மியாவ் ! - Cat says meow ! : Maine Coon cats !!

Cats are among the most sought after pets !  - பூனை எந்த மாதிரியான ஒலியை எழுப்புகிறது ?  - மியாவ் சத்தம் என்று குழந்தை கூட அறியும்.   ஆனால் இது சாதாரண ஒலியா? மியாவ் என்பதற்கான அர்த்தம் என்ன? இதன் மூலம் பூனை சொல்ல வருவது என்ன? 

Damn Cat  is in the habit of prowling the neighborhood at night and stealing food from a neighbour named Greg. His owners, Patti and Ingrid Randall look after him while their parents are away on holiday. One night DC returns home with a wristwatch round his neck. Patti determines that the watch belongs to a bank teller, Helen Jenkins, who was kidnapped by two bank robbers. One day DC discovers a duck Greg has caught and takes it away to eat, much to the agitation of Greg, who says that if DC takes anything else from him he'll shoot him. Zeke Kelso, an FBI agent, puts surveillance on the cat in the hope he will lead them to the kidnappers. 

~that was the storyline of ‘Undercover Cat’,  a novel by Gordon and Mildred Gordon, about a cat who assists the FBI in tracking down a pair of bank robbers.   It was first published in 1963 by Doubleday. It has been adapted to a live-action Disney film twice, as That Darn Cat! (1965) and That Darn Cat (1997). 

The cat (Felis catus),  is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. It is commonly kept as a house pet and farm cat, but also ranges freely as a feral cat avoiding human contact. Valued by humans for companionship and its ability to kill vermin, the cat's retractable claws are adapted to killing small prey like mice and rats. It has a strong, flexible body, quick reflexes, sharp teeth, strong sense of smell and good night vision. 

 

There are hundreds of varieties, more so in pets, some hybrid, some manufactured and most natural and the  Maine Coon is one of the largest domesticated cats. It has a distinctive physical appearance and valuable hunting skills. The breed was popular in cat shows in the late 19th century, but its existence became threatened when long-haired breeds from overseas were introduced in the early 20th century. The Maine Coon has since made a comeback, in 2020 becoming the third most popular pedigree cat breed in the world. 

Maine Coon cats originated in Maine. However, their lineage is surrounded by mystery, folk tales, and myths. One myth claims the Maine Coon cat is a hybrid with another animal species, such as the raccoon or bobcat. The second myth states the cats are descendants of Viking ship's cats, known today as the Norwegian Forest cats. A third story involves Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France who was executed in 1793. The story goes that before her death, Antoinette attempted to escape France with the help of Captain Samuel Clough. She loaded Clough's ship with her most prized possessions, including six of her favorite Turkish Angora or possibly Siberian cats. Although she did not make it to the United States, all of her pets managed to reach the shore of Wiscasset, Maine, safely, where they bred with other short-haired breeds and developed into the modern breed of the Maine Coon. 

Whichever story you believe, the fact is Maine Coon is one  of the oldest natural breeds in North America, the breed originated in the U.S. state of Maine,  where it is the official state cat.  Maine is a state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Lower 48. Maine is the largest state in New England by total area, nearly larger than the combined area of the remaining five states. Of the 50 U.S. states, it is the 12th-smallest by area, the 9th-least populous, the 13th-least densely populated, and the most rural. Maine's capital is Augusta, and its most populous city is Portland.

 

The Maine Coon is a large and social cat, which could be the reason why it has a reputation of being referred to as "the gentle giant." The Maine Coon is predominantly known for its size and dense coat of fur which helps it survive in the harsh climate of Maine. The Maine Coon is often cited as having "dog-like" characteristics.   

The first mention of Maine Coon cats in a literary work was in 1861, in Frances Simpson's The Book of the Cat (1903). F.R. Pierce, who owned several Maine Coons, wrote a chapter about the breed.  During the late 1860s, farmers located in Maine told stories about their cats and held the "Maine State Champion Coon Cat" contest at the local Skowhegan Fair.  In 1895, a dozen Maine Coons were entered into a show in Boston.    

That Darn Cat! is a 1965 American thriller comedy film directed by Robert Stevenson and starring Hayley Mills and Dean Jones, a story about bank robbers, a kidnapping and a mischievous cat. Produced by Walt Disney Productions, the film was based on the 1963 novel Undercover Cat.  Read that in 2015, a film titled   Meow,   directed by Chinnas Palanisamy, an advertisement filmmaker hit the screens and did not do well.  The storyline revolved around a cat called Selfie – revenge by an affected girl being the main theme.  

 
Interesting !
 
With regards – S Sampathkumar
7^th Aug 2024.