Mother Nature has a thing for making some of its creatures… big. Big trees, big flowers, big fruits, and last but not least, big animals. Nature doesn’t like to be outdone by anything else, so when she decided to make an animal that could become a potential candidate for “Everyone’s Favorite Pet Award,” she went all out and made it as big as possible. Enter: the Maine coon cat!

Maine coon cats are known for their size — they were considered the largest domesticated cat breed before the introduction of the Savannah cat and still hold the title as the largest non-hybrid breed! And if you’re wondering how they got their name, as you’ve probably already guessed, their origins lie in Maine, where they have been the official state cat since 1985. That’s right — this breed is native to North America!

But don’t let their huge size fool you — these big cats are so sweet-tempered and loving that they’re recognized as exemplary lap cats and fantastic playmates for kids. Moreover, they’re very easygoing animals who don’t mind sharing their space so long as they get enough attention every now and then. The nickname “gentle giants” fits them like a glove!

Despite their big fluffy size, Maine coons have squeezed their way into our hearts and said, “Hey, look, it’s free real estate.” So if you also share an insane love for these big felines, this is your lucky day: we decided to dedicate a whole post to Maine coon pics! Let’s take a closer look at what makes coon cats different, so you’ll get why our hearts go pitter-patter whenever we see one!

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