Maine coon
The Maine coon is North America's oldest native cat breed, a working barn and ship's cat from the northeastern United States that was shaped by the climate rather than by anybody's plan.
It became the first American breed to win at a cat show, in the 1890s, then nearly vanished before being revived in the mid-20th century.
Everything about it reflects a cold, snowy working life: a shaggy water-resistant coat that is longer at the britches and ruff than the shoulders, a plumed tail it wraps around itself, tufted ears and broad snowshoe paws. They are among the largest domestic cats, and unhurried with it.
3 maine coon photos, newest first
Living with a maine coon
The coat is long but silky rather than woolly, so it mats less readily than a Persian's — two or three combing sessions a week is usually enough, more when the winter coat comes out.
They are slow to mature, often not fully grown until three or four, and stay playful well past kittenhood. Large sturdy furniture matters: a cat of this size lands hard on a flimsy shelf.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the significant breed risk and there is a DNA test for one of the causal mutations; responsible breeders screen and scan. Hip dysplasia and spinal muscular atrophy also appear. Keep them lean, because the frame invites overfeeding.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual cats vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
Worth reading alongside this
More cats by breed
Every cat breed somebody has posted a photo of.