In a hundred-year-old house in Amersfoort, Renee (53) lives with her husband and four cats. They initially wanted a dog, but because they were often away from home, the couple opted for cats. And Renee is thrilled with that decision! She’s head over heels for her Maine Coons. Her home is filled with coziness thanks to cats Joep, Puck, Duke, and Delphi—all cats of the same breed, but with entirely different personalities.
Tell us about the characters of your Maine Coons?
We chose Maine Coons because they are known to be calm, friendly, large, and playful. And they are all of that. But their characters are very different.
Joep (14) is the eldest of our quartet of cats. He’s a real clown—he, for instance, opens cabinet doors and then walks away. If one of the other cats then goes into the cabinet, he closes the door again, trapping the other inside. Joep is also the group’s mentor. He is calm and keeps a close eye on the rest. He loves to chat and jumps on my lap when he wants attention. And he loves to cuddle.
Joep locks his brothers and sisters in cabinets!
Next is Puck (11), Joep’s half-sister. She values her privacy and doesn’t like to lie on my lap, but she often sits at my feet. She also likes to crawl into the cat tree with Joep. She enjoys chatting and giving gifts—there are a few every day on my landing. Usually, they are toys, but sometimes she brings me a real mouse. When we thank her for it, she walks away proudly. And when we have young guests, she keeps watch over them all night.
Looking for a cat tree for a Maine Coon? Choose a cat tree for large cats!
Duke (9) is a peculiar case. He is large and not very smart. But that’s okay because he’s a friendly cuddlebug. When he’s in the mood for it, he lets you know well in advance. He loves people and finds everyone likable. When we have guests, he sits on the table, approaches everyone personally, and then jumps onto their laps. Duke is heavy, weighing a whopping 8.5 kilograms, but he still thinks he’s very small.
Duke is very large, but he thinks he’s still very small.
Delphi (3) is the youngest of the quartet. She sways her hips as she moves through life and likes to wrap her short tail around my legs. Her tail is short because she had a difficult birth – she’s missing 80% of her tail. But she doesn’t notice it herself; she has excellent balance! She likes to lie in my arms and also with my husband. She distributes her attention nicely between the two of us. The most remarkable thing about Delphi is her eyes. She always looks cheerful.
Why are your cats extra special to you?
I have a very special bond with Joep. My husband gave him to me as a birthday present. There was a litter of 7 kittens in a cattery, and Joep immediately walked up to me, crawled onto my lap, and fell asleep.
Puck came unexpectedly. We visited the same cattery because they had a dog. But when the breeder mentioned that she had a litter of two Maine Coon kittens, I decided to take a look. And there was Puck. She was only six weeks old at the time, walked up to me, and fell asleep in my hands. So sweet!
Duke is a unique case. He came from a litter of 7 kittens and moved to Germany when he was 14 weeks old. But the breeder took him back after 6 weeks and asked if we were interested in him. And we were. When we saw him for the first time, he lay on my legs like a mop within 15 minutes, completely relaxed. And I was sold!
Delphi is also very special. When one of my first cats – Beau – passed away, I was allowed to visit the breeder for some cat therapy. I was allowed to cuddle with the kittens to help me process my grief a little faster. All the kittens there had already been spoken for. But Delphi’s future owners eventually changed their minds because she had no tail. A poor decision on their part because I have the sweetest cat in the world in Delphi. When she looked at me with her beautiful eyes, I melted on the spot. I’m super happy with her!
Lap cats, indeed. What are their other favorite spots?
Our cats are allowed outside, but only under supervision in our enclosed garden. They also like it there—from spring to autumn, they can be found in the garden. And indoors, they like to lie on their cat tree. We’ve been through quite a few of them. When we went from three to four cats, we wanted a really good one.
That’s when we found Petrebels because they make large and sturdy cat trees, including ones for heavy cats. We have a Turnpike 190 now, and it’s perfect—our cats won’t leave it, and they use every spot. Also, the cats prefer to be wherever we are. My husband now works from home often, and Puck finds it very enjoyable. She doesn’t leave his side all day!
We love cats. Can you tell us why you find them so delightful?
I have to laugh at my cats every day. They are so sociable, mischievous, and fun! Cats are themselves and true to themselves. I enjoy making the effort to get to know them and using my creativity to accomplish things with them.
I also find it remarkable how well they sense how I’m feeling. Some time ago, I was very ill and couldn’t do anything. Apparently, the cats held a crisis meeting and didn’t leave my side—they would come lie with me. And they kept that up for four months!
Want to see more of the wonderful life of these four handsome cats? You can follow Joep, Puck, Duke, and Delphi on Facebook and Instagram at @mainecoonkwartet.
Renee was looking for a large cat tree for heavy cats. One that older cats can easily get into and where all her cats have enough space to play and sleep. She chose the Turnpike 190 Cream Cat Tree. And it works excellently! The cat tree is stable, very spacious, and used by the cats every day.
Read Yvonne’s heart warming story here!
Disclaimer: Petrebels is not a veterinarian or a behavior expert. All the content, information, and tips on this blog are meant to inspire you and are for informational purposes. If your cat has health issues or problems, and you’re unsure about your cat’s health, always consult a veterinarian or a behavior expert.
