The following detailed description is taken from the MCBFA information booklet about their favorite felines.

General statement: The Maine Coon is a solid, rugged cat and is Americaīs oldest natural lond-haired breed. Type must not be sacrificed for size, nor size for type, the optimum being a large, typey cat. Females are somewhat smaller than males, and allowance   should be made for the slow maturation of the breed.                                          

Head: The head is medium in length and width, with a squareness to the muzzle. Allowance should be made for broadening in males. Cheekbones should be high. The nose is medium in length with a gentle, concave curve and no break or bump. The chin is firm and in a line with the upper lip and nose.

   Eyes: The eyes should be large, wide set, and slightly obliquein setting. Eye color can be shades of green, gold, or copper, though white cats may be blue or odd-eyed. There is no relationship between eye color and coat color. Clarity of eye color is desirable.

       Ears: Large, wide at the base, moderately pointed, and well-tufted, the ears should be set high on the head approximately an earīs width apart. Lynxlike tipping is desirable.

Body: Muscular, medium to be large in size, and broad chested, the body is long, with all parts in proportion, creating a rectangular appearance. When viewed from a rear, there is a definite  squareness to the rump. The neck is medium long.

                Legs and paws:  The legs should be substantial, wide set, and medium in length,  contributing to a rectangular appearance. The paws should be large, round, and well tufted (five toes in front, four toes  back).

Tail: Long, equal to body in length (distance from end of rump to shoulders), wide at base and tapering. Fur full, long, and flowing.

Coat: The fur on the shoulders is short, , gradually increasing in the length along the back and sides, ending in a full britches and long, shaggy belly fur. The fur is soft but has body. A slight undercoat is carried.  A full ruff i not expected; however, there should be a frontal ruff beginning at the base of the ears.    

               Coat color: All recognized colors. White trim around the chin and lip is permitted, except in solid color cats.

Colors: The following colors are among those recognized by most registering associations:

White, black, blue, red, cream.

Silver (chinchilla & shaded), blue-silver (chinchilla & shaded), cameo (shell, shaded, & smoke), cream cameo (shell, shaded, & smoke), black smoke, blue smoke, shaded tortoiseshell, shaded blue tortie, shaded torbie, shaded blue torbie.

Silver tabby (all patterns), blue-silver tabby (all patterns), cameo tabby (all patterns), cream cameo tabby (all patterns).

Shaded brown or golden tabby (all patterns), red tabby (all patterns), cream tabby (all patterns), brown tabby (all patterns), blue tabby (all patterns).

Bi-colors (solids with white), Parti-colors - tortoiseshell, torbie (patched tabby), calico, blue cream, tabby with white and other colors with white.

          Disqualifications: Buttons, lockets, spots, overall even coat, short cobby bod, crossed eyes, kinked tail, and incorrect number of toes are disqualifications.

  Penalties: Delicate bone structures, untufted paws, poor condition, a nose break or a bump, an undershot chin, and a short rounded muzzle are penalties. As detailed as this description may seem, there is still a lot of room for interpretation of the standard by judges and breders that dertermines each Maine Coon catīs potential in the show ring. What is medium, wide, firm, or tufted to one person may not be so to another. These differences in interpretation of the breed standard between judges in each of the cat fancier associations has led to at least two and ossible more recognized types on Maine Coon cat: the "sweet-looking" variety and the "feral-looking" variety that you may be told about when you are searching for the perfect kitten to take home. And, at any point in time, judges and breeders may place emphasis on certain of the physical characteristics over another, such as the size and placement of the ears and conformation of the chin. As a novice, some of the subtle differences between one cat and another may be lost to you; however, they will be of great significance to the breeder who must  anticipate the show potential of each kitten to determine which ones will be sold as pets. Although it is important for breeders to archieve that special look in their cats with just the right size ears and chins and whatnot, all would agree that the healthy, rugged, practical origins of the Maine Coon cat should not be forfeited.



males                females

kitten for sale         about the breed
  The set is created by Beverly Zuerlein,  midi by Margi Harrell. The cat is EuroCh Tenderness Red Devil Of Bonfires.

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