No cat species has a monopoly on love and affection, but there must be a good reason why Maine Coons have clawed their way up from near extinction to the second most prized cat in America. According to Maine Coon fans, they say that the popularity is because of the breeds’ intelligence, large size, luxurious coat, lovely disposition, and devotion to humans.
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How Can I Know if My Cat is Part Maine Coon
Some physical traits make it easy to recognize a Maine coon.
Size and Shape
The first and easiest way to determine if a cat is a Maine coon or not is through its size and shape. They are not small cats. It is one of the largest breeds of cats. It is difficult to ignore when a Maine coon cat walks by.
They are easy to see because of their big size. The average weight of a male Maine coon cat is 15-20 lbs. Females, an average weight of 8-12 lbs.
These cats are larger than small dogs and are easily identified due to their bulky size, broad chest, and rectangular shape.
Fur
Another distinguishable feature of a Maine coon cat is its long, thick fur. Since these cat breeds were initially from Maine, their long, thick, shaggy coat keeps them safe during harsh winters.
The Maine coon’s fur has three layers, two undercoats, and a top layer of thick, long fur. Something else to remember while checking if your cat is a Maine coon, is that Maine coon cats have fur that repels water.
Most cats will shy away from water, but this is one breed of cat that might enjoy bathing, sitting in the rain, or swimming.
Tail
Have you ever looked closely at your cat’s tail? If you are trying to decide if your cat is a Maine coon or not, look at its tail. Maine coon cats have very long tails covered with thick, long fur. Their bushy tail is broad near the base and becomes narrow towards the tip. When winters are harsh, they wrap their fluffy tail around themselves to keep warm.
Mane
Another one of the physical features to determine if your cat is a Maine coon or not is to look at its mane, which is a large amount of fur on its neck.
This fur is thicker by comparison to the hair covering the rest of its body. Because of this, Maine coons are also referred to as mini lions.
While most cat breeds have thick fur over their entire body or a mane around their neck, the unusual thick mane is a breed standard in the Maine coon cat and very distinguishable.
Other Physical Attributes
With the assistance of the three points above, you should be able to determine whether your cat is a Maine coon.
However, if you are still uncertain, then read about the other physical attributes of a Maine coon cat that will help you decide. These physical features are:
- Cat’s eyes
- Maine coon cats typically have large, wide blue eyes that change when the cat grows up.
- The Maine coon’s eyes are oblique and slightly tilted upwards.
- Ears
- Look to see if long hairs are growing out of the cat’s ears.
- Because of their place of origin, Maine coons have long, thick fur over their entire body, including their ears.
- Large paws
- After observing your cat’s eyes and ears, look closely at your cat’s feet. Generally, they have huge paws with pads to protect them against snow in winters.
- Even small Maine coon kittens will have large paws.
You can quickly determine if your beloved pet is a Maine coon cat.
If most of the characteristics mentioned above match with those of your cat’s, then know you probably have a Maine coon.
However, if your cat only matches some features, there is a good chance your cat is not a purebred Maine coon and is a mixed breed instead.
Whether Maine coon or not, all cats need love and affection from their pet parents. If your cat isn’t a Maine coon, your four-legged furry friend will still shower you with the same amount of love as any other cat.
Does Every Maine Coon Have An M On Its Forehead
An M on a Maine coons’ forehead is a dominant pattern marking visible on all tabby pattern Maine coon cats. The prominent marking is not specific to the Maine coon breed, but is on every color of the Maine coon cat, provided the cat has tabby pattern markings.
How Do You Tell A Maine Coon From A Domestic Long Hair
A Maine coon has an elongated rectangular body, straight back, and hips and shoulders of even height. Your cat is angora or part Persian or domestic longhair if the body is a standard rectangle or if the body is square.
The Maine Coon is categorized as a type of domestic longhair cat. Yet, the Maine coon is unique from all other long-haired cat breeds, and the mixed breed is referred to as the domestic longhair cat.
A sure sign that your cat is a mixed breed is that they are not quite as large as a purebred coon. The Maine coon is a huge cat. They weigh as much as 25 lbs., not due to overweight, but because their body mass is spread throughout the body, and their tails can measure up to 16 inches long.
Maine Coon Eyes Vs. Normal Cat
- Purebred Maine coons have wide-set eyes that are large, slightly oblique shaped. Gold and green eyes are deemed desirable by the official cat governing bodies, though white Maine Coons will have blue or one blue, one gold or green.
- Cat eyes of other breeds are oval. The pupils are the same size and constrict to a slit when bright light is shined in the eye. The lens is behind the pupil but not seen when healthy, as it is clear.
Maine Coon Size
The Maine coon is a beloved breed of cat in this country. The gentle giants are thought to have originated from Maine. Maine coon size will vary, but for sure, your lovable long-haired cat will grow much larger than an average cat.
- Male Maine coons will grow larger than their female counterparts, reaching a massive weight of 15-25 lbs.
- These lovable giants can measure up to 40 inches in length, though this will be dependent upon your cat’s genetics and diet.
- Male cats can grow between 10-16 inches in height, whereas the females are slightly smaller at 8-14 inches in height.
Note that these figures can vary significantly and depend on your cat’s genetics and specific diet plan.
The Biggest Maine Coon on Record
Stewie, a Maine coon cat, made it into the 2010 Guinness World Records, winning the title for the longest cat of his breed. He measured an unbelievable 48.5 inches, which was measured from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail. Based on the records, his tail measured a gigantic 16 inches. Stewie weighed a massive 33 lbs!
According to Stewie’s owners, he had no special diet, and no unusual breeding techniques were involved in influencing his size. He literally didn’t stop growing.
How To Tell If Your Kitten Is A Maine Coon
Maine coon cats have grown in popularity in recent years. But along with most things that become valuable and popular, you need to watch out for effects of popularity and demand, such as backyard breeders. They may attempt to deceive you with a claim they have purebred Maine coon kittens for sale when they are far from purebred.
When looking at kittens, you can look for things to help you ensure what you are looking at is a real Maine Coon kitten. You must remember these cats were running wild in Maine at one stage, as feral cats or kittens, so certain traits have been left behind, which have become the key to their popularity.
It’s unfortunate, but there isn’t a way to be 100% sure that a kitten or cat is a Maine Coon unless both parents are certified Main Coon cats.
Below are listed traits and things to look for in the available kittens to give you a chance of getting the real deal.
Fur Thickness
One of the ways to tell for sure if a kitten you are looking at is a Maine coon, is its fur length and thickness. It should be somewhat thick and medium to long in length. They also have apparent tufts on their paws with an undercoat for warmth.
Body Size
A Maine coon kitten will be quite large compared to most other kittens at this stage. The body itself should be very rectangular and have a pronounced ruff around the whole neck and large paws. The kitten takes around four years to reach full body size.
Eye Shape
They will have large, alert eyes that are somewhat rounded at the edge.
Ears
The ears should be covered in thick fur that ends at the tip in a wisp. They resemble the ears of a wild cat, such as a lynx or bobcat that has ears that will keep them warm in the harsh winter.
Personality & Traits
When you consider all the features above and found a kitten that has a great personality, then you will know you got the real deal. Nearly all Maine Coon kittens are really playful and friendly, and most of all, desire to be loved by their owners and enjoy cuddling up to keep warm. The size and look of the kitten will help you decide, but the most important feature will be how happy and social the kitten is.
