Thread: Can a Tarnished Silver Classic Maine Coon Become "Untarnished"?

Hi, everyone.

We just got a new Maine Coon kitten two months ago. She arrived home at 14 weeks, and was a beautiful silver with lots of white. Her breeder described her as a silver classic with high white. Her coat was initially a clear black and white. Over the last few weeks, however, her black stripes have turned brown and the formerly white or silver areas of the coat are either cream, brown, or a strange brindle color.

I talked to the breeder, and she told me that my kitty is showing signs of tarnish-- and that the colors may stay or revert back to their original black and white. I read up a little about this and it appears that silvers mated with brown tabbies often produced tarnished silver offspring. My kitty's parents are a brown classic tabby and a silver classic tabby. I've not come across any instance of a tarnished silver reverting back to its original colors.

I'm a little sad, as I'd really wanted a silver Maine Coon. However, we are now emotionally attached to our kitty, who is in all other ways a wonderful Maine Coon, with a fantastic personality. Has anyone heard of a tarnished silver Maine Coon becoming "untarnished" as it gets older?

Also, do you think the breeder should have warned us that the kitty would not remain a pure silver? I'm feeling a bit misled.

Skydancer