policies. The initial advertisement for the insurance may leave out vital details that will affect your decision. For instance some policies will have a yearly limit on the mount you can claim for, others will have a time limit on any particular condition that they will payout for, this is important to know if you have a cat that has an on going medical condition that may last for some time. The other thing to watch out for is how much excess you have to pay towards your costs before the insurance company will pay the rest. Some companies may also require you to pay a percentage of the bill on top of an excess charge. This can work out expensive if the bill runs into thousands.
How much an insurance policy will cost yearly will be based on several factors about your cat i.e.
The breed of your cat - moggies are less prone to illness than a pedigree cat
Age, most insurers will not insure a kitten before the age of eight weeks old and will not open new insurance policies for cats over the age of between 8 and 10. It is important to note to make sure your cat is insured before this upper age limit is reached to make sure you have cover for your cat during their later years where ill health may become more of an issue.
Sex of the cat and whether or not they are neutered.
Location, Your policy could be affected by where you live, especially if you live in a busy urban environment where the likely hood of injury by cars are increased and the cost of vets bills may be higher.
Once you have decided on which insurance policy to go for, ensure that you check the policy details when they come through to ensure that you have all the cover you require. There is usually a fourteen day cooling off period after you sign for your policy if you decide that it is not right for you and your cats needs after all.
Choosing the best cat insurance from your pet from the start is important as it is likely that you will want to stay with the insurer for the life of the cat, as changing policies may affect the cover available in the long term.
By: ttilmo
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Kate and her partner co-write www.our-happy-cat.com a site full of further cat care and cat health topics. As well as being a feline friendly community site for happy cat and a happy owner. Their second site www.frugal-living-tips.com is all about living simply and frugally in the modern world.
Over recent years veterinary treatment for your cat has increased dramatically mainly due to the more available treatments on the market. It is not unusual for cats to be offered very similar treatment to their human counterparts; the problem is this does not come cheap.
Buying cat insurance is a good way to protect yourself from high vet bills after an unexpected injury or illness and allows you to provide your pet with the best treatment available without having to worry about how much it will cost.
Choosing the right cat insurance can be a tricky business considering the fact that there are many more companies offering pet insurance policies than ever before. Everyone from specialist insurers to supermarkets are now advertising insurance polices to cover your cat, however these policies can vary in the amount of cover offered and the initial cost of the policy can be deceiving.
When deciding on a policy for your cat it is important not to go for the cheapest policy on offer. There will always be a reason for this and you may find out to your cost later on that the policy does not provide adequate cover in many situations. So deciding what sort of cover you want from the outset is an important factor.
Things to consider are:
Do you want the insurance to cover for just vet bill or if you have a pedigree cat it may be that you would also like to be covered for theft and death as well.
If your cat is lost, do you require a policy that will pay for some advertising and possible reward?
Do you want complimentary therapy to be covered?
What about accidental damage caused by your cat to others property
Or cattery fees if you have to go into hospital unexpectedly.
All these things will determine which sort of policy you require and how much your monthly premiums will cost.
Always shop around for your insurance and make sure that you are given the full documentation about the various policies. The initial advertisement for the insurance may leave out vital details that will affect your decision. For instance some policies will have a yearly limit on the mount you can claim for, others will have a time limit on any particular condition that they will payout for, this is important to know if you have a cat that has an on going medical condition that may last for some time. The other thing to watch out for is how much excess you have to pay towards your costs before the insurance company will pay the rest. Some companies may also require you to pay a percentage of the bill on top of an excess charge. This can work out expensive if the bill runs into thousands.
How much an insurance policy will cost yearly will be based on several factors about your cat i.e.
The breed of your cat - moggies are less prone to illness than a pedigree cat
Age, most insurers will not insure a kitten before the age of eight weeks old and will not open new insurance policies for cats over the age of between 8 and 10. It is important to note to make sure your cat is insured before this upper age limit is reached to make sure you have cover for your cat during their later years where ill health may become more of an issue.
Sex of the cat and whether or not they are neutered.
Location, Your policy could be affected by where you live, especially if you live in a busy urban environment where the likely hood of injury by cars are increased and the cost of vets bills may be higher.
Once you have decided on which insurance policy to go for, ensure that you check the policy details when they come through to ensure that you have all the cover you require. There is usually a fourteen day cooling off period after you sign for your policy if you decide that it is not right for you and your cats needs after all.
Choosing the best cat insurance from your pet from the start is important as it is likely that you will want to stay with the insurer for the life of the cat, as changing policies may affect the cover available in the long term.
By: ttilmo
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Kate and her partner co-write www.our-happy-cat.com a site full of further cat care and cat health topics. As well as being a feline friendly community site for happy cat and a happy owner. Their second site www.frugal-living-tips.com is all about living simply and frugally in the modern world.