Of course, every cat lover and owner has his own preferences regarding the color of his pet’s coat. Some people believe that there is no more attractive cat than the owner of a white fur coat, some prefer fiery red cats, others see beauty in striped fur. The only thing that almost everyone will agree with is that Maine Coons with black coats are especially attractive. Perhaps it’s the timeless classic or the fact that there is something mystical and mysterious about black cats.
All about marbled Maine Coons
The Maine Coon breed is considered the most beautiful representative of the cat family, and the most beautiful color is black marble. It is this coloring that is considered natural, which allows the animal to correctly fit into its habitat in the wild. All other colors are obtained through selective breeding, and today there are many types of Maine Coons. They have certain codes that help evaluate this cat breed.
Red single color (solid)
In fact, redness implies rich terracotta or cream shades of fur without light tan marks or a smoky effect. Each hair must be completely dyed. In the place where the patterns are located on the fur, the shade is 2-3 times stronger. The coat of this color is always accompanied by a pattern, so Maines do not have uniform redness.
To read: Features of the American Mastiff breed, cost of the dog
Features of colors
This cat breed can be classified as the largest domestic animal, which can boast not only of its grace and size, but also of strength, good-natured character and intelligence. In total, breeders developed 6 coat colors of these cats. This breed took a long time to develop, limited populations were crossed here, and the natural colors of black marbled and black brindle tabby were obtained. Today, breeders have begun to breed a huge number of colors of this breed, and every day the population is growing and replenished with new shades of wool.
There are several especially valuable Maine Coon colors:
- monochromatic coloring of cats, it is the rarest;
- Tabby color is natural, so only brindle and merle are found.
There are also solid colors that were obtained as a result of the hard work of breeders, these include:
- white, there are no pigment spots in the fur, and kittens have gray spots that disappear after the individual grows up;
- black, there is practically no visible pattern, but if you look closely, you can see a barely noticeable pattern, but it is indistinguishable;
- the red color does not have light hairs, it looks more red, the shade is completely painted over, red Maine Coons have a clear pattern and the pigment is more saturated;
- The most solid color among Maine Coons is considered to be blue, while the coat has a gray-blue tint with no ornamentation;
- Pure cream color of cats is not found in Maine Coons, that is, there are still visible pigment spots on the fur.
Now it’s worth considering some types of Maine Coons, habits, type of coloring, what they are, and also a few words will be said about caring for this breed of cats.
Tan, red and cream
Each type of these cats is majestic in its own way, and no matter what shade your cat has, ginger cats have a particularly striking appearance. The red shade refers to solid colors; the coat has a uniform dark red color. But light stripes still appear on the coat, in this case the result is a tabby shade. In addition to the usual red color, there is also a brindle coloring; visible dark stripes appear on the surface of the body.
This type of color also includes the creamy shade of Maine Coon fur; it appears on the head, body and tail of the cat. Pure cream color appears very rarely in the population; there is still a visible pattern.
Also, several more types of Maine Coons can be identified by their coat, for example, if there is a white undercoat “on silver” on the roots, then this is a silver color.
Black and smoke
The pattern on black marble wool is the same in location as that of red marble, only here it will not have stripes, but unusual patterns on the brown skin. The smoky color of cats is a white or light basal surface. And when the cat begins to move, this coloring becomes more noticeable. This color includes the following color types:
This color also has differences in the length of the coat and its color:
- 1/8 of the wool is dyed - this is the color of chinchilla;
- if it’s 1/4, then it’s a shade;
- It can be considered smoky if half of the coat is dyed.
Tortoiseshell
These cats have multi-colored fur, spots are scattered in a chaotic manner throughout the body, predominantly black, white and brown. Most often, a Maine Coon cat has this color; all this happens at the genetic level during crossing.
Calico
These are white cats with beautiful red and black spots on a white background all over the surface of their fur. They differ from tortoiseshells in that they have spots on the black coat.
Black marble
It is the marbled coloring of Maine Coons that is highly valued, since the color is very similar to real marble. The merle Maine Coon color is very common as a natural coloration. To choose a Maine Coon kitten, there is a certain table of color designation and color markings. Using such a table, you can choose an animal without looking at the kittens live or from a photo. In this breed, only the color of the eyes is not marked, since here the iris can be of any color.
Origin story
Maine Coons boast a rich 150-year history. Much is known about the development and formation of the breed, but the appearance of such large cats in the north of America is shrouded in secrets and legends. One of them says that cats are the fruit of love between a cat and a raccoon. From the latter they inherited their large size and striped tail. According to another legend, Maine Coons have the blood of North American lynxes. As proof of this version, many cite the well-known tassels on the ears. However, the truth is that they are the result of selection; 100 years ago many representatives of the breed did not have these tassels, and even today not everyone has them. Realistic felinologists believe that, first of all, this is a population of domestic cats that formed naturally. Over the decades, these cats have been honed by nature itself, which has made them physically hardy and large animals, perfectly adapted to harsh winter conditions and hunting.
Since ancient times, “raccoon” cats lived on Maine farms and fought with numerous rodents, protecting grain supplies. But only the hardiest and largest individuals with well-developed muscles and gorgeous appearance took part in further targeted selection under human guidance. Maine Coons are rightfully considered the national pride of America. Since the mid-19th century they have already begun to be talked about as a separate breed. At one of the fairs, farmers even organized an exhibition where Men's raccoon cats competed for the title of Meime State Champion coon cat. Undoubtedly, this speaks of their high popularity and love of the local population. Further, large cities also became interested in cats from Mena. They began to appear at exhibitions in Boston and New York, where they competed with another popular breed at that time - the Angora cat.
In 1895, at the Madison Square Garden New York cat show, the beautiful Maine Coon Kuzi became a star and received the title Best of Show. It was a brown tabby cat (initially only those could belong to the breed, but later the palette expanded significantly). In 1908, at an exhibition organized by the CFA in Boston, the fifth Maine Coon was registered, his name was Molly Bond. Over the next 10 years, the popularity of the breed grew exponentially, they began to be exported to other countries and actively improved their external characteristics. However, since 1911 there has been a lull. For 40 years, Maine Coons have not appeared at any specialized exhibition. Apparently, this was due to the emergence of other, more interesting breeds.
Thanks to the enthusiasm of raccoon cat lovers from 1966 to 1968, a breakthrough was made and the champion title was returned to the giant. In 1968 there were six, which is still in operation today. In 1976, the Maine Coon breed was officially recognized, and by 1980 about 200 nurseries and thousands of fanciers were registered. There were certain standards and Maine Coons began their triumphal march around the world, winning the hearts of millions with their incredible appearance and peaceful nature.
Video review about Maine Coon cats:
Rare colors
Any breed of animal has rare types of colors, this also applies to Maine Coons; such kittens are not considered defective. These colors include:
- brown spotted, this cat can easily hide in the grass;
- creamy blue, this shade is more like tortoiseshell, only the pattern in it has more pastel colors;
- chintz, this color is more white, where there are spots of black and red;
- tortoiseshell white, here comes a mixture of tortoiseshell and white.
White monochrome (solid)
This shade is rare for Maine Coon skin; it appears due to the complete absence of pigment, that is, albinism. Getting such individuals is fraught with dire consequences.
Along with their snow-white coat, cats run the risk of inheriting incurable and difficult-to-correct genetic diseases. Animals are often born with congenital problems such as deafness and blindness.
In essence, whiteness among Maines is the absence of color. However, healthy cats do not completely lose their coat pigmentation. Upon closer inspection, fuzzy spots are visible on the whitening fur coat - a shadow pattern that becomes paler with age.
Features of the character and care of animals
Maine Coons are very observant animals, as scientists have proven, they can do conscious actions. Not many felines can raise their offspring together, but a cat and a Maine Coon cat do it together. These cats have an excellent memory, which allows them to remember several commands from their owner.
Animals are peaceful and therefore try to adapt to a person’s regime and habits.
Cats will get along well with other animals and children, as they love to be held. It takes time for a pet to get used to a new person, so cats treat guests with caution. Maine Coons are very loyal animals, this devotion is comparable to that of a dog, and they are also easy to train. These are very energetic pets, they need to move a lot, there must be enough space for this.
Even though this is a pet, it still needs to be walked outside at least several times a week.
Since Maine Coons have very long and thick fur, it requires careful and constant care. To prevent the fur from getting tangled, it should be combed; for this, special combs with rounded teeth are used, this is necessary so as not to injure the delicate skin of the animal. Cats love to wash themselves and are neutral towards water, so they can be washed easily. The ears of these animals are a weak point, they should be given special attention, they need to be cleaned with a soft cloth, the inner surface of the shells should have a pink tint.
Maine Coons love high places, so their personal space should be high. Owners who live on the upper floors should be careful about open windows in the rooms. Since Maine Coons are large, they cannot group themselves correctly when falling, which is why accidents happen to animals.
Animals love meat, so they must have it in their diet, but you shouldn’t chop it finely; chewing food will strengthen the cats’ jaws. The diet should not contain fish, milk, and cats should not be given pork or lamb. Kittens of this breed are born quite large in size, they are very playful and active, they are almost always busy, and when they find themselves in an unfamiliar place, they will completely explore the room. You can buy Maine Coon kittens at the age of 12 weeks and above.
You can buy kittens in a specialized nursery, the price for them is not small. Here everything will depend on the color, gender and age of the animal, and it is also worth considering why the pet will be acquired. If the animal will not be shown at exhibitions, and there are slight deviations from certain standards, then their price starts from 20,000 rubles. Of course, on the Internet there are a lot of advertisements for the sale of these kittens at a lower price, but they are usually not purebred. And it is worth remembering that the natural colors of Maine Coons will always cost much more.
In order to have such an animal, you need to count on your caregiving efforts, free time, and also money for decent maintenance of these big cats.
You will learn more about marbled Maine Coons in the following video.
Source
Price
Black Maine Coons are very popular among buyers. Several factors influence the cost:
- age - kittens aged 2 - 5 months are more expensive than adults, since the process of adaptation to new conditions is easier and faster for them;
- gender – the price for cats is higher than for cats, because they are larger and more powerful, which makes a greater impression, and have a more playful and perky character;
- kitten class - representatives of the breed that have some exterior flaws are much cheaper.
A Maine Coon belonging to the pet class, which means it has shortcomings in appearance, will cost the buyer an average of 10 thousand rubles, a representative of the breed class, which can participate in exhibitions - 20 - 25 thousand rubles, a kitten show class, fully consistent with the standard - 50 - 70 thousand rubles.
You can save on purchasing a Maine Coon by purchasing it not in a nursery, but through an advertisement on the Internet or in the market. However, it is important to understand that in this case there is no guarantee that the kitten will be purebred or that it will not have pathologies.
EMS color code
To simplify the names when entering data into documents, the EMS (Easy Mind System) coding system was adopted.
Maine Coon (MC) cats are classified as semi-longhair (SLH – Semilonghair, group 2).
There are two genetic colors in Maine Coon cats: black and red. The rest of the variety of colors are shades or lightening of the main ones. In fact, the favorite white shades are not a color - it is simply the absence of a color pigment.
When determining color, three factors are taken into account:
- Coat color
- White spot
- Type of drawing
Coat color is indicated in Latin letters:
- n – black
- a – blue
- d – red
- e – cream
- f – black tortoiseshell
- g – blue-cream tortoiseshell
- w – white
- s – silver or smoke (with a pattern – silver, without a pattern – smoky)
- y – not officially recognized in the breed – gold
White spotting is designated by the following code:
01 – van (almost white individual with several spots) 02 – harlequin (larger colored spots are located on the main white background) 03 – bicolor or two-color 09 – white spots on the legs and/or chest
Other codes do not apply to the Maine Coon breed.
The pattern of a cat is called tabby. Its type is indicated by numbers:
11 – shaded (only 1/4 of the hair is dyed) 12 – chinchilla (only 1/8 of the hair is dyed) 21 – agouti (the coding is assigned if it is clear that the pattern will be, but it is not yet clear which one) 22 – marbled or classic pattern 23 – brindle pattern 24 – spotted pattern 25 – ticked pattern
Maine Coons are allowed to have any eye color that matches the following colors:
61 – blue* 62 – all shades of yellow 63 – eyes of different colors 64 – green
*only white cats have blue eyes
Black smoke
This color occurs if the cat’s hair is colored in two colors: the lower part is white, and the upper part is dark. Sometimes the pigmentation of the hairs on the body has different intensity, then the effect of iridescent fur appears on the animal’s fur coat. Black Smoke Maines are often born with light spots due to genetic predisposition, so even dark and smoky fur types are rare.
Color classification
All colors of Maine Coon cats can be divided into categories: with a pattern or tabby; without a pattern or solid; tortoiseshell; smoky and silver.
Drawing (tabby)
The Maine Coon Tabby has the following traits:
- stripes on the forehead in the shape of the letter "M"
- eyes and nose mirror are outlined in dark
- there are dark stripes on the sides of the muzzle
- stripes on the chest form a “necklace”
- horizontal stripes on paws
- small spots on the belly
The drawing itself comes in 4 types:
- Marble or classic (blotched/classic). There are rounded marks on the sides; a “butterfly” is possible between the shoulder blades. And solid lines along the spine.
- Tiger (mackerel). There are solid vertical stripes on the sides and a dark stripe along the spine.
- Spotted. Pattern in the form of small spots or dotted stripes.
- Ticked. The drawing is only on the face. Each hair ends in a dark color. The ticked color of Man-Coons is not typical and is typical of Oriental breeds.
People often use the name “wild” or “forest”. Underneath is the black marbled color of the Maine Coon n22.
Solid (solid)
A solid colored cat should have a uniform color throughout the body. Breed standards assume that the coat color is rich and the hairs are dyed from base to tip. The disadvantage is the residual pattern, including on the head, as well as a lighter undercoat (than the main color). Markings of a different color are considered defective.
In Maine Coons, solid is represented by 5 colors:
Some colors are not allowed in the breed standard. The unrecognized colors of the Maine Coon are: gold, chocolate, cinnamon, fawn, lilac and color point.
The black Maine Coon cat has a stunning look. It needs to be combed more often than others. This way, fur renewal occurs faster and dead brown hairs do not remain. This is especially true during the molting period. For a healthy and beautiful coat, you need to provide your pet with proper nutrition. Maine Coons with a black coat are the most difficult to prepare for a show. Dead hairs are brownish in color, while new ones are gray, which darkens over time. You need to make sure that the wool in the collar area and on the “pants” does not have a different color cast.
If a Maine Coon is born black with a white spot, then it is already a bicolor color.
The red color of the Maine Coon includes all shades. Most often you can hear the name red Maine Coon. Due to the strong tabby gene, it is very difficult to achieve the absence of a pattern in a Red Maine Coon. Therefore, it is slightly visible, but still present in the solid.
Description of the breed
When we talk about the size of a cat, we mean that its weight can reach eleven kilograms. Agree that such an animal cannot even be compared with the miniature domestic cats that we have become accustomed to since childhood. Their body is large and muscular, covered with long hair and an insulated, dense undercoat. The tail is long and fluffy. The paws are powerful and straight. The ears are wide at the base, tapering towards the tips. The eyes are quite large and oval. Any color of the iris is allowed. As for color, there are strictly regulated restrictions. Absolutely any color with any pattern is allowed.
Black marble
This kind of marble was not bred by specialists, but appeared along with the rock. Wide dark stripes and brown fur helped the animals hide in the forest when hunting. The shade was called marble because when transitioning from one strip to another, the feeling of a stone surface is created. Representatives with marbled fur coats are often larger than their respectable relatives, because their appearance has remained virtually unchanged since the birth of the Maines.
Blue marble
Blue kittens range in shades from slate gray to light blue, giving each cat a unique look. Rich blue stripes on a lighter coat look impressive. There are individuals whose hairs are colored in three colors at once: white - blue - gray. With such a wealth of colors, the cat's coat looks shimmering and smooth. Unlike merle, this color was obtained through painstaking breeding by breeders.
