Maine Coon Cat Standing on Hind Legs Looks Like a Fairytale Creature

When I was in college, my professor had a gray cat named Gandalf. He often referred to the cat in his lectures, and one time, the class went to his home for a review and we all got to meet the famous Gandalf the cat. I’d never seen anything like this creature. He was massive, with a long gray coat, and as we gathered in the professor’s living room, he settled himself into a seat of honor, sitting like a person and gesturing with his front paws, chatting away as if he, in fact, was our teacher.

I now understand this singular creature was a Maine Coon cat, but this was the first time I’d ever seen anything like him. No wonder, I thought, that the professor had given this animal a name as magical as Gandalf the Grey.

In this video, a giant, black Maine Coon cat named XiaoXiao demonstrates why so many people are astonished when they first see these beautiful, majestic creatures. He doesn’t even look like a cat— more like a long, furry dragon.

Related: Maine Coon Cat Clearly Says 'How Are You?' in Video That Has People Stunned

If your experience with cats has been limited to ordinary domestic shorthairs, these massive creatures with their angular faces, huge, tufted ears, and exuberantly tufted tails may shock you at first.

Maine Coon Behaviors

Especially if you encounter them in one of their odd but stereotypical Maine Coon poses, such as the aforementioned Gandalf’s lecture mode, or this kitty, who appears to be doing the prairie dog.

“XiaoXiao is investigating a mysterious sound,” reads the caption on this video. Surprisingly, Maine Coons do this standing pose a lot.”

Maybe it’s due to their remarkable size. A Maine Coon standing on its hind legs is probably tall enough to reach the average kitchen countertop.

And if I know cats, that means none of your glassware is safe.

On top of these unusual positions, Maine Coons are known for engaging in other unlikely cat behaviors, such as liking to swim, to do tricks, and other supposedly “dog-like” activities. Some people say that they are the cat you get if you don’t like cats.

That seems like cat slander to me.

Is a Maine Coon Right For You?

The first time I saw Gandalf the Grey, over twenty years ago, I had never heard of Maine Coon cats. Sure, I knew about the names we give different color cats— Siamese or tabby or calico. I’d even probably heard of the hairless breeds. But Maine Coon? Nope.

And there’s a good reason for that. Though they are one of the older cat breeds, their popularity diminished immensely during the first half of the twentieth century, so much so that they were briefly declared extinct in the 1950s. However, the breed has been revived in recent decades and they are now one of the most popular cat breeds—not just in America, but all over the world.

Some of that can be chalked up to their friendly, entertaining personalities, but most is probably due to their unique appearance and outrageous size.

If you get a Maine Coon, be prepared for its long coat and extra nutritional needs, as well as its need for activity and entertainment, and make sure you get a cat from a responsible breeder or shelter.

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