Interview 2: Elyse and Murphy

Our next contestant is Murphy, a deaf Maine Coon owned by Elyse Komarzec. Murphy - also known as Murph, Murphle, and Murphalicious Deafinitious - is about two and a half years old, having spent two of those years with the Komarzec family. A neutered male, he weighs roughly fifteen pounds and is about 10.5 inches tall at the shoulder. I interviewed Elyse about her beloved cat, and learned some interesting things about the breed on the way.

How did you come to own Murphy?

“We got him through a coworker of my dad; she had about 8 cats, found Murphy as a stray, and couldn’t keep him, so we took him in. When we first got him, his name was Puffy. We thought it was weird, so we changed it, not that he could hear it anyway."

What kinds of quirks does he have?

"He likes to sleep on top of the fridge. When he jumps, it looks like he’s hovering. When he’s lonely, he meows very loudly. When he wants a treat, he “digs” on the cabinet they’re in…when he wants to be on the porch with the rest of the family, he does the same with the door. Murphy wants to be friends with everyone! He falls asleep instantly, and while he’s often surprised, he’s never startled. Patch (Elyse's eldest cat, the Alpha for the household) acts as Murphy’s ears. Murphy’s meow sounds like 'Mang!'"

What's your favorite story regarding Murphy?

"We had a large ziplock container above the fridge and he tucked his entire body, head and all, into it. When we were looking for him, we heard a meow above the fridge…and there he was. :)

We also lost him in the snow one year, and my dad was worried, so he went looking for him, since you can’t really call a deaf cat. He looked under the neighbor’s porch…then felt paws on his butt and heard 'mang!'"

Anything else you'd like to add?

"Dad did research on deaf cats when we got him. Supposedly, they bite people, get startled easily, and are afraid of the world – Murphy’s nothing like that. He had a sister, too, but she got hit by a car. It was realy sad."

After interviewing Elyse, with helpful input from her dad, I looked online to find more information about these cats. What I found surprised me greatly, since I had pegged them to be fluffy lapkitties, like something the Queen across the pond might hold while she was getting a portrait painted. However, their lynx-like appearance isn't a simple coincidence - it's a natural breed.

The Maine Coon is one of the oldest natural breeds of cat in the North America. It has a very distinctive appearance, characterized by its large bone structure, rectangular body shape, and long, flowing coat. Typically, males weigh between fifteen and twenty-five pounds and adults stand between ten and sixteen inches at the shoulder. To support their own weight, their bodies are solid and muscular, with a broad chest. Surprisingly, Maine Coons mature slowly; it takes between three and four years for them to reach their full potential size. They can come in any color, though colors that suggest mixed breeding are rejected by the breed standard. The most common color is the brown tabby. Any eye color is acceptable, barring blue or mismatched eyes on cats that aren’t white.

This cat, being native to Maine, is well-adapted to live in the wintry climate of its homeland. Polydactylism, or having one or more extra toes on the feet, is fairly common in the breed, making already-large paws into furry snowshoes. Their long, bushy tails can be curled around their heads and shoulders for warmth, and help to resist sinking in deep snow. The tufts of fur growing inside their ears cut down on heat loss, keeping their ears warm. They’re known as “gentle giants”, possessing above-average intelligence and remaining playful, but gentle and affectionate, throughout their lives. Many Maine Coons also have a fascination with water, a possible throwback to ship-dwelling ancestors. Generally, it’s a very healthy, hardy breed, with several members leading lives that reach ten years of age and older.

Source: Wikipedia, with reference to the CFA breed standard.