The pilgrims

What we do know is that during the period of New England's colonization, pilgrim ships arriving to the northeastern coast of America are believed to have brought cats along with their crews and cargoes to kill mice on the ships. These same cats would have been used by the early settlers (right) to control the rodents that would otherwise spoil their crops and grain stores.

With little or no interference from man, these early domesticated cats could very well have bred with less domesticated felines who were already in North America to create the breed we know today. This theory is consistent with both biology and history.

Although the early Maine Coons had a job to do, New Englanders appreciated these cats for their wonderful dispositions and good looks so much that they became America's first show cat.