by: Carrie Profenno: Author | Mainer | Maine Coon Mama |
The variety of Maine Coon Colors is huge! Most of us have admired a Classic Brown Tabby. A rainbow of colors are possible.
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Since they are a natural breed, a rainbow of beautiful colors are possible. The variety is really amazing.
Here is a comprehensive look at all those beautiful Maine Coon colors.
What you won't find: Maine Coon cats are not bred to be lavender, chocolate, or to have pointed tips, like the Siamese.
What you will find is everything else, from Solid to Tabby, Black to White, (or Black and White!) and everything in between.
A Maine Coon can have gold, green, or bronze eyes. White Coons might have blue eyes, or odd colored eyes!
Maine Coon cat colors are even complimented by their leather. This is their nose and paw pads. So darker cats such as brown, black, or blue will have leather from brown to black.
A light or red colored Maine Coon will have leather in shades of rose or pink, all the way to brick red.
These are fairly straightforward, such as pure White, Black, and Cream. Also there is Blue, sometimes called Maltese. It is an even shade of blue-gray.
In addition, there are Solid Reds. All these cat colors will be uniform, with no variation or hint of Tabby markings.
A Solid Black Maine Coon Cat should have no hint of rust. That is sometimes difficult because black cats commonly have a gene that causes their black fur to take on a rust tint after being exposed to sunlight.
We see that with our Alice, even though the only sun she gets is in the windowsills.
Before heading out to a cat show, a breeder will sometimes use a special shampoo on their black cat in order to get that pure black color shining again.
A Smoke is a solid cat with a "faded" or lighter undercoat. They are very pretty.
The cat will look like a Solid, but when you ruffle the fur of the undercoat, it will be much lighter.
Some are more pronounced than others, even having a smoky look to their chest as well.
The Black Smoke Maine Coon color stands apart from pure Black, both in appearance and genetics, and it’s undoubtedly one of the most visually stunning! This majestic and distinctive coat pattern is a result of intricate genetic mechanisms that create its striking beauty.
This captivating coloration emerges from the interplay of genes that govern fur color and pattern.
Is it the most alluring of the Maine Coon colors? Quite possibly!
Let's talk about this unusual and enchanting color, explore the fascinating genetics behind it, and share photos of gorgeous smokey Coonies.
These are perhaps the most well-known of the Maine Coon colors. The Tabby markings can come in two different patterns.
A Mackerel Tabby has stripes running down his body, with a connecting stripe down his back.
A Classic Tabby has stripes on his legs, face and tail. His body has a random swirl pattern.
The classic look of a Brown Maine Coon will make anyone stop in their tracks!
The Tabbies come in every color. The name of their color is determined by the color of their stripes, as well as the color of the undercoat.
A good example of this is the Red Maine Coon cat. A Classic Red Tabby has an undercoat color of Red with markings in a darker Red.
A Red Silver Classic Tabby has an undercoat of Cream, with markings in Red.
These cat are so vibrant and charming, we have a whole page devoted to them: The Red Maine Coon Cat.
A Tortie is short for Tortoiseshell. This cat has a base color of Black, with patches of Red and Cream.
A Tortie can be difficult to discern. It has the stripes of a Tabby, and patches of different color mixed in.
Our list wouldn't be complete without mention of the beautiful Calico pattern, which is that classic tri-color look with mostly white, and also the Black and White Maine Coon Cat. They are all beautiful!
When one of these colors has a White chest and paws the term "With White" is added to their color.
So, for example a Silver Tabby with white would be just that: Classic Silver Tabby With White. This is also called "parti-color".
So, now that you know all the Maine Coon colors, what would your favorite be?
They are all so gorgeous, it's an impossible choice!
Welcome to our first Celebration of Colors Event! There are many different colors of Maine Coons. Here, we shine a light on each, with lots of community photos!
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