CFA Breed Standard:
Maine Coon

POINT SCORE

HEAD (30) Shape .......... 15 Ears ........... 10 Eyes ........... 5 BODY (35) Shape .......... 20 Neck ........... 5 Legs and Feet .. 5 Tail ........... 5

COAT ................ 20 COLOR (15) Body color ..... 10 Eye color ...... 5

GC, NW Coonsboro Beni Pussalini of Angtini

GENERAL: originally a working cat, the Maine Coon is solid, rugged, and can endure a harsh climate. A distinctive characteristic is its smooth, shaggy coat. A well proportioned and balanced appearance with no part of the cat being exaggerated. With an essentially amiable disposition, it has adapted to varied environments.

HEAD SHAPE: medium in width and medium long in length with a squareness to the muzzle. Allowance should be made for broadening in older studs. Cheekbones high. Chin firm and in line with nose and upper lip. Nose medium long in length; slight concavity when viewed in profile.

EARS: Shape: large, well-tufted, wide at base, tapering to appear pointed. Set: approximately one ear's with apart at the base, not flared.

EYES: large, expressive, wide set. Slightly oblique setting with slant toward outer base of ear.

NECK: medium long.

BODY SHAPE: muscular, broad-chested. Size medium to large. Females generally are smaller than males. The body should be long with all parts in proportion to create a well-balanced rectangular appearance with no part of the anatomy being so exaggerated as to foster weakness. Allowance should be made for slow maturation.

LEGS and FEET: legs substantial, wide set, of medium length, and in proportion to the body. Forelegs straight. Back legs are straight when viewed from behind. Paws large, round, well-tufted. Five toes in front; four in back.

TAIL: long, wide at base, and tapering. Fur long and flowing.

COAT: heavy and shaggy; shorter on the shoulders and longer on the stomach and britches. Frontal ruff desirable. Texture silky with coat falling smoothly .

PENALIZE: a coat that is short or overall even.

DISQUALIFY: delicate bone structure. Undershot chin. Crossed eyes. Kinked tail. Incorrect number of toes. White buttons, white lockets, or white spots. Cats showing evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern; or unpatterned agouti on the body (i.e. Abyssinian type ticked tabby).

MAINE COON CAT COLORS

EYE COLOR: eye color should be shades of green, gold, or copper, though white cats may also be either blue or odd-eyed. There is no relationship between eye color and coat color.

Solid Color Class

WHITE: pure glistening white. Nose leather and paw pads: pink.

BLACK: dense coal black, sound from roots to tip of fur. Free from any tinge of rust on tips or smoke undercoat. Nose leather: black. Paw pads: black or brown.

BLUE: one level tone from nose to tip of tail. Sound to the roots. Nose leather and paw pads: blue.

RED: deep, rich, clear, brilliant red; without shading, markings, or ticking. Lips and chin the same color as coat. Nose leather and paw pads: brick red.

CREAM: one level shade of buff cream, without markings. Sound to the roots. Nose leather and paw pads: pink.

Tabby Patterns

CLASSIC TABBY PATTERN: markings dense, clearly defined, and broad. Legs evenly barred with bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail evenly ringed. Several unbroken necklaces on neck and upper chest, the more the better. Frown marks on forehead form an intricate letter "M". Unbroken line runs back from outer corner of eye. Swirls on cheeks. Vertical lines over back of head extend to shoulder markings which are in the shape of a butterfly with both upper and lower wings distinctly outlined and marked with dots inside outline. Back markings consist of a vertical line down the spine from butterfly to tail with a vertical stripe paralleling it on each side, the three stripes well separated by stripes of the ground color. Large solid blotch on each side to be encircled by one or more unbroken rings. Side markings should be the same on both sides. Double vertical rows of buttons on chest and stomach.

MACKEREL TABBY PATTERN: markings dense, clearly defined, and all narrow pencillings. Legs evenly barred with narrow bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail barred. Necklaces on neck and chest distinct, like so many chains. Head barred with an "M" on the forehead. Unbroken lines running back from the eyes. Lines running down the head to meet the shoulders. Spine lines run together to form a narrow saddle. Narrow pencillings run around body.

PATCHED TABBY PATTERN: a patched tabby (torbie) is an established silver, brown, or blue tabby with patches of red and/or cream.

Brown Tabby Color Class

BROWN TABBY (classic, mackerel, patched): ground color brilliant coppery brown. Markings dense black. Back of leg black from paw to heel. White trim around lip and chin allowed. Nose leather and paw pads: black or brown desirable.

All Other Tabby Colors Class

SILVER TABBY (classic, mackerel, patched): ground color pale, clear silver. Markings dense black. White trim around lip and chin allowed. Nose leather: brick red desirable. Paw pads: black desirable.

BLUE-SILVER TABBY: Ground color pale, clear silver. Markings a deep blue affording a good contrast with ground color. White trim around lip and chin allowed. Nose leather: old rose desirable. Paw pads: rose desirable.

RED TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color red. Markings deep, rich red. White trim around lip and chin allowed. Nose leather and paw pads: brick red desirable.

BLUE TABBY (classic, mackerel, patched): ground color pale bluish Ivory. Markings a very deep blue affording a good contrast with ground color. Warm fawn overtones or patina over the whole. White trim around lip and chin allowed. Nose leather: old rose desirable. Paw pads: rose desirable.

CREAM TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color very pale cream. Markings of buff or cream sufficiently darker than the ground color to afford good contrast but remaining within the dilute range. White trim around lip and chin allowed. Nose leather and paw pads: pink desirable.

CAMEO TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color off-white. Markings red. White trim around lip and chin allowed. Nose leather and paw pads: rose desirable.

Brown Tabby & White Color Class

BROWN TABBY AND WHITE (classic, mackerel, patched): color as defined for tabby with or without white on the face. Must have white on bib, belly and all four paws. White on one-third of the body is desirable.

BROWN VAN TABBY AND WHITE (classic, mackerel, patched): white with color confined to the extremities: head, tails, legs. One or two small colored patches on body allowable. Tabby pattern to be present in the colored markings.

BROWN PATCHED AND WHITE [including vans (classic, mackerel)]: color as defined for the patched tabby(torbie) but with a distribution of white markings as described in brown tabby with white. Color as described for patched tabby

All Other Tabby & White Colors Color Class

TABBY WITH WHITE: color as defined for tabby with or without white on the face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws. White on one-third of body is desirable. Colors accepted are silver, blue, red, cream, or cameo.

VAN TABBY: white with color confined to the extremities: head, tail, and legs. One or two small colored patches on body allowable. Tabby pattern to be present in the colored markings.

PATCHED TABBY WITH WHITE (torbie with white): color as described for patched tabby (torbie) but with distribution of white markings as described in tabby with white. Color as described for patched tabby (torbie) with or without white on face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws. White on one-third of body desirable. Colors accepted are silver or blue.

BLUE SILVER TABBY AND WHITE: color as defined for tabby with or without white on the face. Must have white on bib, belly and all four paws. White on one-third of the body is desirable.

Parti-Color Class

TORTOISESHELL: black with unbrindled patches of red and cream. Patches clearly defined and well broken on both body and extremities. Blaze of red or cream on face is desirable.

TORTOISESHELL WITH WHITE: color as defined for tortoiseshell with or without white on the face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws. White on one-third of body is desirable.

CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of black and red. White predominant on underparts.

DILUTE CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of blue and cream. White predominant on underparts.

BLUE-CREAM: blue with patches of solid cream. Patches clearly defined and well broken on both body and extremities.

BLUE-CREAM WITH WHITE: color as defined for blue-cream with or without white on the face. Must have white on bib, belly. and all four paws. White on one-third of the body is desirable.

BI-COLOR: a combination of a solid color with white. The colored areas predominate with the white portions being located on the face, chest, belly, legs, and feet. Colors accepted are red, black, blue, or cream.

VAN BI-COLOR: white with color confined to the extremities: head, tail, and legs. One or two small colored patches on body allowable.

Other Maine Coon Colors Class

CHINCHILLA SILVER: undercoat pure white. Coat on back. flanks, head, and tail sufficiently tipped with black to give the characteristic sparkling silver appearance. Legs may be slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest, pure white. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black.

SHADED SILVER: undercoat white with a mantle of black tipping shading down from sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Legs to be the same tone as the face. The general effect to be much darker than a chinchilla. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black.

SHELL CAMEO (Red Chinchilla): undercoat white, the coat on the back, flanks, head, and tail to be sufficiently tipped with red to give the characteristic sparkling appearance. Face and legs may be very slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest white. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose.

SHADED CAMEO (Red Shaded): undercoat white with a mantle of red tipping shading down the sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Legs to be the same tone as face. The general effect to be much redder than the Shell Cameo. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose.

BLACK SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with black. Cat in repose appears black. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask black with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Light silver frill and ear tufts. Nose leather and paw pads: black.

BLUE SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with blue. Cat in repose appears blue. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask blue with narrow band of white hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. White frill and ear tufts. Nose leather and paw pads: blue.

CAMEO SMOKE (Red Smoke): white undercoat, deeply tipped with red. Cat in repose appears red. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask red with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose.

BLUE-CREAM SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with blue, with clearly defined patches of cream as in the pattern of the blue-cream. Cat in repose appears blue-cream. In motion, the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Face and ears blue-cream pattern with narrow band of white at the base of the hairs next to the skin which may be seen only when the fur is parted. White ruff and ear tufts. Blaze of cream on face is desirable.

TORTIE SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with black with clearly defined unbrindled patches of red and cream. Cat in repose appears tortoiseshell. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Face and ears tortoiseshell pattern with narrow band of white at the base of the hairs next to the skin that may be seen only when fur is parted. White ruff and ear tufts. Blaze of red or cream on face is desirable.

SMOKE WITH WHITE: Color as defined for smokes with or without white on the face. Must have white on bib, belly, and all four paws. White on one-third of the body is desirable.

OMCCC (Other Maine Coon Cat Colors): any other color with the exception of those showing hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern; the unpatterned agouti on the body (i.e. Abyssinian type ticked tabby), or these combinations with white.

The following information is for reference purposes only, and not an official part of the CFA Show Standard.

MAINE COON CAT COLOR CLASS NUMBERS