If you dig into the information about the Maine Coon, you will find that several theories about its origin are circulating. Its origin is not entirely determined to find a beginning for this big-build breed.
One of the hypotheses we like is the one telling that the Maine Coon would have come aboard Viking longships and would be the proud descendants of the Norwegian Forest Wildcat.
They would have the stature and presence to be the cats of those great navigators that were the Vikings.

What remains interesting in all these historical hypotheses is that the Maine Coon is said to be one of the oldest breeds of natural North American cats. That is, it would be a race that arose without the direct help of humans.



However, the most popular legend which can seem very surprising and funny is coming from our American friends of the state of Maine who believed then to witness the cross between a raccoon and a cat. This explains the presence of the word Coon in Maine Coon. Of course this kind of hybridization fantasy is genetically impossible in the animal kingdom. They are totally different species in several ways.



What is certain is that this breed was discovered in Maine in the United States several centuries ago. Since then, this big feline has traveled the world with the aim of settling there and thrive in the midst of human families.