Maine Coon Cats have adaptations which allow them to walk in snow and on ice. Their legs are thick and they have hair tufts growing between the pads of their large feet-like a polar bear. Their tails are long and covered in long fluffy hair which reminded some of a raccoon tail. Their origins are unknown. They may have been brought by early settlers or they are related to the Norwegian Forest Cat brought to North America by the Vikings. They are the largest native domestic cat breed in America.