Maine Coon red color, color and character

Maine Coons are an attention-grabbing breed. Its representatives are majestic creatures, fascinating with their power and chic appearance. According to the standards, various colors are allowed for this breed, including red or marbled red Maine Coon.

They are the brightest and most popular representatives of their breed. It should be noted that the red color includes various shades - from cream to red.

General characteristics of Maine Coon cats

The Maine Coon is the largest breed of cat, bred in America in the northwestern state of Maine. Studying the general characteristics of coons, it is worth highlighting:

• country of origin - USA;
• the weight of females is up to 5-7 kg, males up to 12-13 kg;
• life expectancy from 12 to 15 years;
• the average cost of kittens in nurseries is from 20 to 70 thousand rubles;
• the length of the animal is more than 1 meter.

Representatives of this cat family differ significantly from other breeds: their huge size, massive paws, the presence of tufts on their ears, a fluffy and long tail (in most individuals its length is 70 cm). The cats got their name due to their great external resemblance to raccoons (color and fluffy tail).

Important : Maine Coons, like raccoons, love to stand on their hind legs and look into the distance.

What can you call it?

A difficult choice for owners is what name to choose for a bright red cat or a girl cat. Owners of Maine Coons recommend taking a closer look at the new family member, studying his character and then naming him. The name of a red Maine Coon may differ from the one given to him in the kennel at birth.

Purebred cats have a passport with their name already indicated. The nickname consists of the name of the nursery, the name of the letter indicating the number of litters by mother and the name of the breed.

You can give a nickname that will match the color. For example, Leo or Twinkle (Spark - from English). The color of the pet can suggest other names:

• Red - red.
• Orange - orange.
• Goldie is gold.
• Fox.
• Fire - fire.
• Peach.
• Pink - pink.
• Fox.
• Ruby.
• Scarlett is scarlet.
• Ruddy is ruddy.
• Tabby.

Scottish names are very suitable for ginger cats, for example:

• Gregor.
• Maxwell.
• Hectorina.
• Kirsty.
• Lenox.
• Alice.
• Douglas.

The combination of playfulness of color (or tenderness - in the case of cream) and character traits - independence, masculinity - can be reflected precisely in the animal’s name. The main thing is that the name is sonorous, easy to pronounce and succinct. Maine Coons are close to dogs in their character and love of humanity; they need communication with people, and the easiest way to establish a connection with a pet is to call it by name more often.

Maine Coons are excellent at distinguishing intonations and human speech. It is better from a young age to teach the animal to respond to its own name, and not to sounds (for example, “ks - ks”).

Red color options

Maine Coons come in a variety of colors. The most common are ginger cats, namely:

• fiery red. This coloring is characterized by the presence of a bright red color with a clear pattern;
• red and white. This color is the most common. Two-colored red and white cats are divided into those whose head, ears and tail are red, or whose red fur has white spots on the chest and white socks on the paws;
• brindle. With this coloring, the fur has dark stripes located vertically and parallel to each other;
• smoky. This color is in greatest demand. The base of the hairs are white, and the tips are red. The color intensity can vary: from darker to lighter. When half a hair is dyed, this type is called “regular smoke.” If 1/4 of the hairs are dyed, it is considered to be “shaded smoke”;

• creamy. A uniform cream color is very rare in Maine Coons. Dark lines appear on the muzzle, forming eyeliner around the eyes. Also, spots and stripes of a dark shade may be present on the sides.

Colors

In the Maykun family, cats of various colors are usually called “red”:

• Red solid. The wool is almost uniformly dyed in a dark orange tone or brick color. The red color is the most beautiful and the streaks and stripes on the muzzle, tail, and paws are very clearly visible. This is a manifestation of the tabby gene.
• Red brindle. Dark stripes are clearly visible on the fur, which gives the Maine Coon a resemblance to a tiger. Dark spots may also appear. The patterns combine stripes and spots, together leaving something like picturesque stains on the wool, reminiscent of the texture of marble.
• Red smoky. These cats have white hairs at the roots and bright orange hairs at the ends. There are also variations - when only half of the hair is dyed; shaded - with a quarter of colored hair; chinchillas - only an eighth of the hair is colored, the rest is white.
• Red with white. The location, shape and size of spots on red-white wool give various color combinations: bicolor - white and red equally; van – ears, head and tail are orange, everything else is white; harlequin - there are a number of red spots on the body; red with white medallion - there is a white spot on the chest; red with white buttons – there are a few white spots; red with white gloves – the cat’s paws have neat white “socks”; red with white tuxedo - white collar on the neck and white “socks” on the paws.
• Cream. Animals of this color have soft pastel peach colored fur. Like other red cats, these individuals have clearly distinguishable patterns on their fur - stripes and spots. Pure cream color is very rare. If the pattern is very obvious, then the Maine Coon is called brindle, classic tabby, marbled or spotted. If the hairs at the root are white, then it is a silver color. As an option - cream marble silver. Cream cats are also smoky - the pattern is barely visible, but the fur is painted white at the base. You can also find cream-white Maine Coons, they have white spots on their fur.

Below in the photo you can see the variety of shades.

Red solid.

Red brindle.

Red smoky.

Red with white.

Cream.

The red Maine Coon is no different in size from its black or silver counterparts.

An animal of this breed can reach 10 kilograms or more, on average males weigh 8 kilograms, cats - about 5 kilograms, and stop growing by the age of 4 years.

This is interesting: Proper nutrition of Maine Coons

Genetics of color

Maine Coons have only two genetic colors: black and red. The remaining colors are artificially bred by breeders, and they are based on these two natural colors.

Important : most breeders use a special color chart to determine the future color of kittens.

There are certain rules when breeding red Maine Coon kittens:

• When mating a ginger cat with a cat of a different color, the kittens will not inherit a uniform red color. Most likely, their color will be tortoiseshell;
• When mating a red cat with a cat of a different color, the kittens will be born completely red.

Tortoiseshell

The tortoiseshell Maine Coon comes in two types – torby and torty.
The first type is a combination of red and black shades of wool, expressed in a dark brown color. The torti has a greater addition of red with dark cream. Of particular interest is the fact that tortoiseshell coloring is most often found in cats.

The probability of a male being born with this coloring is approximately 1 in 1000.

On such cats, markings of different sizes and shapes are more clearly visible. Based on the severity of these spots, several colors can be distinguished:

• calico;
• flap;
• chintz.

These cats are characterized by the presence of red shades of fur. The classic color, consisting of three colors, is obtained by mixing black and red. This makes the coat more variegated. There are also several tortoiseshell shades.

Scaly tortoiseshell

Reminiscent of fish scales, the order of spots on the body is checkerboard. These spots alternate in black and red tones and are unevenly distributed. Any one of the colors may predominate.

Calico and solid tortoiseshell (patchwork)

The spots of black and red color resemble flaps. They have defined boundaries and can overlap each other. If the wool has white patches, this color is called “tortoiseshell white” or calico. Red and black spots are solid in color and clearly visible on the animal’s body.

Patterned tortoiseshell

Multi-colored spots have a pronounced pattern. These may be spots or stripes, but marbled colors are also common. There may be small white spots. In this case, it is fashionable to say that the color is spotted tabby or tabby with white spots.

Character and habits characteristic of large red Maine Coons

Each kuna has its own individual character, making them unusual. As practice shows, the color of kittens does not affect their behavior and temperament. This breed is open to communication with people; cats are especially good with children.

This breed is very inquisitive and always shows interest in what their owner is doing. Red Maine Coons love affection and attention. They can even lie on their owners’ laps, but more often than not, coons prefer to sit next to each other on the sofa, maintaining their personal space. The red Maine Coon is restless and very active, they always need to do something. Therefore, having decided to purchase a ginger kitten from a nursery, think in advance whether you can devote at least half an hour a day to play with him.

Attention : many people believe that Maine Coons are independent and love being alone. In fact, this is not the case, and it is not recommended to leave cats alone in the house for a long time, as they will become sad.

Cost and where can I buy?

The price of a ginger kitten will depend on the color scheme. If the color is interesting and rare, the animal will cost more. Red Maine Coons are highly valued among breeders of this breed. The most expensive ones are red solid color, without a pattern. A silver and smoky Maine Coon will cost its owner 20 - 25 thousand rubles.

Even if the animal is not for exhibitions (the so-called pet class) but is of a rare color, its price will not fall less than 20 thousand rubles. A red or cream tabby pet will cost less. A marbled cream or brindle red Maine Coon is estimated at 10-15 thousand rubles and more. White and red cats cost the same (if their color variations are not rare).

The price of a kitten will decrease as it gets older. The most expensive animal is from 3 months. The older the Maine Coon, the lower its cost. Purebred Maine Coons from high-quality parents reach prices of up to 100 thousand rubles.

You can buy a kitten:

• Hand-picked at an exhibition, from breeders.
• In a local nursery (after finding it through an exhibition, on the Internet).
• You can choose from already born kittens or reserve a litter that is just expected.
• In a nursery abroad.

The practice of ordering kittens from other cities and even countries is extremely common. If a future owner is looking for a purebred animal, he can order it from a specific breeder and from specific parents. It is not recommended to take a kitten by hand, on the market, or via the Internet from unverified breeders.

There is a high probability of mixed breeds and fake documents. Nurseries that raise Maine Coons very carefully monitor the fate and reproduction of all their pets. A purebred Maine Coon is a guarantee of breed standards, outstanding appearance and a flexible but independent disposition.

How to care for an adult pet's fur

A healthy pet's coat should be silky, shiny and flowing. Her condition is affected by:

• proper nutrition, balanced in the amount of vitamins and minerals;
• conditions of detention. For example, a sedentary lifestyle, poorly ventilated rooms and regular stress negatively affect the appearance of the coat;
• proper care. Coons need to be combed 2-3 times a week with a special comb and bathed once every few months with shampoos carefully selected at the veterinary pharmacy. At the time of shedding (it can be seasonal, or associated with hormonal changes in the body of cats aged from 6 to 12 months), the pet must be combed daily.

Random color combination

For some reason, the color orange is traditionally considered in its pure form, but in reality it is rare. Most often, this shade appears in Maine Coons in white and red combinations, and forms combinations of various shapes and proportions:

• Tortoiseshell color - alternating red and black spots over the entire surface of the Maine Coon's coat. It consistently appears in female cats, while male cats get it in the only case - if they have an extra X chromosome and the entire sex formula looks not XY, but XXY. In this variant, Oo genes are added to these two XX and the coloring becomes tortoiseshell. Maine Coon males with this color are born sterile.
• Bicolor - a combination of white and red with a tabby pattern. The ideal color is a white chest, belly and paws on the inside. There may be a light, closed collar on the neck and a flame on the muzzle. The entire upper part of the Maine Coon (head, back, tail) should be covered with a basic red color. The genetic formula of red bicolors is written as aaOO/YD-Ss. The final gene designations Ss are responsible for white spotting.
• Tortoiseshell bicolors combine the first two points, but in fact already show three colors - white, black and red.
• A large group of cats with insignificant inclusions of white on the main red color is considered separately. The spots are classified as medallions, buttons, gloves, cap/saddle.

White-red (red) Maine Coons in any combination of colors look very elegant and even defiant. And if you add a powerful body, stern eyes and tufted ears to the portrait, you get an unusually beautiful large cat.

Health and feeding

The Maine Coon breed is characterized by excellent health. With proper care, timely vaccinations and a balanced diet, they almost never get sick.

Important : kittens are given the first vaccination at two months of age, the second at 3 months, and the third at 1 year.

Despite the good health of cats, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian at the slightest discomfort. Especially if your pet has:

• vomiting and diarrhea;
• cough and sneezing;
• discharge from the eyes;
• lack of appetite;
• dulling or hair loss.

Special attention is paid to the nutrition of Maine Coons. Their diet should be balanced, and with the required amount of vitamins and minerals. Adult cats are recommended to buy premium food. They contain a high percentage of meat and all the beneficial substances are present.

If it has been decided to feed the kitten natural food, the diet should contain:

• meat products (beef or chicken);
• quail or chicken eggs. No more than 1-2 times a week;
• fermented milk products: kefir, cheese, yogurt;
• cereals: buckwheat, oatmeal;
• vegetables and fruits: carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers.

Attention : cats should not be given sour cream, yoghurt, fermented baked milk and cream, as they often contain harmful additives.

This breed is very sensitive to water quality. The drinking bowl should always be filled with fresh and clean water. It is advisable that the water be filtered or settled.

Important : It is not recommended to give boiled water to Maine Coons. It ruins their teeth.

Tabby

This type of coloring is present in all representatives of the Maine Coon breed, but may not be expressed in a bright form. This color is a genetic predisposition. A cat's hair has its own zoning or striping. The wild ancestors were tabbies, which was inherited by modern representatives. There are various options for this design.

Classic, spotted and brindle tabby

Characterized by wide stripes of a spiral shape. They are usually located on the sides of the animal, and can resemble marble stains. Spotted tabbies have intermittent stripes or spots of color throughout the animal's body. The brindle tabby is similar to the brindle coloring - vertical stripes along the entire length of the body.

Ticked Tabby

These cats have no stripes or spots at all. The fur has a peculiar pattern on the face, paws, and chest. Ticking is the distribution of pigment along the hair. The tip has a rich shade, gradually losing brightness towards its root.

Smoke and variations

A large coon with smoky fur attracts attention. Associations with mystery arise, and while moving, the cat’s coat shimmers in the light. Professionals from the cat world divide smoky cats into several categories. The degree of coloring of the hair is of great importance.

Black smoke is distinguished by its white roots and the intensity of its base color. An analogy can be drawn with blue cats. Coons with the end of the hair half dyed are simply called smoky. Shaded ones have only a quarter of the end painted black, and chinchillas have half as much.

Coon silver smoke allows you to see real metamorphoses in kittens. Their coat is very light from birth. It only gets darker as you get older. Usually this color is classified as a chinchilla, and is also defined as shaded. Silvers are distinguished by their green eye color. Whereas white cats have a blue iris.

In red smoke kittens, the pigment development process is similar. They come in cream or cameo color, and as they age they develop broken stripes, indicating a tipping color. The babies look completely white. There is also turtle smoky.