Maine Coons

There are plenty of breeds of cats out there, as the Cat-ographies series shows, but the big Maine coon cats are particularly interesting because of their size and the ways they’ve adapted to their environment. One of the largest and heaviest breeds, the cats came to America from Europe on trading ships. Landing in New England, they had to adapt to cold winters, and a furry coat became one of their trademarks. Another adaptation of living outside was their skill in hunting small animals. Such good “mousers” were eventually taken inside by humans. The concise but informative text is bolstered by photos of many different Maine coons (including adorable kittens), all set against purple pages studded with paw prints. Frequent captions and sidebars offer additional information (“Maine Coons don’t meow very much. Instead, they make a high, soft chirping sound.”). A facts page, short bibliography, and glossary round out the treatment.

There are plenty of breeds of cats out there, as the Cat-ographies series shows, but the big Maine coon cats are particularly interesting because of their size and the ways they’ve adapted to their environment. One of the largest and heaviest breeds, the cats came to America from Europe on trading ships. Landing in New England, they had to adapt to cold winters, and a furry coat became one of their trademarks. Another adaptation of living outside was their skill in hunting small animals. Such good “mousers” were eventually taken inside by humans. The concise but informative text is bolstered by photos of many different Maine coons (including adorable kittens), all set against purple pages studded with paw prints. Frequent captions and sidebars offer additional information (“Maine Coons don’t meow very much. Instead, they make a high, soft chirping sound.”). A facts page, short bibliography, and glossary round out the treatment.