Thread: What made you choose a Maine Coon?

I had rescued a tiny toy Yorkshire Terrier, Bibi, from the animal sanctuary where I am a volunteer. At the time I also had Millie, a 9 year old Felix look-alike,domestic short-hair which had originally moved into our garage as a stray kitten. Sadly Millie died a few months after I got Bibi, leaving a big gap in our lives.

We "rescuers" often take our dogs back to the sanctuary on social visits to show off how well they are doing. On one such occasion, approximately 5 months after Millie had died, I had Bibi with me and was having a cuppa with friends, sitting just by the cattery pens. Bibi wandered off towards the cats' pens and I called after her, "Yes that's right Bibi, choose us another cat please".

We started a discussion about my need for another cat to keep down a mouse problem and I said all I needed was a lazy old cat which only needed to lie around the house leaving its sent to scare away the mice.

This prompted a friend, who helps out with the cattery, to tell me about his favourite, Choo Choo, describing a 14 year old, very friendly cat which had been in the cattery for nearly 6 months. When he described him as long-haired, ginger, American and de-clawed, I thought I could at least take a look. At I approached the pen, without any hesitation Choo Choo came running over to me and it was love at first sight - for me at least! He was indeed friendly and I wouldn't have been surprised if he had been carrying his packed suitcase. Everyone was glad that he had at last found a home and I'm so thankful that the sanctuary never puts an animal down (unless it's ill) as many others would not have kept an older cat like Choo.

I had no idea he was an MC at that point. When he arrived he was a skeleton, with thick matting down both sides. However, once he was groomed and started to clean himself up his true majesty started to emerge and the penny dropped with me that he is an MC. A quick check on the internet and comparison with pictures and I was sure. Joining the forum and learning the behaviours and traits of the breed had given me all the assurance I need.

Choo Choo most certainly isn't the lazy old boy I envisaged getting, despite his age. He's a real character, as MCs are and I know that any cats I have in the future will be MC's. The best thing is the was he gets well on with Bibi. He is so gentle with her despite her getting a bit jealous, protecting her bones from him, jumping on to the sofa on top of him, waving her tail across his face, etc etc. I have seen him take on a dog and I know he could knock her across the room as he is about 3 times her size. Instead he sometimes deliberately goes across to her in her basket and gives her a long sniff as if checking she is ok and is happy to share the sofa with her. Testimony to the way MCs get on with other animals. I love every bone in his soppy old body.