How to Tell if a Cat Is a Maine Coon

There are a variety of domestic cat breeds in the world. It sometimes even becomes difficult for cat lovers to remember the names of all cat breeds and to recognize them.

However, each cat breed has its own unique features that make it easily distinguishable from other cats. It gets confusing to remember which cat looks like what and to figure out if she is a mixed breed or a pure one.

This cat breed guessing game gets even more adventurous when you have adopted a cat or have been gifted one or, in the worst case, have been lied to.

In any of these cases where you are not sure about the cat's breed, all you can do is make some assumptions and verify these through the internet.

If you aren't entirely sure about the breed and think that your feline pet may be a Maine coon, then read this article to find out.

Because I am going to share some tips that will help you to verify if your cat is surely a Maine coon or not.

How to tell if your cat is a Maine Coon?

So, How to tell if your cat is a Maine Coon? The easiest way to identify a Maine coon cat is through their fur. They have long, thick shaggy fur along with a large rectangular muscular frame.

Maine coon is bulky. However, do not let the fur fool you. A lot of cat breeds with long thick fur are sold to cat lovers in the market in the name of Maine coon cats. In case you're interested, we also have a guide on figuring out the differences between Norwegian Forest VS Maine Coon here.

Check out other physical traits Maine coon has and see if these features are in close resemblance with your cat.

1. Size and shape-

The first and foremost way to determine whether a cat is Maine coon or not is through its size and shapes.

They are not the usual small cats. It is a huge sized breed of cats. It will be hard not to notice when a Maine coon cat passes by.

They are easily visible due to their large size. The average weight of male Maine coon cats is 15-20 lbs, while females have an average weight of 8-12 lbs.

These cats are even bigger in size than small dogs and can be easily identified due to their bulky size and rectangular shape.

2. Fur-

Another distinguishable feature of this cat is their long, thick fur. Since these cats initially took birth in Maine, their long and thick fur keeps them safe from harsh winters in England.

The Maine coons cat's fur comprises three layers, two undercoats and one top layer of thick and long fur. Another thing to keep in mind while checking whether your cat is Maine coon or not is that Maine coon cats have water repellent fur.

While most of the cats will shy away from water, this breed might enjoy bathing or sitting in the rain. They also enjoy swimming at times.

Interested to know some amazing Maine Coon Names? Check Out This Guide

3. Tail-

Have you ever closely observed your cat's tail? Well, if you are trying to figure out whether your cat is a Maine coon or not, then you might want to look at her tail.

Maine coon cats have unusually long tails which are covered in thick, long fur. The bushy tails are broad at the base and become narrow towards the tip.

During harsh winters, they wrap their tails around themselves to keep them warm.

4. Mane-

Another most vital attribute to figure out whether your cat is a Maine coon or not is to look at their mane, which is a large amount of fur on the cat's neck.

This fur is thicker in comparison to the hair covering the rest of the cat's body. Due to this reason, these cats are also referred to as mini lions.

While a majority of cat breeds may have thick fur all over their body or even have a mane around their neck, the unique thick mane in a Maine coon cat is distinguishable.

5. Other physical attributes-

With the help of the three points mentioned above, you would easily be able to configure whether your cat is a Maine coon or not.

However, if you are still looking for factors to determine the breed of your cat, then read about the other physical attributes of a Maine coon cat that will help you conclude.

These physical features include the cat's eyes, ears, and large paws.

Maine coon cats generally have large, wide eyes that are mainly blue in color. The color of the eye changes when the cats grow up.

A Maine coon's eyes are oblique in shape and are slightly tilted towards the top.

Now, look at the cat's hair to see if long hairs are growing out of the cat's ears. Owing to their place of origin, Maine coon cats have long thick fur all over their body, including their ears. Big hair may grow out of your cat's ears if it is a Maine coon.

Note: Just so you know, Maine coons can't have long hair.

After closely observing your cat's eyes and ears, have a close look at your cat's feet. Usually, they have huge paws with pads to protect them against the snow in winters.

Even the small Maine coon kittens will have large paws.

You can quickly determine whether or not your beloved pet is a Maine coon cat.

Conclusion

If the majority of the attributes mentioned above match with those of your cat's, then be assured that you have a Maine coon at home.

However, if your cat only matches with some of the features mentioned above, you need not be disheartened.

There are chances that your cat may not belong to the pure Maine coon breed and must be a mixed breed.

Maine coon or not, every cat needs love and affection from their parents. Even if your cat is not a Maine coon, your furry pet will still shower you with the same amount of love as any other cat belonging to a particular breed.

Other Maine Coon Related Resources:

• Know if Maine coons are hypoallergenic or not here in this article
• How long your Maine coon cat can live?
• Do they have any aggressiveness in their behavior?

Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.

Contents

• 1 How to tell if your cat is a Maine Coon?
  • 1.1 1. Size and shape-
  • 1.2 2. Fur-
  • 1.3 3. Tail-
  • 1.4 4. Mane-
  • 1.5 5. Other physical attributes-

How to Tell if a Cat Is a Maine Coon

Source: https://epicpetclub.com/how-to-tell-if-your-cat-is-a-maine-coon/

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