With the appearance of a pet in the house, life becomes brighter and more fun. Most people prefer cats because there is no need to walk with them every day, and they are very friendly and sociable. Once you decide to have a cat in your home, you should carefully select the breed. A good choice would be the red Maine Coon, which is distinguished by its huge size, good disposition, and sociability.
Maine Coon cat colors
Maine Coons come in a variety of colors.
Initially, cats had a black marbled color, which made them look like a raccoon. Over time, breeders began to need cats of all colors. Their work to suppress the genes responsible for color led to the appearance of cats of all colors: solid, brindle or tortoiseshell, and others.
Maine Coons come in different colors
Colors are classified by color, patterns, spots.
Plain
The selection work of scientists has made it possible to develop a Maine Coon breed with a uniform color. As a result of the suppression of genes responsible for color, white kittens appeared. The breed has a second name: solid.
Maine Coon
It means artificial, monochromatic. Most often it is possible to get black Maine Coons, with red cats in second place.
Black
Black Maine Coons come in solid colors and with lines on their fur. They appear on the neck and face of the animal.
Black Maine Coon
Depending on the pattern, cats are further divided into three types:
- brindle (vertical stripes run across the entire silhouette),
- marble (reminiscent of stains on marble),
- spotted (stripes are clearly visible).
Maine Coon
There are black Maine Coons with white spots.
The name indicates that the animal's fur combines equal amounts of white and black. Black Smoke cats have no stripes or spots. The coat color is white at the roots, darkening towards the tips.
Depending on the presence of hair of this color, varieties are distinguished:
- chinchilla (black hair up to 1/8 of the fur),
- smoky (even ratio of black and white wool),
- shaded (only a quarter of the hairs are black, the rest are white).
White
White coloring is rare for Maine Coons. Characterized by the absence of wool of other shades. Often white individuals have amazing eyes: blue, bright green, golden.
White Maine Coon
Representatives of the white color do not have characteristic stripes on the tail, but there are tufts on the ears. Kittens have small stripes on their foreheads, but these disappear completely when they reach adulthood.
Red (red)
For a kitten to be bright red, you need two red parents. Red Maine Coons come in solid colors. The name of the color depends on the type of stripes: classic, brindle, spotted, ticked, agouti or smoky.
Red Maine Coon
Kittens appear light and turn red with age. It is impossible to determine which gene will predominate.
Cream
Kittens are also born white; pink pigment begins to color the animal's fur only in adulthood.
Cream Maine Coon
Blue
Blue Solid is common among this breed. If there is no picture, then the gene responsible for them is suppressed. Pure color is rare. In the table it is indicated by one letter.
Smoky individuals are black or blue. The dominant color appears closer to the tip of the hair. At the roots, the hair looks snow-white. This feature of coat color is present in ginger cats.
Origin story
The northwestern United States is considered the birthplace of this breed. It was there, in Maine, that these incredible creatures first saw the light of day. In confirmation of this origin, the breed even received the name Maine Coon. Despite the logic of this fact, many build their own theories about creating pets.
Some consider the unusual creatures to be a combination of the genes of cats and raccoons. This theory is supported by the Maine Coon's tail color. Others replace raccoon with lynx in this DNA cocktail. The reason for this hypothesis is the tassels on the ears of these cats.
Most experts are still inclined to believe that animals appeared as a result of evolution.
Character and features
Of course, this incredibly beautiful animal, first of all, attracts with its appearance. However, his character is also interesting. The main features that the fiery red Maine Coon can boast of are usually listed by owners as:
- goodwill;
- friendliness;
- patience;
- loyalty.
Indeed, the character of these pets is very different from the general idea of cats. Their curiosity and mobility are especially interestingly combined with the size of adult individuals.
Many people compare Maine Coons to dogs. This breed actually exhibits several traits that are more commonly seen in canines. They get along well with children and are not jealous of other cats. These red animals are very sociable and treat others with special friendliness.
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What can you call it?
A difficult choice for owners is what name to choose for a bright red cat or a girl cat. Owners of Maine Coons recommend taking a closer look at the new family member, studying his character and then naming him. The name of a red Maine Coon may differ from the one given to him in the kennel at birth.
Purebred cats have a passport with their name already indicated. The nickname consists of the name of the nursery, the name of the letter indicating the number of litters by mother and the name of the breed.
You can give a nickname that will match the color. For example, Leo or Twinkle (Spark - from English). The color of the pet can suggest other names:
- Red - red.
- Orange - orange.
- Goldie is gold.
- Fox.
- Fire - fire.
- Peach.
- Pink - pink.
- Fox.
- Ruby.
- Scarlett is scarlet.
- Ruddy is ruddy.
- Tabby.
Scottish names are very suitable for ginger cats, for example:
- Gregor.
- Maxwell.
- Hectorina.
- Kirsty.
- Lenox.
- Alice.
- Douglas.
The combination of playfulness of color (or tenderness - in the case of cream) and character traits - independence, masculinity - can be reflected precisely in the animal’s name. The main thing is that the name is sonorous, easy to pronounce and succinct. Maine Coons are close to dogs in their character and love of humanity; they need communication with people, and the easiest way to establish a connection with a pet is to call it by name more often.
Maine Coons are excellent at distinguishing intonations and human speech. It is better from a young age to teach the animal to respond to its own name, and not to sounds (for example, “ks - ks”).
Maine Coon: detailed description of the breed
In order not to mistake a mixed breed, which is often found among fanciers, for a genuine Maine Coon, knowledge of the complete characteristics of the Maine will be very useful. So:
- The shape of the head is slightly elongated in length, whereas in other breeds it extends in width. An uneven profile, high cheekbones and voluminous ears with high-set tassels. The presence of tassels is the most important distinguishing feature of the Maine breed.
- The eyes are set wide and shaped like an oval. The color of the eyes usually harmonizes with the color.
- The body is represented by well-developed muscles; animals are often large and very large in size. Long, wide shapes predominate.
- The paws are proportional to the body - just as powerful, with good muscles. There should be small tufts of wool between the pads on the paws.
- A voluminous and very fluffy tail, sometimes equal in size to the length of the entire animal.
- The Maine Coon's coat is thick and quite long. In the area of the muzzle and on the neck, the hair is of medium length.
- A medium-sized Maine Coon will have a total length (including tail) of 95-100 cm.
An important distinguishing feature of the Maine Coon breed is the weight of the animals, which ranges from 6 to 10 kg. The average is between 7 and 9 kg. Cats, as a rule, are lighter than cats and gain about 6 kg of weight, but there are representatives of the “heavy” weight category - about 8 kg. The largest Maine Coon can easily reach a weight of just over 10 kg, which, due to its lush fur, looks much more voluminous, creating a false impression of a 15-kilogram cat. There are very widespread opinions about how much Maine Coons weigh, attributing incredible weights of up to 20 kg to cats. In fact, not a single case has been recorded in which the weight reached such figures. There is a standard system showing the dynamics of Maine Coon weight by month, which corresponds to the vast majority of animals.
Popular colors of Maine Coons
Maine cats abound in various colors, among which in the professional environment the main one is considered to be “wild” or “black tabby”, and all subsequent ones began to appear over time, gaining wide popularity among fanciers and breeders. Coon colors:
- Red Maine Coon is one of the most popular colors with cream, brick or red colored fur, diluted with streaks of light shades;
- white Maine Coon - characterized by exclusively snow-white fur, without any additional shades;
- black Maine Coon - implies an absolutely even black color with the absence of other tint inclusions;
- Maine Coon black marble - a classic color, which is characterized by a design in the form of curls and continuous lines, made in a double color scheme;
- Maine Coon black smoke is an original color where the roots of the coat are painted white, and the subsequent length of the coat is exclusively black.
The black Maine Coons in the photo turn out excellent, embodying grace and showing off the rich coat of a timeless color. Red coons are no less photogenic, always able to lift your spirits with their sunny color.
Interesting Facts
The longest Maine Coon in the world is a ginger cat named Stewie. From the muzzle to the tip of the tail, the length is 123 cm. And three-year-old Rupert is considered the heaviest - 9 kg (since the cat is young, he will be even larger). We are talking about normal weight without signs of obesity.
Some sources contain information that Maine Coons reached a weight of 12-15 kg. This error is due to the fact that the first mentions of this fact were written in pounds. And then they were directly converted into kilograms.
Manx cats are one of the few that live in groups. They get along well with dogs, birds and their own kind. However, the natural instinct of a hunter is unlikely to allow him to live peacefully next to rodents.
Red-colored Maines are excellent actors. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay starred the cat Buttercup, who did an excellent job in his role. There was also a picture with the participation of the fiery coon “Red Dog”, where the cat was constantly “sorting out” the relationship with the dog.
Maine Coons are good-natured and sweet creatures. Red representatives of this breed are distinguished by increased intelligence, charm and bright color. They, like rays of bright light, illuminate everything around and radiate goodness and love. These are truly aristocratic cats: both in appearance and in habits.
Meet Pavel Volya's cat - Boomer and other star PURS (Part 2)
Pavel Volya from the Comedy Club has a large mega cat of the Maine Coon breed living at home. A huge black cat named Boomer, according to the comedian, weighs at least 20 kilograms and eats more food than Pavel himself did in his student years.
Of course, the artist is exaggerating - cats of this breed weigh on average 10-12 kilograms, and Boomer looks gigantic against the backdrop of the puny comedian. The cat's size also has its advantages, Pavel jokes - Boomer will never shit in his shoes, because he simply won't fit in them.
Katy Perry and her cats Krusty and Kitty Purry
The singer dreams of becoming a cat in her next life, wears cat outfits to concerts and enjoys communicating with her two pets - Kitty Purry (literal translation - something like “Purring Cat”) and Krusty.
Striped Kitty appears in the singer's videos and goes on tour with her. The cat even inspired Katie to create her own perfume, Purr, with a bottle cap in the shape of a cat's head. And the gray-and-white cat Krusty took part in the creation of the singer’s next fragrance, “Meow.”
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus is known for her love of animals - either a dog or a pig. But recently the scandalous singer got her own fluffy cloud - a snow-white kitten named Shanti Om.
The first word in the name of the Persian cat translates as “peace,” and Miley tried to make her pet famous throughout the world. He has every chance of becoming an Instagram star - his personal page @shantiombb already has almost 130 thousand subscribers. Charming Shanti lives like a king: her own room, three cribs to choose from, hundreds of toys and a private bathroom.
Victoria Bonya and the cat Sultan
Star and TV presenter Victoria Boni had a cat for 10 thousand euros. The exotic Savannah cat was not her first pet. She and her common-law husband Alex already had a cat, Luna, and only next to her could Victoria’s beloved one calmly fall asleep. But the cat died, and the couple immediately began looking for a replacement. The three-month-old exotic beauty immediately won the hearts of Victoria and her fans.
Even the nickname was chosen by the whole world. The options of naming the cat Cash (they gave so much money) or Schumacher (and it can be shortened to Shukher due to his playful nature) did not catch on. The exotic cat was named Sultan, but he soon had to be given away due to Victoria’s boyfriend’s allergies.
We invite you to check out the first part of our selection of celebrity cats, where you will see the furry pets of Karl Lagerfeld, Taylor Swift, Dita Von Teese and handsome Ian Somerhalder! PreviousPreviousRead another storyNext
Meet Pavel Volya's cat - Boomer and other star PURS (Part 2)
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Tabby
This type of coloring is present in all representatives of the Maine Coon breed, but may not be expressed in a bright form. This color is a genetic predisposition. A cat's hair has its own zoning or striping. The wild ancestors were tabbies, which was inherited by modern representatives. There are various options for this design.
Classic, spotted and brindle tabby
Characterized by wide stripes of a spiral shape. They are usually located on the sides of the animal, and can resemble marble stains. Spotted tabbies have intermittent stripes or spots of color throughout the animal's body. The brindle tabby is similar to the brindle coloring - vertical stripes along the entire length of the body.
Ticked Tabby
These cats have no stripes or spots at all. The fur has a peculiar pattern on the face, paws, and chest. Ticking is the distribution of pigment along the hair. The tip has a rich shade, gradually losing brightness towards its root.
What color Maine Coon is better to choose?
Color, as one of the main details of the exterior, determines the price of a Maine Coon, which is why kittens of the same litter cost differently. Buyer interest is due to two circumstances: the fashion for Maine Coons themselves and a certain color trend.
Now, thanks to the blue Maine Coon Non-plus-Ultra, which appears in commercials, blue solid cats have no competition. This is not surprising - blue solids look amazing, but they are also very expensive in nurseries.
Fans of mysticism and Bulgakov adore cats that are completely black, shell out fantastic money for them and give them infernal names. Slightly lower in the popularity ranking are white solid, snow-white Maine Coons, which might have been ahead of black ones if not for the persistent thesis about a potential hearing disorder.
Cream and red giants are also damn attractive, whose monochrome color slightly disturbs the residual tabby, which is why they still lose to black and blue solids.
If you need a cat with an aura of mystery, take a smoky kitten, whose fur seems to glow from within. Once you learn how to care for such fur, your pet will look no worse than the hyped blue Maine Coons.
Bicolors and harlequins are chosen much less often, which is due to the very unsuccessful play of spots, which do not always form an attractive pattern. And if you accidentally overdo it with white, you can fall out of favor with experts at exhibitions.
People who believe in omens will definitely choose a tortoiseshell-colored cat, which can bring harmony and happiness to the house.
Tortoiseshell
The tortoiseshell Maine Coon comes in two types – torby and torty.
The first type is a combination of red and black shades of wool, expressed in a dark brown color. The torti has a greater addition of red with dark cream. Of particular interest is the fact that tortoiseshell coloring is most often found in cats.
The probability of a male being born with this coloring is approximately 1 in 1000.
On such cats, markings of different sizes and shapes are more clearly visible. Based on the severity of these spots, several colors can be distinguished:
- calico;
- flap;
- chintz.
These cats are characterized by the presence of red shades of fur. The classic color, consisting of three colors, is obtained by mixing black and red. This makes the coat more variegated. There are also several tortoiseshell shades.
Scaly tortoiseshell
Reminiscent of fish scales, the order of spots on the body is checkerboard. These spots alternate in black and red tones and are unevenly distributed. Any one of the colors may predominate.
Calico and solid tortoiseshell (patchwork)
The spots of black and red color resemble flaps. They have defined boundaries and can overlap each other. If the wool has white patches, this color is called “tortoiseshell white” or calico. Red and black spots are solid in color and clearly visible on the animal’s body.
Patterned tortoiseshell
Multi-colored spots have a pronounced pattern. These may be spots or stripes, but marbled colors are also common. There may be small white spots. In this case, it is fashionable to say that the color is spotted tabby or tabby with white spots.
Rules of care and hygiene
To keep your pet healthy, you need to properly care for it.
Cats should be brushed regularly with a fine-toothed metal brush. The procedure is carried out at least 2 times a week. If the animal sheds, it needs to be brushed every day. Be sure to comb your pet's tail thoroughly. You need to bathe once every 1.5-2 months. When washing, shampoos for long-haired cats are used.
You will need a large tray. It is better to take an open one or with a mesh. Due to the size of the cat, litter boxes will be uncomfortable. The animal may refuse to use them.
The eyes are cleared of mucus if necessary. The procedure is carried out using a cotton pad soaked in weakly brewed tea. It is prohibited to use chamomile decoction, since its use leads to hair loss around the organs of vision.
Ears with tassels will have to be cleaned of wax with cotton pads soaked in special solutions from veterinary stores or pharmacies. There is no need to use cotton swabs, since they can easily harm the animal and injure it.
Maine Coons are also famous for their cleanliness. Despite the long hair, which needs to be brushed once a week, it is difficult to find cat hairs in the house. Only during the molting period, which happens once a year, should you comb your pet every day.
A red Maine Coon will never eat from a dirty bowl. At the same time, he can play with a piece of meat for hours and then eat it. Wallpaper and furniture will not be touched if you immediately install a scratching post for your pet.
The animal feeds on meat and fish. For a shiny coat, you should give him boiled vegetables. Despite its size, there is no need to overfeed your pet. It is better to buy balanced cat food.
We invite you to familiarize yourself with Domestic Hedgehog: tips and recommendations for purchasing and keeping a hedgehog at home. How long does a domestic hedgehog live? Domestic hedgehog and hibernation: how to prepare?
Red maines, like their brothers, love water. You can safely bathe them every week using a special shampoo. But you need to get used to using a hairdryer from childhood.
Life expectancy is 12-15 years. In 2022, a cat who was half Maine was entered into the Guinness Book of Records, and at that time his age was 26 years old.
Keeping red beasts
Keeping a red Maine Coon, like any other cat of this breed, does not give owners much trouble. A pet needs to be raised from an early age in order to promptly define the boundaries of what is permitted for it.
- It is best to adopt a ginger Maine Coon kitten from a cattery at 3 months of age. By this time, he will have received initial socialization skills, learned to eat and use a litter box, and the breeder will have time to complete the first series of mandatory vaccinations and treatment for parasites.
- If the pet is not planned to be involved in breeding work, it can be sterilized at an early age.
- Long red hair will have to be combed weekly, and during shedding, the procedure is repeated once a day.
- Caring for mucous membranes (cleaning the eye area, nose and ears) is carried out as needed.
The red Maine Coon looks very dignified and presentable. He is large, moderately active and good-natured, loves his owners and enjoys spending time with them. Red color in any combination is common in these big cats, so you can choose a baby with suitable external parameters from the nursery without much difficulty.
Source
The world's largest Maine Coon
Few people know that the largest Maine Coon cat in the world, named Omar, lives in the British city of Melbourne. The animal's body weight is 14 kilograms, and its length is as much as 120 centimeters, which breaks all previous records, as reported by The Telegraph. The publication writes that the cat’s favorite treat is raw kangaroo meat.
The fact that the Maine Coon is the largest cat in the world has been known for a long time. The previous recorded record for the length of a cat's body - 118 cm - also belongs to a cat of this breed. However, Omara's owner decided to compete for championship in this category, sending her pet's measurements to a special commission in the hope that he would defeat his rival and receive the coveted title of the largest cat in the world.
Price of kittens
Having learned about the record holder, many dream of getting a pet of impressive size and are interested in: how much does a Maine Coon cat cost, is such a “purchase” affordable?
There are rumors that cats of this breed are bred by entrepreneurs in order to make large profits from their sale. It should be noted that organizing such a business requires, firstly, large investments, and secondly, it is unlikely that people who know nothing about breeding purebred Maine Coons would simply risk their funds. Without spiritual aspiration and professional knowledge, such a business would not have lasted long, much less won the respect of breeders around the world.
Maine Coon cats have ancient roots, and in order to pass on the gene for their native “wild” color and aristocratic manners, breeders need to seriously try.
In addition, specialists in their field are constantly working to breed subtypes of the breed of the most unusual and original colors, showing extraordinary creative and professional abilities.
Let's find out how much a Maine Coon kitten costs and what its cost depends on. Several important factors influence price formation:
- breed qualities of appearance and character;
- purebred, confirmed by good pedigree;
- gender of the kitten;
- dimensions and color of the animal;
- merits of the cat's parents;
- funds spent on feeding and veterinary care for the mother cat and newborn kitten;
- location (naturally, in Moscow and St. Petersburg, for example, cats will cost slightly more than in Siberia, the Urals and other regions remote from the capital);
- kitten delivery service (if you order an animal in a remote city, you will pay more than if you brought it yourself).
As you can see, it is impossible to say exactly how much the Maine Coon breed costs.
In any case, Maine Coons are not cheap; you need to be prepared for this immediately when choosing a kitten. If we talk about purebred babies from nurseries with a good pedigree, then they cost an average of 35-40 thousand rubles. Individual representatives of the breed with the original color or descendants of the best lines can cost much more.
Babies “from amateurs” cost an average of 10-15 thousand rubles. Usually, these are kittens without documents that appeared as a result of mating according to the type: you have a cat, I have a cat, and let’s breed. When selling, they often say that they didn’t do the paperwork on purpose, they say, there’s a lot of hassle, but potential buyers (far from all the details of the breeding business) are happy: kittens are cheaper, and they don’t need paperwork, because they take a kitten for the soul. In fact, kittens without documents are not representatives of a particular breed and in the circles of professional felinologists are considered outbred.
Mixed-breed kittens are usually sold inexpensively - up to 5,000 rubles. The price depends on external data, similarity to Maine Coons, as well as the integrity of the breeders.
Preparing a new home
Before bringing the kitten to its new home, you need to purchase everything you need:
- two bowls (one for food, one for water);
- scratching post;
- toilet and filler for it;
- a basket where the kitten can sleep;
- several toys.
This is a small miracle that will bring so much joy and positive emotions to every home.
It is preferable to buy dishes made of ceramics or earthenware; plastic sometimes causes allergies in cats.
It is recommended to place the bowls nearby on the kitchen floor. One bowl will contain dry food, the other will contain clean water.
It is advisable to place the bowls on a tray - this will make it easier to keep the kitchen clean, because kittens love to throw food around and spill water.
Usually there is no need to accustom the kitten to the litter box - by the time of sale it is already trained to do so.
But the pet must be “introduced” to its toilet, since it is unlikely that it will find it on its own.
The tray should be in a secluded, quiet place - nothing should scare the kitten or prevent it from doing its business.
Therefore, there is no need to place the cat litter somewhere in the hallway - the best place for it is the bathroom.
So, what three wishes should I make?
The basket should be placed in a place where the kitten will not be disturbed by anyone.
It is, of course, advisable to accustom him to a specific sleeping place, but as a rule, cats choose where to sleep themselves.
to install the scratching post near the wall. If it is poorly secured, a kitten (and even more so an adult cat) will easily knock it over.
It is worth considering that Maine Coons are active and playful, so they need a play area, just like a cat house .
Pet stores sell special play complexes for representatives of this particular breed - when creating them, the features of the anatomy and behavior of Maine Coons are taken into account.
If it is impossible to buy a gaming complex, you need to at least install several horizontal platforms at different heights.
But this is unlikely if there was an opportunity to buy a Maine Coon - the price of a kitten is from 20,000 rubles.
Maine Coon kittens are very cute and active
Breeding issues
Mating, caring for a cat during pregnancy, and proper delivery require responsibility from the breeder and an understanding of the peculiarities of these processes.
- Estrus. The age at which the first heat occurs varies from person to person. Puberty occurs late in Maine Coons. The norm is considered to be a time period of seven months to one and a half years.
- Preparing for mating. Before the first mating, they are tested for infections, given a comprehensive vaccination, dewormed, and the cat is treated for fleas and parasites.
- Knitting. It is carried out in the territory of the male. The cat is left for several days with a tray, a supply of food and other necessary things. The optimal time is the second or third day after the start of estrus.
- Pregnancy. Gestation of kittens lasts 65-68 days. During pregnancy, the cat should receive a balanced diet, vitamin supplements, and be regularly examined by a veterinarian.
- Childbirth. Maine Coons have a well-developed maternal instinct. Childbirth is usually easy, without complications. A small amount of red-brown discharge during the week after birth is considered normal.
If your cat continues to have strong contractions for one to two hours but is unable to give birth, you should call a veterinarian. Specialist intervention is required in case of intense bleeding, a sharp increase or decrease in temperature.
If the animal's health or non-compliance with breed standards does not allow serious breeding, it is better to think about sterilization or castration. Judging by the reviews and opinion of veterinarians, this reduces the risk of developing many diseases, increases the life expectancy of the pet, and has a beneficial effect on its character.
Unrecognized
Chocolate, gold, and lilac colors are not allowed at specialized exhibitions. Coons with Siamese coat color are also not recognized. There are patterns that are considered unrecognized for the Coons. These can be called:
- faun;
- cinnamon;
- point;
- sorrel;
- acromelanic color.
The coat color of Maine Coons is distinguished by a huge variety of colors and their combinations. The eyes of purebred animals must match the color of their fur. They can be blue (only pure white wool), green, yellow. White individuals may have different colored eyes (blue and green).
Appearance
In different standards, the description of the exterior and character of the Maine Coon breed is not too different. Let's take the European WCF system as a basis, as the most common.
Description of the breed according to the WCF standard
- Body. Muscular, elongated and wide. Rectangular.
- Rib cage. Wide.
- Head. Medium size. Almost square in shape with high cheekbones.
- Scull. Massive.
- Muzzle. With curved profile.
- Nose. Middle length.
- Chin. Massive. Located in line with the upper jaw and nose.
- Ears. Large triangular ones. Planted high and upright. With or without tassels on the tips. The presence of tassels is desirable.
- Eyes. Slanting, oval, widely spaced. The eye color should be in harmony with the color of the cat.
- Neck. Middle length.
- Limbs. Out of proportion to the body, large and muscular.
- Paws. Large, round. There are tufts of fur between the toes.
- Tail. Fluffy and big. Wide at the base, tapering towards the tip. The length of the tail can reach at least the cat's shoulders.
- Wool. Fluffy and very thick. Waterproof. The hair in the head and neck area is of medium length. It is desirable to have a “mane” in the neck area. The “pants” and belly are decorated with long, thick undercoat.
- Color. Solid colors (black, white, red), merle, tortoiseshell, tabby (brindle), tricolor are allowed. Unacceptable: chocolate, lilac, fawn, cinnamon (cinnamon), color point.
- Weight. adult cats can reach up to 9-12 kilograms.
- Height at the withers. From 25 to 45 cm.
- Average life expectancy. Cats – 14 – 16 years old. Males – 12 – 15 years old.
Health and feeding
The Maine Coon breed is characterized by excellent health. With proper care, timely vaccinations and a balanced diet, they almost never get sick.
Important : kittens are given the first vaccination at two months of age, the second at 3 months, and the third at 1 year.
Despite the good health of cats, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian at the slightest discomfort. Especially if your pet has:
- vomiting and diarrhea;
- cough and sneezing;
- discharge from the eyes;
- lack of appetite;
- dulling or hair loss.
Cost and where can I buy?
The price of a ginger kitten will depend on the color scheme. If the color is interesting and rare, the animal will cost more. Red Maine Coons are highly valued among breeders of this breed. The most expensive ones are red solid color, without a pattern. A silver and smoky Maine Coon will cost its owner 20 - 25 thousand rubles.
Even if the animal is not for exhibitions (the so-called pet class) but is of a rare color, its price will not fall less than 20 thousand rubles.
A red or cream tabby pet will cost less. A marbled cream or brindle red Maine Coon is estimated at 10-15 thousand rubles and more. White and red cats cost the same (if their color variations are not rare). The price of a kitten will decrease as it gets older. The most expensive animal is from 3 months. The older the Maine Coon, the lower its cost. Purebred Maine Coons from high-quality parents reach prices of up to 100 thousand rubles.
You can buy a kitten:
- Hand-picked at an exhibition, from breeders.
- In a local nursery (after finding it through an exhibition, on the Internet). You can choose from already born kittens or reserve a litter that is just expected.
- In a nursery abroad. The practice of ordering kittens from other cities and even countries is extremely common. If a future owner is looking for a purebred animal, he can order it from a specific breeder and from specific parents.
It is not recommended to take a kitten by hand, on the market, or via the Internet from unverified breeders. There is a high probability of mixed breeds and fake documents. Nurseries that raise Maine Coons very carefully monitor the fate and reproduction of all their pets. A purebred Maine Coon is a guarantee of breed standards, outstanding appearance and a flexible but independent disposition.