These felines are astonishing examples of one of the largest cat breeds in the world - and these images show how they dwarf their owners.

　　这些令人惊讶的猫科动物是世界上最大的猫种之一——从它们跟主人的合照就能看出来它们个头有多大。

　　But if you think they're any less cuddly and friendly than regular-sized cats , you'd be wrong. The Maine Coon breed is one of the oldest cat breeds in North America, and noted for its hunting skills.

　　但如果你觉得这种猫没有普通的猫友好和可爱，那就错了。缅因猫是北美最古老的猫种之一，以高超的捕猎技巧闻名。

　　The seemingly giant creatures are blessed with lush coats of hair and big, bushy tails. But despite their appearance, they're often called gentle giants, - males weigh from 21 to 35 lb with females weighing from 15 to 29 lb - with the easygoing nature of a cat.

　　这些看起来巨大的猫咪们有着浓密的毛发和毛茸茸的大尾巴。虽然外形巨大，但这些猫咪们却被称为“温柔的巨喵”。雄性缅因猫的体重在21-35磅之间，雌性缅因猫体重则在15-29磅之间，而且缅因猫的性格也比较温顺。

　　Although it is relatively new to the British show bench, the Maine Coon has actually been shown in America since the 1860s.

　　虽然缅因猫在英国宠物市场上较为少见，但实际上缅因猫早在19世纪60年代就在美国出现了。

　　Maine Coons are the clowns of the cat world, with a rather quiet but extrovert personality."

　　缅因猫是喵星人界的小丑，比起个性恬静它们其实更为活泼。

　　The cats, which are said to possess 'above average' intelligence, live an average of around 12.5 years.

　　据说缅因猫的智商比一般猫要高，平均寿命大概为12.5年左右。

　　Perhaps the most unique thing to the Maine Coon is the noise he makes. Rather than the standard meow, this cat 'chirps', a noise which is difficult to describe but one heard is never forgotten.

　　"关于缅因猫，最特殊的也许就是它的叫声了。不同于一般的猫叫，这种猫的声音很像鸟鸣，总之很难描述这种声音，但却会让你“过耳难忘”。

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（编辑：何莹莹）