No one knows the precise origin of the Coon Cat, but it is believed that the breed stems from indeterminate longhaired cats brought to the United States by sailors. Either released or escaped, the cats mated with resident shorthaired cats, and over many generations evolved the Maine Coon Cat. It is a powerfully built cat with hair of medium length- that is, not as long as in Persians. The coat does not become matted or tangled as readily as in those with longer hair, which makes grooming easier. But the most striking feature of the coat is its resemblance to a raccoon's. This gave rise to the name Coon Cat and also to the mistaken belief that these cats resulted from crossbreeding with raccoons, a biological impossibility.

Maine Coon Cats have long been popular as pets locally and were commonly neutered. This kept their numbers at a rather stable low level. In recent years they have begun to appear in shows, and standards for their acceptance have been established. Coon Cats have big heads, large ears, and yellowish oval eyes. They wear a prominent ruff, a protective feature in the cold Maine climate, and have a medium-length bushy tail. In addition to the raccoon pattern, they occur in a range of solid and mixed colors. The males are exceptionally large, weighing as much as 40 pounds (18.2 kg); females may weigh 25 pounds (11.4 kg). In addition to being handsome, these big cats earn their keep by catching rats and mice.