Maine Coon

[GhostofNatt]

Always wanted one. Anybody got any experience of them? Are they OK with small children (under 5)? Will buying a large doglike cat stop me feeling broody?

Go on....

Ah, why not, easier than having another baby...

Exactly - though my mog driving me potty at the moment. Is my shadow....always tripping over him, poor boy.

A rescue centre for Maine Coon cats is here with photos of available cats.

Milliways, you are a genius, will post a pic if thsi works!

That is a very odd website, GhostofNatt.

Not sure those cats are going to be sufficiently manly for dp - they look like cat food advert cats.

If you want a manly cat you really need a British Blue

Ah we had a part maine coon she was gorgeous! She was so gentle with the children and even though she hated having a bath she was much too polite to bite or scratch. She was very talkative and always forgiving. BUT she did shed hair constantly, great big clumps of it, even though she was combed regularly.

Oh by the way, her name was Pixel!

Our Siamese seal point was a numpty. The black domestic mixed cat was FAR brainier.

On the other hand, our present Persian is quite clever. But he is very, very lazy. His mantra is work smarter, not harder. He also needs combed daily and monthly showers.

Wonder about the Maine Coon miaow. I never realised Persians have a gravelly, low miaow till we got Smokey. It took some getting used to, but now I adore it!

Says she who's never met a cat she didn't like

Pixel definately had a distinctive miaow, often it sounded just like she was saying "hello"! She would also sit in the window and 'click' at the pigeons in the tree outside. I've never heard another cat do that.

Pixel - did Pixel wander? We have a walled London garden but very big roads nearby and am a little worried a a Maine coon / Maine coon mix might be a bit of a rover. I grew up covered in cat hair, school unifrom like a furball every day so would be like old times to have a really sheddy sort of cat...

No, she hated going outside! She had plenty of opportunity but would only stay out if we were with her. Silly cat! She was always soft though, her best friend was our budgie. He would hang on the bars of the cage so she could pat his chest with her paw.