House panthers and tiny tigers, these are some of the names we give to our beloved house cats. The domestic cat has retained a close relation to their wild relatives and so much so that we often find ourselves drawn to breeds that exhibit the physical characteristics of the larger wildcats and, once such breed, the Maine Coon, comes as close as you can get to having a Lynx in your home
They are considered to be one of the oldest natural breeds in North America and are the official Maine ‘State Cat’. Their origins range from the mythical and ridiculous (domestic cats mating with raccoons) to the more plausible, they resulted from matings between long-haired type cats sent over by Marie Antoinette, or the Vikings. The Maine Coon is closest to, and resembles the Norwegian Forest Cat, which gives some credence to the idea that the Vikings may have been the ones to introduce the breed. Even if their origins are up for debate what we can agree on is that they are stunningly beautiful, fantastical little beasts.
All Images – Robert Sijka of Felis Gallery
Photographer, and breeder, Robert Sijka has had a long time passion for Maine Coons and has combined that passion to capture the very essence of what makes these cats so appealing. Robert’s use of a black background, to photograph his two beautiful black cats named Dolce Vita and De La Loo, helped him create his signature style that showcases the breed in an elegant and almost otherworldly manner.
Robert tells the Cat Behaviorist that the two black sisters, Dolce Vita and De La Loo are his personal favorites (he loves black cats) and are always up for a photo shoot.
Robert also says that it took some experimentation to come up with his signature style, about several thousand photos worth, and playing with the cats before hand is key to capturing their wonderful expression.
For more of Robert’s photos be sure to check him out on Instagram and Facebook as Felis Gallery.
Wonderful pictures-absolutely beautiful! Maine Coon cats are stunning…never seen black and white ones before. Great post!
Be sure to check out his Instagram!
Fabulous photos. Thanks for sharing!
His photography is beautiful. Especially in the two black cats I can see the faces of much larger cousins.
Absolutely stunning!
Absolutely gorgeous! As the proud mom of two “Wegies” I especially appreciate the recognition of the link between these two beautiful natural breeds, and the likely Viking connection.
Let me know if you would be interested in featuring your cats on the ‘Let’s talk about Your Cat’ spot.
I love talking about my cats but should let you know that they did come from an NFC breeder as it’s nearly impossible to find them as rescues. I know a lot of people are anti-breeder so I don’t want to cause any problems for you.
HI! I am so sorry for not replying sooner my schedule has been insane & I am afraid I haven’t had much time for the blog these past few weeks!Is there a contact email I can reach you at?
Hey there, I keep my personal email private since I don’t have a work one, but you can email events@face4pets.org and ask Danae for my email address. I’ll tell her to expect your note. Thanks! 🙂
Completely understand. I will send an email this weekend!
We call our two MCs “kitteh beasts”, as well as an assortment of other endearments. Nice shots!
His photos are pretty cool, be sure to check his Instagram.
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