Smoky Maine Coon - characteristics and description of the breed

The ideal cat for home keeping is considered to be the Black Smoke Maine Coon, whose appearance is mesmerizing. The most valuable coat color among representatives of the breed is deep black. Animals are endowed with a good-natured character, a gentle and kind disposition. The Maine Coon cat is large in size, naturally well-mannered, graceful, and behaves proudly and independently.

Description and appearance

Approved breed standards

The presence of several extra toes on a Maine Coon cat's paws is not considered a “defect.”
The body weight of cats reaches 15 kilograms, and that of females up to 10-13. These animals are not artificially bred, the breed is of natural origin. Maine, where cats originate, has a cold climate. For this reason, nature has endowed them with a dense, thick coat with a warm undercoat that protects them from freezing. The main feature of the breed is considered to be the polydactyl nature of the cats. Cats can have up to 2-3 extra toes on their paws, however, this is not a breed defect.

Spotted colors

Maine Coons can have the following types of spotting:

• buttons - in the form of scattered small spots on the body;
• medallion - a large spot on the chest;
• gloves;
• van – a white cat with colored spots on his head;
• harlequin - large colored spots on white fur.

Spotted Maine Coon color/Yandex Collections

Character and behavior

Representatives of the Black Smoke Maine Coon breed are endowed with a kind, playful, affectionate character. They become strongly attached to their owner and require attention and care on his part. The main feature of pets is the ability to “talk”. Cats make sounds that are not like meowing, but can be compared to human conversation. Animals come to the place where the owner is resting and lie down next to him. They get along well with children, but are in no hurry to play with them.

Cats are independent, proud individuals. They will never touch the bowl of other animals in the house, will not take the owner's food from the table and will not beg. They love to have fun with toys, they quickly flirt, and the ball is especially interesting for them. Maine Coons Black Smoke do not tolerate parting well with their owner, even if he leaves for a short time, they are seen off at the door and always greeted.

If there is a need to go on a business trip, it is recommended to think through options with whom to leave a representative of the breed, otherwise he may get bored.

What colors are considered the most expensive and respectable?

The fashion for the color of cats changes over the years. Either red marble soars in price, or Harlequin. Colors can be truly rare and original. But the value of animals is not in them, but in their health and breed characteristics.

A cat is a friend, a family member. It doesn't matter what his fur is. They choose a friend with their hearts and for a long time, and the colors are all good in their own way.

Cheaply choose and acquire a friend in the Lakiss nursery, Novosibirsk. For example, a black marble male kitten costs 5,000 rubles.*

Kittens are delivered to any city in Russia and abroad by the AKBARS nursery in the city of Ufa. They are purebred with passports and pedigree. The average price is 15 thousand rubles.

Varieties

The color of animals can be of various shades, which are inherited, for example, black solidus is considered rare.
The coat color of Maine Coons has a rich palette of shades: blue, cream (beige), tortoiseshell, red (red), snow-white, black. Cats with dark hair are available in 3 varieties:

• Black solid. Maine Coon kittens with black colors are considered rare. They have a shade of fur that is the same rich color all over the body. There are pigments in the animal's body that are responsible for color. Thus, eumelanin is responsible for black color, and pheomelanin is responsible for light colors. Scientists studying the characteristics of this breed have concluded that the set of chromosomes is interconnected with the gender of the newborn baby, which means the color is inherited from mother to son.
• Black marble. The Maine Coon cat is not completely dark; breed standards allow streaks in the colors of the coat. Irregular lines shimmer in a variety of shades and create an unusual pattern on the fur. For this reason, cats are called marbled cats.
• Smoky. The black smoke cat differs from its fellow cats by having white roots in its fur. All other fibers are dark in color, the bottom of the pile is white-gray, and the roots must be white. When stripes and marbled spots are present on the coat, the color is called black silver tabby or “marble on silver.” This pattern has no clearly defined boundaries. Cats are divided into several more subspecies depending on the length of the white part of the coat: shaded smoke (25% dark hairs, 75% light at the roots);
• smoky (fur color 50/50);
• chinchilla - the main part of the coat is white and gray.

Care and health depending on color

The most dangerous color in terms of cat's health is considered to be white coat color, which can give the Maine Coon not only charm, but also congenital deafness. By the way, Darwin once pointed out the connection between blue eyes, white color and deafness.

To minimize the risk of such an anomaly, many felinological organizations prohibit mating between two snow-white sires.

To avoid purchasing a deaf animal, you should not buy it through free classified sites or from dubious breeders. Remember that white kittens may have blurry markings on their faces; these usually go away with age.

It is better to wash white wool with special shampoos (for light-colored animals) and not to use conditioners that can give it an unnatural shade.

Owners of black Maine Coons face another type of difficulty - browning and graying of the coat. This usually happens before seasonal molting or, conversely, after a coat change. If your cat does not show off at shows, a change in shade is not fatal.

A Maine Coon vying for the championship title must be flawless - without a “collar” and “pants” that are gray or brown. Proper nutrition, as well as bathing and combing, which stimulate the removal of brown/gray hairs and the active growth of new ones, which eventually acquire a charcoal color, will help get rid of the unwanted shade.

Contents: how to care for a cat?

After the owners have brought the pet home, it is not recommended to carry out bathing procedures for several weeks in order to protect the animal from stress. You can only comb the coat using a hard specialized brush once a week. It is necessary to purchase a scratching post for your pet, making sure to pay attention to the strength and height of the product. After adaptation, it is important to bathe the animal. The adoption of water procedures should be carried out with shampoos and conditioners, after which the pet must be wiped dry with a warm terry towel. If there are fleas in your cat's fur, or to prevent their appearance, you should use specialized medications. Experts do not recommend bathing Maine Coons with black smoke before and after vaccination and if the cat has had any illness. It is necessary to clean the eyes and ears as they become dirty with cotton pads or a soft cloth moistened with warm water.

Maintenance and care

Despite the fact that this breed of cat tolerates harsh climates well, the owner of large animals will need to pay a lot of attention to them.
The main nuance of maintenance is Maine Coon fur care. Since there is quite a lot of it, in addition, it stands out due to its length, in order to prevent tangles, the cat will need to be combed regularly. A suitable comb is a blunt-toothed comb. It is recommended to perform such procedures every other day. Long-haired breeds are also recommended to be bathed with shampoo once every 6 months. The animal's claws require attention. As they grow, the ends should be trimmed, avoiding removing the living part where the capillaries are located.

As a kitten grows, its teeth change, but caring for the animal’s oral cavity is mandatory at any time. For these purposes, use a special toothpaste and brush.

Hygiene measures will also apply to the ears. The ears are subject to regular inspection; if various types of dirt are found in them, they are cleaned with a damp cotton sponge. You should avoid using sticks or matches with cotton wool. Cats' eyes should be wiped with a damp swab using boiled water.

Big cats themselves are noted for their cleanliness, so they constantly lick their fur. To help your pet get rid of hairballs in the stomach, specialized pastes are sold for animals that help cleanse themselves from the inside. Neglecting such remedies can lead to constipation and coughing in your cat. In addition, Maine Coon owners are recommended to grow a “cat garden” at home, which will help them cleanse the body on their own.

Cats at any age will be interested in entertainment, in addition to spending time in the arms of the owner. For these purposes, it is worth installing scratching posts, labyrinths and ladders at home, as well as shelves, beds and other interesting devices designed for active pet play. Otherwise, the Maine Coon will use curtains, cabinets and sofas as “sports equipment”.

For cat litter, you can purchase special litter or sand, but cleaning the litter box should be regular in light of the large size and smell of feces of both Maine Coon boys and girls.

The issue of cat nutrition should be approached thoroughly. It is best to individually select dry food for your Maine Coon together with a veterinarian or breeder. However, the animal will also actively and correctly develop on natural food. Super class food will already contain the necessary vitamins for a member of the cat family. When choosing a different type of feeding, your pet’s diet should include raw and boiled beef, chicken, and turkey. You should avoid fatty meats.

The animal should also be given lean fish, dairy and fermented milk products, and boiled eggs. It will be possible to replenish the supply of essential microelements by including sprouted grains in the diet. Vegetables and cheese can also be given to pets. Your Maine Coon will need clean, fresh water. To select the optimal portions of food, you can use a special sign that will indicate the weight of the kitten and its approximate menu.

The optimal age for mating is one and a half years. Maine Coons typically have 1 to 6 kittens per litter per year. Cats have very developed maternal instincts, so they show amazing care for newborns. If the breeder for some reason does not want to breed cats, then castration is carried out for males. It is best to castrate an animal before the age of one year. Cats are sterilized.

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.