Maine Coon black - features of keeping and characteristics of the animal

The Maine Coon, with its black coat, stands out among its relatives. This is determined by its spectacular and mystical appearance, which fascinates animal lovers. The price category of such babies is higher than that of other colors. However, it pays off, since the nature of the pets is gentle and friendly. The cat requires attentive attention from the owner, for which he pays with boundless love and loyalty.

Description and features of an exotic feline

Maine Coon varieties depending on patterns

The classic version of the animal has a uniform black shade of fur without additional colors. However, there are often representatives of the breed that have a variety of patterns, clearly visible on the face and neck. According to the type of these inclusions, there are the following Maine Coons:

• Brindle. Vertical stripes run along the surface of the animal's entire body, as well as its tail and paws.
• Marble. Dark stains are located on the sides of the pet, which resembles a marble structure.
• Spotted. Stripes are clearly visible on the cat's fur.

Black and white Maine Coon

Animals are classified according to the location of inclusions of a different color. In accordance with this factor, the following are distinguished:

Maine Coons are usually classified according to the factor of inclusions in the color of a different color, for example, Van - only the head and tail are black.

• Medallion. The spot is located on the animal's chest, like a precious decoration.
• Gloves. The pigmentation affected only the paws.
• Bicolor. Uniform ratio of two colors throughout the pet's body.
• The tuxedo. A light-colored “shirt front”, usually located on the sternum, protrudes in combination with gloves.
• Harlequin. The initial undertone of the fur is white, on which there are splashes of black.
• Wang. The entire skin is white, except for the head and tail.
• Black smoke. The base of the hairs is white and the end is black. There are no stripes or stains on the Maine Coon's body.

Black Maine Coons often suffer from polydactyly, so their paws can have 6 toes.

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:

1. Coat color
2. White spot
3. 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

Character and behavior of a four-legged pet

Because of its size, the black Maine Coon is often mistaken for a dangerous animal, but first impressions are deceiving. This pet has a peaceful disposition and is suitable for couples with children. The cat has a playful character and often gets into funny situations due to its size. The pet requires attention from the owner, so it is not recommended for constantly busy people to have a Maine Coon. Lack of care can lead to animal apathy and poor health. Treats all family members with love, but may be wary of guests and not show attention to them.

Training and education

You should try to accustom representatives of this breed to communicate with other people and animals as early as possible. As already mentioned, Maine Coons are cats that have a high level of intelligence, so you will need to take their training seriously.

They can be taught to perform many different commands by choosing the right teaching methodology. So, if an animal shows good results, then it needs to be encouraged. Price

If you want to buy yourself a Maine Coon, then first you need to check such a pet for the presence of various genetic diseases.

Recently, quite a few nurseries have appeared where you can choose a cat of this particular breed. They are expensive pets. So, for a Maine Coon the price can be from 200 to 2000 dollars.

What are the conditions for keeping the animal?

When deciding to adopt a large pet into the family, you should take care of creating a suitable corner in the house. It is best to consult with breeders which hygiene and interior items are ideal for the needs of a black Maine Coon. The cat will feel better if the owner takes care of the following things:

Price

The cost of the animal may depend on the place of sale, and you can buy a cat in a nursery or from a private owner. And, although the cost in the latter case may definitely be lower, it is not at all necessary that the animal will be purebred. In other words, with a private purchase there are significantly more risks. Another thing is nurseries.

Their addresses can be found on Internet resources, they are located in many cities and, in addition, there is the possibility of transportation. By dealing with nurseries, the breeder immediately receives several advantages.

First of all, he is confident that this is a real representative of the breed. Next, the purchase of an animal is accompanied by all the necessary documents and care tips.

They can also warn you about possible animal diseases and how they should be treated. Ideally, of course, if you feel something is wrong, you should immediately go to the veterinarian.

On the other hand, you can do something yourself, for example, cut off the damaged hair - in case of lichen, be sure to burn it, and treat the damaged areas of the skin with a specialized product. Unfortunately, this is true, and cats can get sick too, but it’s more difficult to tell them about it.

On average, the cost of a kitten can vary from $600 to $1,500.

How to care for a black Maine Coon?

Caring for your pet's coat includes weekly combing, and during the shedding period, the procedure is carried out every day.
Cats require not only a specialized place and equipment for a comfortable life, but also additional care:

• Wool. Owners of a thick and luxurious mane need regular combing (2 times a week); during the period of active molting, the procedure is carried out daily. Cats are water friendly and enjoy playing in the bathtub. However, you should bathe your pet only 4 times a year or if necessary.
• Walks. Adult animals kept in the private sector love to walk around the yard and do not run outside its boundaries. Therefore, a cat living in an apartment must be taken out for walks; this requires a leash and a collar.
• Nutrition. Experts recommend using extra-class food, developed taking into account the needs of the cat.
• Vet. Animals require regular examination by a doctor and all routine vaccinations.

The black Maine Coon stands out for the beauty of its color among other representatives of the breed. However, when choosing a kitten, the buyer learns that this is not the only shade that nature has endowed the playful, friendly animal with. The size of the pet requires certain conditions of maintenance and care that will provide it with a comfortable life. Otherwise, he may develop apathy, which will lead to various health problems.

A little history

These kittens are known for their high intelligence and self-confidence. The very name of this breed translates as “cat raccoons”. Indeed, their coat is very similar to that of raccoons.

Thanks to climatic conditions, Maine Coon kittens have such a thick coat. In the places where representatives of this breed were bred, the main emphasis was on agriculture. And such animals helped in becoming excellent mouse hunters. Therefore, the goal of the breeders was to breed pets that would be huge in size and lead an active lifestyle. This is exactly how these kittens turned out.

Starting from the 50s of the 19th century, Maine Coons began to take part in various cat shows. Thanks to this, such animals have become quite famous in many large and small towns in America. This breed began to compete with other known species. They were as popular as Persian or Angora cats.

But already in the twentieth century, interest in such cats began to gradually fade away. These animals again became helpers in the household. And starting from 1953, the breeding of representatives of this breed began to be actively pursued again. Thus, cats have become popular again not only in the USA, but also in other countries and continents. They again began to take first place in the ranking of furry animals. Many people began to purchase them so that their pets would please their eyes and become friends for all family members.

Maine Coon, the description of the breed, perhaps encourages many animal lovers to find out as much information as possible about the pet. Thus, it is known that the approximate time when people started talking about the breed seriously was no less than half a century ago.

It is quite possible that the Maine Coon, whose video is very popular on the Internet, is the result of a successful crossing of short-haired cats living in New England, in Maine, with imported long-haired cats that came to the territory thanks to the movement of traders. However, this, again, is one of the well-known versions.

It was widespread in America in the nineteenth century. It is worth saying that at that time Maine Coon kittens, whose photos now cause delight among many, did not attract the public attention they deserved. And this lasted until the breed was presented at the exhibition.

It is known that the black Maine Coon received a winner's medal, which has been preserved to this day and is in the CFA club.

With the advent of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, cats with pointy ears again became unpopular, and interest in them fell sharply. What this is connected with is unknown.

But, a few years later, already in the mid-twentieth century, fans of the Maine Coon animal began to correct the situation. Their photos were collected and presented in specialized clubs.

And what pushed them to take such a serious step was the announcement that the breed could be considered extinct... Thanks to considerable efforts, by 1956 it was possible to create a standard for individuals of this breed.

Almost twenty years later, the club was considered a serious organization and was treated with due respect. Currently, the adult Maine Coon ranks third in popularity. At the same time, it is worth adding that the first two places belong to exotic cats, the interest in which is quite obvious.

Solid colors

If a cat is completely the same color, it means it is “solid”. Solid colors were developed due to the suppression of recessive tabby genes. There are cases when the pattern is not completely suppressed, then a fuzzy shadow tabby is noticeable. If you look at a black leopard, you can see the outline of the pattern, since the leopard also has similar suppressed genes.

Cream and red colors cannot suppress tabbies effectively, so the pattern on these animals is always present to a greater or lesser extent. The monochromatic white color is obtained by the action of different genes that completely suppress the color. Many white kittens have vague shades on the head, where the color is not completely suppressed, this goes away with age.

Black MCO n

Blue MCO a

Red MCO d

Cream MCO e

White MCO w

Rare colors

The rarest colors include solid colors of Maine Coons of any color. Breeders obtain an even, uniformly colored tone through their work with pets. Color options accepted by the American and European breed standard systems are considered valuable. It is not often that a baby is born with a uniform coat from parents with spots and stripes on the coat. Rare ones also include the presence of a tricolor color in cats.

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The colors of Maine Coons depend on the genetic predisposition of the pet and on the painstaking work of breeders. The colors of a kitten's fur coat differ from the color of the coat of an adult pet. Since over time, in some representatives of the color, the stripes and spots become blurred and are of a residual nature. When looking for a purebred animal of a certain color to take home, you should seek recommendations from nursery owners.

With white markings

White markings, clearly defined (as opposed to the shaded spots of the Siamese) can be present on any color. You just need to add “With white (and white)” to the description of the main color. So, for example, you get “Black and White” or “Cream and White”.

The white areas may vary in size and location, and the most accurate name for the color depends on this:

With white medallion (locket)

- There is a white spot on the chest.

With white gloves (mitted)

– white slippers on the paws.

With white buttons

– the presence of one or more small white spots.

Bicolor (bi-color)

– half white.

Harlequin

- white with several large colored spots.

Van

- all white with color on the tail and head.

Tuxedo (tuxedo)

- white paws and chest. May have some white on head. This definition is informal.

Van

Harlequin

Bi-color

Tuxedo (Tuxedo)

With white medallion (Locket)

With white gloves (Mitted)