How to Identify a Maine Coon

By John Albers

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Cat
Your eyes

Step 1:
Start by looking at the cat’s general shape. The cat should be enormous. The average male easily exceeds 20 lbs. and can be over 3 feet from nose to tail. They usually take four or five years to grow to full size. They have long tails that stay thick right to the very tip, wide shoulders and thick boned limbs. Their paws have been known to be as wide as a full grown man’s hand is.
Step 2:
Look at the cat’s fur. This is a long-haired breed with a thick plume of long silky fur on the tail. They will have a sweeping patch of fur on the underbelly that hangs like a drape. Also the shape of the cat’s neck will be nearly impossible to discern because of the incredibly thick ruff of fur there. Often it will appear as if their neck is set directly onto their shoulders as a result. Because this species crossbred at random they can have nearly any fur color and pattern as well as eye color. The most common appearance though is a tabby. Any Maine xoon tabby will have a distinctive M-shaped series of stripes across the top of the head. This is a very telling mark and will immediately identify the species if you see this.
Step 3:
Examine the cat’s head. The thick ruff of fur under the throat will make the cat appear as if it has a beard. Their skulls are box shaped and look very similar to that of a wild lynx. Their ears are set widely apart and are typically angled to the sides. They have a very thick brow and deep set eyes. The cheeks are understated by the incredibly wide and powerful jaws that seem to jut to the sides. The whiskers will be very long and thick, though pure white, unlike a wildcat. This wildcat look is often aided by tufts of fur at the tips of the ears, otherwise known as lynx tips, though these are not always present. If that cat has these characteristics then you’re looking at a Maine coon. It’s actually the second most popular cat in the world, aside from the Persian, and is not at all uncommon save for areas of the world near the equator.

Tips & Warnings

Despite its rugged and savage appearance, the Maine coon is very docile. Its thick fur and great size were instrumental in the cat's survival in the cold northeastern winters. In reality the Maine coon is a gentle and very easy going species. They get along well with children and other pets, and are very passive when it comes to changes in their owners or surroundings. It should be noted that this species was originally used to hunt down vermin by early American settlers. Because of this the Maine coon is very active at night and an excellent hunter. They prey primarily on mice and rats, but thanks to their great size they have little trouble taking down opossums, moles, armadillos, and other animals roughly the size of a small dog.
Because of this breed's incredibly thick fur, they are largely meant to live in areas that have a great deal of cold weather and snow. They do not like the heat.

Resources

List of certified Maine coon breeders

Photo/Video Credit

thehaikucorner.blogspot.com

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