question about my cat.

**mchaos** · 18th September 2010, 04:56 AM

Okay,

I have had a cat for just over a year now. I didn't really know about Maine coons until recently. We got her form some one who had a litter, and she is very smart, all muscle and very active.

All of her sibling cats from her litter all Look spitting image of Maine coon. Classic Maine coon from what I have researched on the web. However My cat does not exhibit all of the characteristics.

First off, she is short hair. Which baffles me because I thought the long hair gene was recessive. She has big ears, and big paws. She is already pretty big, but seems to be getting bigger.

Odd thing is happening now. Over the summer, which I thought was weird, she started to get longer hair under her. Seems like its growing in. She is also getting some what of a fluffy breast too. I also notice some dark hairs at the tips of her ears getting more prominent. We started noticing all the hair because one of our friends said she was getting fat, but it was all hair.

She also has a very visible M on her forehead. Her hair has always been very soft and thick even though not long.

She is also around 30" long including tail right now. She is getting bigger fairly quickly. I haven't had a chance to weigh her yet, but she is very heavy and all muscle.

She does not have a thick furry tail. Short hair on it, But I am keeping an eye out to see if she does get longer hair on her tail.

Basically I am just curious. Even though she is the only one out of a littler of 5 that doesn't have all of the Maine coon traits Is my cat a Maine coon? Or does the cat have to have the long hair traits? I am also wondering if it happens some times where Maine coons can some times not have all the traits but gain them as they mature?

Also I want to say, that when I say she is smart, its almost annoyingly smart. With that I mean, she is into everything. You can't hide anything from her. You can't trick her. She knows exactly whats going on. She picks things up very quickly. She loves to sit at the table with us, in her own chair like she is part of the conversation.

**Karol** · 18th September 2010, 10:10 AM

In case it wasn't a purebred litter your kitty came from: have you seen the father of the litter? It is possible that the father was a shorthaired cat who carries the gene for long hair. If you crossbreed such a cat with a mothercat who has long hair (so who does not carry the gene for short hair), it is still possible to have both long and shorthaired kittens in the litter, because both the father and the mother give their genetic material to the kittens.

If it was a purebred litter, however, I agree with candes. Not all maine coons have long hair. I have two half brothers (they have the same father), and Willow is one of those coons who don't have a mane. He does have a bushy tail and some longer hair on his belly, on his behind, ... Indy however, is really bushy everywhere. He has an enormous mane, an equally enormous tail, ... and is really a nightmare because of that. I have to brush him every day. Willow, on the other hand, is one of those coons that very rarely needs a brush.

**FreyjaRoMaine** · 18th September 2010, 10:15 AM

Hi mchaos, I'd echo Karol and Candes - have you had any papers? If you've got a purebred MC the breeder should have given you some paperwork. If you've not got that, have you got any pictures you can post? That's probably the easiest way for us to help.

In any case, puss sounds pretty cool - must be quite exciting watching to see what bit's going to 'grow' or mature next. If you've read through any of the other threads, you'll know everyone's photo obsessed so get snapping!!

**jckkerrison** · 18th September 2010, 11:31 AM

I agree with Karen,get snapping & let us all have a look .....
I wouldn't worry about the length of hair even if you have the papers,as already posted they do vary,to start with they are classed as semi long haired cats,which says a lot as to length of coat & yes they can vary within the litter,my two have always looked different,one has always had lovely flowing coat,ruff,belly shag & britches but his brother it has taken him nearly three years to get the tail,britches & the start of belly shag,ruff we are still left to ponder,will he or won't he,the one with the coat is small & the other one is big,thats MC cats for you &as they don't mature until they are four one would assume like children some are late to bloom...!
As for Teddy Bearz I love his spots,mackerel is my preffered pattern,thats why I waited so long for Merlyn,I would luv all mine to have been spotted,don't know how we would have got that with Welly though,might have been a bit hard...

**mchaos** · 18th September 2010, 06:24 PM

not a pure bread. I know that the mother had long hair, and looked maine coon, but I don't think it was pedigree either. I don't believe that they know the cat that is the father. All I know is that all of the cats in the little look like perfect examples of Maine coon.

She is just over 1 year old. She already dwarfs our other cat which is a tabby and about 9 years old.

Ill try to get some good pics of her and put it up. I have to find one of here with less hair.