# is my boy kitten a Maine Coone no e cross??



## cptrayes (5 July 2013)

Some people will remember that I got a pair of kittens a while ago. They are now 7 months old.  If the girl is normal for her age -she's about 3kilos - then her brother is a ginormous cat.  He has bones thicker than our 9 year old ginger bengal cross, who is himself a big cat, he's half as big again as his sister, his black stripes are longer hair than his grey ones, he has little tufts of hair on the tips of his ears, he's a soppy, floppy creature and he will play fetch for twenty minutes at a time.

Do you reckon he's a Maine Coone with no e cross, or what??


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## s4sugar (5 July 2013)

Probably not - just a big semi long haired moggy. 
Males are often double the size of their female siblings.


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## cptrayes (5 July 2013)

I've never known any cat fetch like he does though?  It's just as if he was a dog.


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## Apercrumbie (5 July 2013)

I think you should show us some pictures so we can get a better idea


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## cptrayes (5 July 2013)

I'm going to put him on YouTube when I get a video of him doing his dog act. I'll post the address


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## s4sugar (5 July 2013)

My Cornish all play fetch & so did my last moggy.


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## joelb (5 July 2013)

Deffo need pictures for a full diagnosis  ear furnishings and retrieve are two confirmed MCness symptoms.

The girl may be slightly smaller than average.my new MC is 16wks tomorrow and weighed 2.9 today and hes all legs and ears atm.

Hope you have some MC in there, everyone should have one.


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## abitodd (5 July 2013)

The`tufts on the ears could indicate some Maine co one. The other thing I have noticed with the breed(I have 2) is nose whiskers. Look on either side of the nose,around the mid point of the nose. On Maine whatsits you will find a special little whisker. I think it must be there to help get their huge heads through gaps.

PHOTOS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## cptrayes (6 July 2013)

abitodd said:



			The`tufts on the ears could indicate some Maine co one. The other thing I have noticed with the breed(I have 2) is nose whiskers. Look on either side of the nose,around the mid point of the nose. On Maine whatsits you will find a special little whisker. I think it must be there to help get their huge heads through gaps.

PHOTOS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
		
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He has long guide whiskers under his eyes, about half way down his face, do you mean those?

I've had loads of moggies, his sister is one, but he is different from any other cat we have had and his soppy floppy fetchy character sounds SO Maine C oon.


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## TrasaM (6 July 2013)

I remember your post CP. I though you decided not to go MC but it sounds like a MC might have found you.  
Pictures plz


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## misterjinglejay (6 July 2013)

I have had lots of coonies over the years - got 4 at the moment, and we definitely need kitten pics! 
Coons tails should be as long as their body, if that's any help.
And mine have all fetched, and are very dexterous with their paws eg they will often carry toys in one paw whilst walking on three. 
They tend to be quite vocal as well, and will chatter away at you all the time.


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## misterjinglejay (6 July 2013)

abitodd said:



			The`tufts on the ears could indicate some Maine co one. The other thing I have noticed with the breed(I have 2) is nose whiskers. Look on either side of the nose,around the mid point of the nose. On Maine whatsits you will find a special little whisker. I think it must be there to help get their huge heads through gaps.

PHOTOS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
		
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That is very true


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## s4sugar (6 July 2013)

misterjay said:



			That is very true 

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No it isn't. Maine coo/ns have the sme number and placement of whiskas as any other breed. Thay can have long whiskers but that is because they are large, semi long haired, cats.

Why adopt moggy kittens and then try to attribute breeds to them?
Next you will all be saying the M on the forehead stands for Main Coo/n... Its a tabby moggy.


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## Dogrose (6 July 2013)

If you go to a cat show and look at the MCs and the long haired non pedigree cats in the pet classes you can't really tell the difference, I'd say if they are rescued mogs then they are just fluffy mogs. 
 Pedigree cats are really quite rare in the UK, can't remember the numbers, 1% I think. Back in the 80's before MCs were around in this country it seemed like any advert for fluffy mogs said they were 'half Persian', now it is common for an advert for tabby mogs to say 'Bengal cross' and I've even seen black kittens being described as Bombays, which is an incredibly rare breed, and anything solid blue is a Russian Blue!


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## joelb (6 July 2013)

Dogrose said:



			If you go to a cat show and look at the MCs and the long haired non pedigree cats in the pet classes you can't really tell the difference
		
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IME thats because many of those cats are indeed pedigrees but have not been purchased with the correct papers (and at the correct price) to allow them in to breed classes.  This is certainly the case for GCCF shows I attend where you might see the odd one or two genuine moggies..not dissing moggies BTW all cats are ace .


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## misterjinglejay (6 July 2013)

All of mine, bar 3 rescues, have all been pedigree - with correct paperwork. I chose not to show, but all of them come from show stock. 
Re the whiskers - they all have those little ones, but I assumed all long haired cats have them.


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## cptrayes (6 July 2013)

s4sugar said:



			Why adopt moggy kittens and then try to attribute breeds to them?
Next you will all be saying the M on the forehead stands for Main Coo/n... Its a tabby moggy.
		
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Why not? If you have a cat who is very different from any of the many other cats that you have owned and know, what harm does it do?

My bengal cross is a bengal cross it's why he was in the rescue centre, brought in by a disgusted owner whose pedigree female had escaped. He has many bengal traits and he never shuts up!

What possible harm do you think I am doing anyone by musing about whether my black/grey tabby, who has so many characteristics of a Maine C oon is  a Maine C oon cross?


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## s4sugar (6 July 2013)

cptrayes said:



			What possible harm do you think I am doing anyone by musing about whether my black/grey tabby, who has so many characteristics of a Maine C oon is  a Maine C oon cross?
		
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If your cat is lovely, and he may well be it may encourage someone with a long haired tabby to produce more moggies and sell them as Maine Coo/n crosses.

I haven't seen you describe any characteristics of a Maine Coo/n - just a normal LH  or SLH tabby  cat. 

Many of the cats at shows in the non pedigree section are the result of queens getting out and Mum is a known pedigree cat. It is rare for an entire purebred male to roam & sire kittens.

What you are doing is rather akin to deciding a 15.2 l/w cob must be a Lippizzaner because it has a crest & chestnuts.


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## Mrs B (6 July 2013)

s4sugar said:



			What you are doing is rather akin to deciding a 15.2 l/w cob must be a Lippizzaner because it has a crest & chestnuts.
		
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Errr... CPT hasn't 'decided' anything, she's merely (as she says) mewsing, and your infurring that her post may encourage others to breed fake MC crosses is a tad OTT, don't you think? 

Pic, please, CTP


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## TrasaM (6 July 2013)

My daughter had a rescue cat which we were convinced was part bred Norweigan Forest cat. His nature his snowshoe feet and hs eye colouring. We even called a local breeder to see if they had sold on any of their litter as he was found dumped, emaciated and ill, in a cardboard box. The most lovely cat who sadly only lived to 18 months doe to hs poor start in life.

One of the kittens our cat had has distinct Siamese characteristics, skin a bit big for him, large ears and a very annoying voice. Rest of the litter were normal moggie.
It's a bt like looking for similarities in your kids. It does not make them any more special but its fun to speculate.


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## cptrayes (6 July 2013)

Especially as all the fathers can be different cats 

If his dad was the same as his sister's it would be a genetic miracle!


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## cptrayes (6 July 2013)

Mrs B said:



			Errr... CPT hasn't 'decided' anything, she's merely (as she says) mewsing, and your infurring that her post may encourage others to breed fake MC crosses is a tad OTT, don't you think? 

Pic, please, CTP 

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He's not actually that 'special' looking, it's just his size and his character that got us wondering.  He is extremely strongly striped black/grey right down his legs but other than that he just looks like a normal tabby with a slightly longer coat than a normal shorthair.


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## cptrayes (6 July 2013)

OK this is him just now.  I think if I was to be trying to make him out to be something I'm not I'd be better off going for Bengal, don't you? But he is nothing like our Bengal cross, his legs are already as thick as Smidjun's and he's only seven months old.


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Px7n7pCkbu4/UdheXBfjCbI/AAAAAAAABBY/jJ_FbfknOWo/s320/PICT0211.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gCcfS4kkrus/UdheXBumR6I/AAAAAAAABBU/L4JF4v6QEmM/s320/PICT0214.JPG


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## pines of rome (6 July 2013)

Well he is lovely ,what ever he is!


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## s4sugar (6 July 2013)

He is a short haired tabby - nothing like Maine Coo/n which is a semi long haired cat.

Tabby is pattern is dominant. His sister is a tortie tabby with white so quite possibly a full sibling. One parent was either a tortie or a ginger & one had white.


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## abitodd (6 July 2013)

s4sugar said:



			He is a short haired tabby - nothing like Maine Coo/n which is a semi long haired cat.

Tabby is pattern is dominant. What colour is his sister?
		
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I had a Maine C cross. (I met his mother,a pedigree cat but his father was unknown) He was large,had pronounced special whiskers and a dense SHORT red tabby coat. He also enjoyed fetch,but his favourite hobby was going out rabbiting with my OH. Our current Maine C also loves this pastime.


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## s4sugar (6 July 2013)

Short hair is dominant to long hair or semi long hair.

I still don't understand why people with moggies try to attribute breeds to them?


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## cptrayes (6 July 2013)

s4sugar said:



			Short hair is dominant to long hair or semi long hair.

I still don't understand why people with moggies try to attribute breeds to them?
		
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Because it's fun you old curmudgeon 

Let me guess, you breed pedigrees and sell them for 800 quid a piece?


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## s4sugar (6 July 2013)

No I breed pedigrees from champions & sell them, fully vaccinated, registered & microchipped for half that & would not dream of allowing my cats to have a mongrel litter.

I also do breed rescue & try to help local rescue groups who have problems with delibreately bred moggy litters.


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## TrasaM (6 July 2013)

Oh no! People deliberately breed moggies have they no shame


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## s4sugar (6 July 2013)

People frequently deliberately breed moggies or crossbreeds & morons pay silly money for them.

Like the crossbreed dog  puppy farmers they con people with mis-representation and often the kittens work out more expensive than properly bred, health tested, pedigree kittens.


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## cptrayes (6 July 2013)

s4sugar said:



			People frequently deliberately breed moggies or crossbreeds & morons pay silly money for them.

Like the crossbreed dog  puppy farmers they con people with mis-representation and often the kittens work out more expensive than properly bred, health tested, pedigree kittens.
		
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I have absolutely no idea why you think this is relevant to my thread. My two were wanted street-bred kittens needing rehoming because the young couple were having to give up their house due to redundancy and rented properties will often not allow pets.

I'd no more pay £400 for a cat than I would cook and eat one


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## s4sugar (6 July 2013)

But people are payng £250 plus for crossbreed kittens with no vaccinations and some are paying £1,000 plus for some  pure breeds.

It is expensive to breed cats well and there is no profit unless you get an unusually large litter if you do all the testing & veterinary fees as they cost a forune to keep until 13 weeks or more.

publicising moggies as "part breeds" can create a demand and there are always those people who will be out for a quick profit.

Personally I consider people who get moggies & then try to say they have (non existant) breed attributes as morons -see my earlier post.

BTW my moggies have been moggies -one from a pregnant queen thrown out in a box in a layby on the A1 & the other from CP from a feral litter born under a garden shed.


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## mulledwhine (6 July 2013)

I understand what she is saying but also agree it has no sense in what you are saying 

My friend bought a poodle x lab, paid £500 !!!!£. My weims were that !!!!

I asked ' what is her parentage ?'

No idea!!'n

What my friend bought was a x breed 

Pretty dog , but looks like hairy mcclarey 

Sorry OP , went off topic


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## cptrayes (6 July 2013)

s4sugar said:



			But people are payng £250 plus for crossbreed kittens with no vaccinations and some are paying £1,000 plus for some  pure breeds.

It is expensive to breed cats well and there is no profit unless you get an unusually large litter if you do all the testing & veterinary fees as they cost a forune to keep until 13 weeks or more.

publicising moggies as "part breeds" can create a demand and there are always those people who will be out for a quick profit.

Personally I consider people who get moggies & then try to say they have (non existant) breed attributes as morons -see my earlier post.

BTW my moggies have been moggies -one from a pregnant queen thrown out in a box in a layby on the A1 & the other from CP from a feral litter born under a garden shed.
		
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Gosh what  a pleasant person you are 

Now you think my light hearted musing is reason to call me a moron.  Says more about you than me, I think.


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## s4sugar (7 July 2013)

cptrayes said:



			Gosh what  a pleasant person you are 

Now you think my light hearted musing is reason to call me a moron.  Says more about you than me, I think.
		
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No I just answered your comment about me. You made assumptions, wrongly. I used information you had provided.


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## Feival (10 July 2013)

S4sugar  You are incredibly rude and a total snob. So what if people are interested in what breed they may have at home. Get over yourself!


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## CLM (10 July 2013)

I'm afraid I amuse myself with the idea that my boy is a Turkish Van.  He has the most amazingly soft silky fur, and he loves playing with water. These are characteristics of the breed, so am treating him like the feline royalty he clearly is. 
The fact that he was actually a stray of totally unknown origin from the rspca, is totally irrelevant.


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## cptrayes (10 July 2013)

I had a white cat who used to come and sit in the bath with me. I always wondered about him  being part Van, too, he was an uneutered 2 year old found in the street.


Your boy sounds lovely


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## pines of rome (11 July 2013)

One of my cat,s that was given to me is "we think" mainly norwegian forest cat!
 What do you all think? Here he is


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## Apercrumbie (11 July 2013)

Well we had a half Maine Coone and your boy looks very similar so it's entirely possible.

And s4sugar, please lighten up.  This is clearly a light hearted thread, and it would be ridiculous for cat breeding to go the same way as dog breeding where pedigree is the only 'acceptable' thing to have.  Pedigree has not improved dog health whereas most of the moggies I know live to a very old age.  Good for you for breeding your beautiful cats, but don't impose your standards on the rest of the cat world who love our moggies very much.


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## TrasaM (11 July 2013)

pines of rome said:



			One of my cat,s that was given to me is "we think" mainly norwegian forest cat!
 What do you all think? Here he is






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Pretty boy. He looks just like the cat my daughter had from a local rescue and we thought he was Norweigan forest cat too. He had very furry feet and I once gave them a trim as they got really dirty .. She wasn't very pleased with me ah, it's fun to speculate


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## pines of rome (11 July 2013)

I think Mcs and NFCs are quite alike they are both big breeds, my Eric has a lot of the norwegian  traits, he is very big, he sounds like one, extremely affectionate, he loves to climb trees and he also has the quard hairs and very big feet of the breed!


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## misterjinglejay (11 July 2013)

Yes, they are very similar, pines of rome. Weggies tend to be a bit stockier, and coonies, larger; both have that gorgeous nature though.

Breed standard for MC's: You obviously have to add the word '****' in yourself 
http://www.maine-****-cat-club.com/showing/SOP.htm 

Breed standard for weggies:
http://www.nfcc.co.uk/breedstandard.html


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## cptrayes (11 July 2013)

POR did he swallow a bowling ball  ??? What a cat!!!!!


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## Amymay (11 July 2013)

Apercrumbie said:



			And s4sugar, please lighten up.  This is clearly a light hearted thread, and it would be ridiculous for cat breeding to go the same way as dog breeding where pedigree is the only 'acceptable' thing to have.  Pedigree has not improved dog health whereas most of the moggies I know live to a very old age.  Good for you for breeding your beautiful cats, but don't impose your standards on the rest of the cat world who love our moggies very much.
		
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I've got to agree with much of this.  I've only ever had moggies.  Healthiest creatures alive.  My neighbour on the other hand has beautifully bred British Short Haired.  None of them last very long, sadly.


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## Spring Feather (11 July 2013)

I have an American Shorthaired and a British Shorthaired, both are huge cats, much closer to dog sized than cat sized.  The American Shorthaired, if I hadn't seen her in her litter as a newborn and met mum and dad, I would swear she was half Chinchilla!  Point being, of course she can't be half Chinchilla .  She is 10 years old and has never lost her super soft and thick silver Chinchilla coat.  The British cat is around 14 years old now.  Both have never had a days sickness in their lives.  I see loads of cats around here that are the bog standard American Longhaireds and others whose owners claim they are Maine Cats, they both look the same to me I'm afraid; big fluffy beasties.


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## pines of rome (11 July 2013)

Yes, he does look rather round there , he is not fat, just big!!!!
Look at his big feet!


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## joelb (11 July 2013)

POR that is one stunning kitty


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## misterjinglejay (11 July 2013)

These are three of mine when they were much younger; all pedigree mc's. Tamsworth, Edward and little Daisy who was due to be a breeding queen in Belgium, but she wasn't big enough and had too much white.






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## misterjinglejay (11 July 2013)

And Angus, when he was about a year old. Got their paperwork somewhere, but they all have very silly pedigree names






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## angelish (13 July 2013)

aww some lovely cats  love Angus


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