The Maine Coon is America's native longhaired cat.
The breed, with its essentially amiable disposition, developed through a natural selection process where only the fittest survived. It should always be remembered that the Maine Coon developed basically as a "working cat" able to fend for itself in rough, woody terrain and under extreme climatic conditions.
The Maine Coon is a large breed with big ears, broad chest, substantial boning, a long, hardmuscled, rectangular body and a long, flowing tail, and large feet with tufts
Body: | The large to very large cat has a muscular, elongated and broad body. It gives an overall rectangular impression. The muscular neck is of medium length, the rib cage is broad. The medium long legs are solid and muscular. The paws are large, round and tufted. The tail is long and shall reach at least to the shoulders. It is broad at the base, tapering and with flowing furnishing. |
Head: | The large, massive head with straight contours appears square. Cheek bones are high. The nose is of medium length. The profile is curved. The muzzle is massive and square and clearly defined. The chin is massive and solid and is in line with the upper lips and the nose. |
Ears: | The ears are very large with a broad base and tapering. They are almost upright and high set. The distance between the ears is no more than an ear width. The ear furnishing extends beyond the outer edge of the ears, ear tufts (lynx tufts) are desirable. |
Eyes: | The eyes are large, oval, set wide apart and slightly slanted. Eye colour shall be even and corresponds with the coat colour. |
Coat: |
Except the frill, the fur on the head and the shoulders is short and becomes distinctly longer along the back and the flanks, as well as on the belly. The dense undercoat is soft and fine under the coarser, firm top coat. The dense, loosely falling top coat is water repellent and covers the back, flanks and top of the tail completely. The under parts of the body and the back of the hind legs have only undercoat. Longer furnishing on the chest is desirable, a full frill is not required. |
Colour varieties: | The colours chocolate and cinnamon, as well as their dilution (lilac and fawn) are not recognized in any combinations (bicolour, tricolour, tabby). The pointed pattern is also not recognized. All other colours and patterns are recognized. Any amount of white is permitted. The description of colours is listed in the general list of colours. |
Faults: | A coat with an overall even length is a fault. Withhold CAC for finely built body. |
Scale of points
Body: | 35 |
Head: | 30 |
Eyes: | 5 |
Coat texture, colour and pattern: | 25 |
Condition: |
5
|