Maine Coon - How to Be More Dog

Time to go totes off topic. Me only writing about food was realistically never going to last very long. So I thought, to heck with it, I will write about cats for a change. Or one specific cat actually. She's sitting on the kitchen table next to my laptop as I write this. I just gave her steamed salmon which she liked very much. I like an animal who appreciates their food. My parents labrador finishes her bowl in 8 seconds flat, this cat has some way to go, but shows promise.

Pretty itty kitty!

We've been looking after a friend's cat now for almost two weeks. She came same time last year as well. Her family goes on holiday abroad and they leave their little kitty with us. Or last year she was a little kitty, now she's grown to be quite a robust little tiger and when she kneads my tummy, and boy does she love to knead, I wish I hadn't had that second helping.

She has not only grown in size but in confidence and personality and has become a funny little character. I don't know cats that well, but I feel this one is not like the other cats.

First of all she is not graceful at all like cats usually are. She keeps knocking things off tables and then instead of quickly disappearing from the scene of the crime, she just stands there in the middle of destruction, looks at me all happy and calm like, OMG it just fell. She doesn't have that feline lightness of paws. You can hear a loud thump (sometimes accompanied by a crash) whenever she jumps down from a table. And when she runs along the long corridor from kitchen to front room and back, which she loves doing, leaving the long rug in folds after her, it's like a small horse galloping.

Secondly she's definitely got some dog-like characteristics, which probably is why we get on so well me being more of a dog person. I love all sorts of animals, but I just get dogs better. So anyway, this one loves being stroked and scratched and petted. And not just when she decides to condescend to receive the displays of our affection like normal cats, but all the time. I'm telling you. She curls up next to me, on my lap, on my chest, at my feet and purrs. But she's not demanding, she might give me a gentle tap with her paw as if to say Hi I'm here in case you wanna pet anyone.

She follows me around the house when I do my chores, watches me hang the laundry and then excitedly gallops behind me back to the kitchen where she will watch me do whatever I'm doing. She even wags her tail when I talk to her. And get this, she runs to greet us at the door when we come home from work! Seriously! She's in a strange house and left on her own for hours, but instead of demonstrating, sulking and staring at the wall giving us the silent treatment, she runs to us like Hellohello nice people welcome home yippee you're totally the best people ever rub my belly!

Here she is disguising herself as a kitten.

And another thing, she doesn't meow. Last year I thought it was because she was still a kitten and hadn't figured it out yet. But no, she still doesn't. She doesn't bark either though. That would be a step too far, even for me. She makes these tiny chirpy weird little noises like a baby bird or something. Or high-pitched quiet squeaks. I've never heard anything like it. You have to hear it.

Anyway, I didn't know what all that was about until I realised it is to do with her breed. I'm not good at all with cat breeds, but I knew she was a pedigree cat of some sort, but I thought she's some kind of prettier and less grumpy version of a Persian cat. But no. I looked it up. She is something called Maine Coon and I just learned that this is exactly the kind of a cat we need to add to our future farm of 2 goats, 2 dogs and 5 chicken. Although she'll probably eat the chicken.

Maine Coons are often described as gentle giants. It's one of the largest domestic cat breeds. Maybe her current clumsiness is because she has grown so much that she's not really in tune with her body yet. She's probably the biggest cat I have seen and she is not even fully grown yet. She will be absolutely gorgeous and very impressive.

Not so itty-bitty, are we?

Maine Coon cats are not aloof, prissy or princessy. They're friendly, open and extroverted, very affectionate and always up for a cuddle! They are good hunters. They are strong, hardy cats used to cold weather. They have a beautiful fur coat that keeps them warm in the cold climes of their native Maine, and a gorgeous long bushy tail which apparently is designed so that they can wrap it around their bodies like a blanket when they sleep in the cold. I think that's an awesome idea. All Scandinavian people should be born with a tail like that. But are we? No. We have hardly any hair at all and the little that we have is thin and of no use whatsoever.

These awesome cats are said to be very intelligent and can be taught to fetch, walk on leads and open doors. See! Definite doggie skills! And they are goofy and apparently love water. What cat loves water I ask you? So with their uncomplicated, sweet and stable personality and their love for water they are officially the Labrador Retrievers of the feline world.

I'm thinking she might actually stay with us. Although husband wished her good riddance this morning when she took a giant dump (well fed) in her kittyloo in the hallway just outside the kitchen when husband was having his cereal. Smelly. But he loves her really. I'm thinking maybe her family won't want her back. Maybe we're not home when they come to collect her. Or we might just not hear the door. Can easily happen.