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.
General characteristics of Maine Coon cats
The Maine Coon is the largest breed of cat, bred in America in the northwestern state of Maine. Studying the general characteristics of coons, it is worth highlighting:
- country of origin - USA;
- the weight of females is up to 5-7 kg, males up to 12-13 kg;
- life expectancy from 12 to 15 years;
- the average cost of kittens in nurseries is from 20 to 70 thousand rubles;
- the length of the animal is more than 1 meter.
Representatives of this cat family differ significantly from other breeds: their huge size, massive paws, the presence of tufts on their ears, a fluffy and long tail (in most individuals its length is 70 cm). The cats got their name due to their great external resemblance to raccoons (color and fluffy tail).
Important : Maine Coons, like raccoons, love to stand on their hind legs and look into the distance.
Origin story
The history of the origin of all native cat breeds, including the giant Maine Coons, is shrouded in legends and myths.
The first hypothesis about how this breed appeared dates back to the times of the Vikings, when they conquered new lands. In the year 1000, warriors traveled on their boats to the New World, and with them the ancestors of Norwegian forest cats got there. However, the Vikings were soon forced to return to the old continent. But the cats stayed for a long time, and as a result of crossing with local cats, the Maine Coon appeared.
The second version dates back to the time of the French Revolution, when Queen Marie Antoinette planned her escape from Paris (1793). She sent her cats to Captain Samuel Clough's sailing ship in advance. The couple of monarchs did not manage to leave France, but the animals safely reached the shores of the United States in Maine. There the cats received new blood from local animals, which became the basis for the formation of a new breed.
Another legend says that Maine Coons are the offspring of a domesticated cat and a wild Manx raccoon.
Objective data about Maine Coons appeared only at the beginning of the twentieth century, when “The Book of the Cat” by the American Frances Simpson was published in 1903. In it, the author described in detail both her own pets and the animals that belonged to her friends. The beginning of the story dates back to 1861, which became the main starting point in the biography of this extraordinary breed. Then there are almost no blank spots left in the Maine Coon chronicle:
- Beginning in 1860, Maine farmers exhibited local cats during the annual fair.
- Most of all, Maine Coons were valued not for their external qualities, but for their incomparable ability to hunt rodents - the large cat easily coped with the invasion of mice in grain barns.
- In 1895, 12 Maine Coons took part in the first national North American show - the cat Cozy from Maine was named the winner of this show.
Then history made an unpleasant zigzag - in the twentieth century, the large Maine Coon breed was almost destroyed by the expansion of the Persians and Turkish Angora cats. In 1911, the aborigines took a prize for the last time at an exhibition in Portland and disappeared from the field of view of felinologists for 40 years.
The big cats were rescued in the same place where their lineage began - in the agricultural regions of America. Farmers were indifferent to fashion trends, but they were concerned about the safety of the crop. So the Maine Coons did what they knew how to do best - catch rodents.
In 1976, the breed was completely restored, it returned to international exhibitions and from that time on never disappeared. Another 9 years later (1985), Maine Coons were recognized as the official state cat of Maine.
Red color options
Maine Coons come in a variety of colors. The most common are ginger cats, namely:
- fiery red. This coloring is characterized by the presence of a bright red color with a clear pattern;
- red and white. This color is the most common. Two-colored red and white cats are divided into those whose head, ears and tail are red, or whose red fur has white spots on the chest and white socks on the paws;
- brindle. With this coloring, the fur has dark stripes located vertically and parallel to each other;
- smoky. This color is in greatest demand. The base of the hairs are white, and the tips are red. The color intensity can vary: from darker to lighter. When half a hair is dyed, this type is called “regular smoke.” If 1/4 of the hairs are dyed, it is considered to be “shaded smoke”;
- creamy. A uniform cream color is very rare in Maine Coons. Dark lines appear on the muzzle, forming eyeliner around the eyes. Also, spots and stripes of a dark shade may be present on the sides.
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.
Genetics of color
Maine Coons have only two genetic colors: black and red. The remaining colors are artificially bred by breeders, and they are based on these two natural colors.
Important : most breeders use a special color chart to determine the future color of kittens.
There are certain rules when breeding red Maine Coon kittens:
- When mating a ginger cat with a cat of a different color, the kittens will not inherit a uniform red color. Most likely, their color will be tortoiseshell;
- When mating a red cat with a cat of a different color, the kittens will be born completely red.
Variety of color
The main genetic color variants of the breed are the Maine Coon with black fur and the pet with red fur. The color characteristics include information about the color of the fur, the type of pattern and the presence or absence of inclusions of other shades.
Black
Black is a rare color for Maine Coons. The pet's coat should be evenly colored, the tone should be even, the second name of the representative is Maine Coon of black solid color. According to the breed standard, only a small pattern is allowed, which is especially noticeable in bright light on a kitten. A pet with such fur should not stay in the sun for a long time, the fur coat will fade and its color will acquire a brown tint. The animal's eye color is copper or bright orange. Maine Coon black marble represents a cat with streaks on a black background.
White
The purest snowy coat of this coon is not colored with pigment; its absence makes the hairs white. The shade is fixed in the grown pet; such kittens are born gray or white with slightly noticeable cream stripes. With age, the color of the fur changes. The eyes are yellow or, less commonly, blue. Among animals with this color there are cats with eyes of different colors, the name of the feature is heterochromia. The white Maine Coon with blue eyes has a predisposition to deafness.
Ginger
The red Maine Coon, the classic version of the breed, wears a bright red coat, the color makes the cat look like a lynx. It is believed that representatives of this color are smarter and more savvy than other pets. The pattern is clearly visible on the sunny-colored wool. The Red Marble Maine Coon comes in a rich orange tone. The red Maine is in demand among buyers and cat lovers.
Blue
In a blue Maine Coon, the color from the roots of the hair can be gray or white. The shade of the coat is light or rich. Stripes, spots and tan marks are allowed in kittens; with age they become invisible. The Blue Solid Maine Coon is considered to have a uniformly colored coat; the presence of silver inclusions is not allowed. The eye color of representatives of the color is emerald and green.
Grey
Among the types of gray color, there are two options: cold and warm marble. Color is considered an indicator of the presence of black genes in Maine Coons.
Ticked
The forehead, chest and limbs of a ticked Maine Coon may be painted with a residual mottled pattern: a faint mark in the shape of the letter “M” on the forehead, circles or barely noticeable spots on the neck. The rest of the pet's surface is evenly covered with striped hairs. This color option is not so common among coons. At the root the pigment is more saturated, at the end of the hair it smoothly turns into a light tone. There is no clear pattern on the fur.
Tabby
Maine Coon Tabby is a type of coat that is drawn and is supposed to have stripes on its coat. The eyes of a representative of this color are outlined with a clear line, there are stripes on the muzzle and a slightly noticeable o. At close range, you can see the alternation of dark and light hairs on the coat, called agouti. Tabby colors come in the following varieties:
- classical;
- spotted;
- brindle;
- ticked.
The color can be shown by any of the pet's fur colors allowed by the breed standard. The shade is based on the tones of the stripes and the tip of the animal's tail. A variation of the tabby is also the chinchilla variant: 1/8 of the coat is dyed.
Tricolor
The tri-colored Maine Coon is a tortoiseshell variety that consists of cream, red, and black. Due to genetic predisposition, only females are born tri-colored; cats with this color are born very rarely. Tricolor cats are not considered a separate breed; this species arose accidentally, spontaneously. There is no historical information about the appearance of the fur variety.
Smoky
The roots of the smoky maincoon's hair are perfectly white. This is the main difference between the species and the blue pet. Varieties of smoky suit:
- black smoke;
- blue smoke;
- tortoiseshell.
The color saturation of 50% of the hair on the surface of an animal's fur is called “normal” smoke. The coloring of ¼ of the fur coat of a purebred animal has a name: “shaded” smoke. The color and location of the pattern fills 1/8 of the hairs, which means it is a Maine Coon Chinchilla.
Tortoiseshell
Pets with a tortoiseshell color are divided into two varieties: black and red, as well as bluish-cream. Particles of the presented shades on a colored coat are evenly scattered over the surface of the animal’s fur. It is believed that this color of fur occurs in cats. A male representative with this coloring appears rarely and cannot have offspring, as he has a feature: infertility.
There are varieties of tortoiseshell color: scaly and patchwork, as well as tortoiseshell tabby. There are variants of black wool with this type: torbi (a mixture of red and dark brown) and torti (red and cream). The tortoiseshell species can be presented in addition to white spots with clear, pronounced outlines.
Silver
A color is called silver if there are patterns on the smoky coat with a white root. Carriers of the color have emerald-colored eyes. Pets of the merle color on silver have peach-colored stripes on a light surface.
Chocolate
The chocolate shade of the Maine Coon's coat is not included in the classification of the breed standard. The first individual of this color, nicknamed Brownie, got the shade by accident. There are assumptions: her ancestors were Siamese cats.
Cream
The cream Maine Coon is considered a variety of red color. The pet has a delicate light shade of coffee with milk; spots and stripes are acceptable on the fur coat. A pure solid tone does not occur.
Marble
The type of color has a contrasting pattern: a combination of the main color with clear stripes and shapes. The following characteristics are acceptable for a marbled Maine Coon:
- clear round and oval shapes with obvious boundaries;
- large parallel wide lines along the body;
- butterfly pattern between the shoulder blades;
- the letter "M" on the pet's forehead.
brindle
Brindle coloring suggests the presence of vertical lines on the surface of the coat. Variegated blurry spots on the sides of the limbs complement the main pattern.
Spotted
The coat of the spotted Maine Coon is covered with fuzzy circles; this type has spots of different shapes and sizes in the form of intermittent stripes. Types of white spotted color:
- bath; a spot on the head and about three on the body;
- harlequin; there are markings on the back, legs and partly on the tail;
- bicolor, ½ blonde hairs.
Forest (wild)
Forest color - black marbled type. In appearance, a pet with such a fur coat resembles a wild cat. It is probably because of this color that the idea arose about the origin of the Maine Coon from the lynx and jungle cats.
This is interesting: How much does a Maine Coon weigh at 1 year?
Character and habits characteristic of large red Maine Coons
Each kuna has its own individual character, making them unusual. As practice shows, the color of kittens does not affect their behavior and temperament. This breed is open to communication with people; cats are especially good with children.
This breed is very inquisitive and always shows interest in what their owner is doing. Red Maine Coons love affection and attention. They can even lie on their owners’ laps, but more often than not, coons prefer to sit next to each other on the sofa, maintaining their personal space. The red Maine Coon is restless and very active, they always need to do something. Therefore, having decided to purchase a ginger kitten from a nursery, think in advance whether you can devote at least half an hour a day to play with him.
Attention : many people believe that Maine Coons are independent and love being alone. In fact, this is not the case, and it is not recommended to leave cats alone in the house for a long time, as they will become sad.
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
How to care for an adult pet's fur
A healthy pet's coat should be silky, shiny and flowing. Her condition is affected by:
- proper nutrition, balanced in the amount of vitamins and minerals;
- conditions of detention. For example, a sedentary lifestyle, poorly ventilated rooms and regular stress negatively affect the appearance of the coat;
- proper care. Coons need to be combed 2-3 times a week with a special comb and bathed once every few months with shampoos carefully selected at the veterinary pharmacy. At the time of shedding (it can be seasonal, or associated with hormonal changes in the body of cats aged from 6 to 12 months), the pet must be combed daily.
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.
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.
Special attention is paid to the nutrition of Maine Coons. Their diet should be balanced, and with the required amount of vitamins and minerals. Adult cats are recommended to buy premium food. They contain a high percentage of meat and all the beneficial substances are present.
If it has been decided to feed the kitten natural food, the diet should contain:
- meat products (beef or chicken);
- quail or chicken eggs. No more than 1-2 times a week;
- fermented milk products: kefir, cheese, yogurt;
- cereals: buckwheat, oatmeal;
- vegetables and fruits: carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers.
Attention : cats should not be given sour cream, yoghurt, fermented baked milk and cream, as they often contain harmful additives.
This breed is very sensitive to water quality. The drinking bowl should always be filled with fresh and clean water. It is advisable that the water be filtered or settled.
Important : It is not recommended to give boiled water to Maine Coons. It ruins their teeth.
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.
