Breed Standard

TABBY PATTERNS-

Allowances to be made for diffusion of tabby markings in cats showing long or full flowing coats. Recognised coat patterns are Classic and Mackerel pattern.

There is a tendency for tabbies to show white around the immediate area of the lips and lower jaw area. It is a serious fault if this extends to the throat in non-silver tabbies or tabbies registered without white. Silver-white colour on the throat and muzzle of silver tabbies/silver tortie tabbies is not a fault and the base colour may be diluted by the gene producing silver.

Classic Pattern-

All markings to be clearly defined and dense. On the forehead there should be a letter 'M' giving the impression of a frown. There should be an unbroken stripe running back from the outer comer of the eye and narrow lines on the cheeks. On the neck and upper chest there should be unbroken necklaces, the more the better. The edges of the ears to be the same colour as the markings with a central patch of ground colour resembling a thumb print. A series of lines run from above the 'M' marking, over the top of the head and extend to the shoulder markings. The shoulder markings form the outline of a butterfly, when viewed from above. On the back there should be an unbroken line running down the spine from the butterfly to the tail, and there should be a stripe on either side of this running parallel to it. These stripes should be separated from each other by stripes of ground colour. On each flank there should be an 'oyster" shaped patch which should have complete rings, as numerous as possible. The tip of the tail should be the same colour as the markings. The legs should be barred evenly with bracelets from the body markings to the toes which should be spotted. The back of the leg from the sole to the hock should be solid colour. The abdominal area should be spotted.

Mackerel Pattern-

All markings to be clearly defined and dense. On the forehead, there should be a letter 'M' giving the impression of a frown. There should be an unbroken stripe running from the outer comer of the eye and narrow lines on the cheeks. On the neck and upper chest there should be unbroken necklaces, the more the better. The edges of the ears to be the same colour as the markings with a central patch of colour resembling a thumb print. A series of lines run from above the 'M' marking, over the top of the head and extend to the shoulder markings. There should be one narrow, unbroken central spine line on either side of which is a broken spine line from which the narrow lines which form the Mackerel pattern run vertically down the body. These lines should be unbroken and as narrow and numerous as possible. The tip of the tail should be the same colour as the markings.

Colour and markings as above on a silver agouti ground. Nose leather, paw pads and eye rims as above. (See Non-Silver Tabby Series for full description).

Silver-white colour on the throat and muzzle of silver tabbies/silver tortie tabbies is not a fault and the base colour may be diluted by the gene producing silver. Tarnishing is undesirable.

SOLID COLOURS-

The fur should be sound to the roots in colour and free from any shadings, markings and patches of white hairs, except that red series solid cats may well show tabby markings. Nose leather, Paw pads and eye rims to tone with the body colour.

TORTOISESHELLS-

The patterning should extend throughout the coat including the limbs, tail and face; blaze desirable. Base colour should be sound to the roots. Black and shades of red or blue and shades of cream. Nose leather, paw pads and eye rims pink and/or black or blue depending on the distribution of the red/cream.

64 21

Black Solid Tortie

64 28

Blue Solid Tortie

SMOKE COLOURS-

Any solid or tortoiseshell colour accepted. The undercoat should be silvery white with deep tips shading to the basic colour. The cat appears darkest on the back, head and feet. In a smoke cat the silvery white undercoat, which is next to the skin, should not be clearly visible when the cat is in repose. However, this can be seen when fur is parted or when the cat is moving.

This is a genetically silver non-tabby variety of Maine Coon. The appearance of clear tabby markings in the coat is undesirable. However, it is accepted that Red Series Smoke colours may exhibit some faint markings which should not be unduly penalised in an otherwise good example of the breed. It should also be noted that kittens of all Smoke colours may well show ghost tabby markings on the body for which they should not be too heavily penalised. The presence of tabby markings in adults is undesirable.

All smokes should have the following attributes - subistituting black with blue, red, cream, read and black, or blue and cream where necessary.Silvery white undercoat deeply tipped with black, and free from tabby markings. In motion, the silvery white undercoat is apparent; cat in repose appears black with no other markings. Extremities and face black, narrow band of silvery white at base of hair, next to skin, which may only be seen when the fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads black/ blue or pink depending on the corresponding coat colour and distribution of any tortie colouring.

SHADED COLOURS-

Both Standard (non-silver) and Silver Shaded colours are accepted in any solid or tortoiseshell colour. Shaded cats are genetically agouti. In the shaded cat the coloured fur should give the overall appearance of a mantle on the back. The body should be as free from tabby markings as possible in adults. Kittens may well exhibit ghost tabby markings on the body for which allowance should be made.

In Standard Shaded, the undercoat should be as pale as possible with the shaft of each hair pale at the root and darkening to the base colour at the tip.

In Silver Shaded, the undercoat should as pale a silver as possible with shallow tips shading to the basic colour; the dark points being most clearly defined on the back, head and feet and the lighter points on the flanks and ear tufts. Any tarnishing of the coat is undesirable.

Nose leather, paw pads and eye rims in keeping with the basic colour.

BICOLOUR AND PARTICOLOUR-

Any solid, tabby, tortoiseshell, shaded or smoke colour and white. The base colour should predominate. The minimum white permitted is some white to all four paws, underbelly and chest, with some colour allowed to these areas. The cat must not have more than one third white.