Maine Coon Colors
Black and Black Smoke Maine Coon Cats
Black Maine Coons available now, and everything about the color.
A black Maine Coon is dramatic without trying. In good light the coat shines like polished coal, and the tufts on the ears and paws stand out against it. Anyone who searches for black Maine Coon kittens for sale quickly learns there are really two looks here: solid black, and black smoke, which hides a silvery undercoat beneath the dark top layer.
Below you will find how each version looks at different ages, what "rusting" is, how the breed standards treat black, and how to tell a real black from a very dark tabby. For kittens ready to reserve right now, see the available kittens page.
Black Maine Coons Available Now
What Does a Solid Black Maine Coon Look Like?
The ideal is black to the roots, with no white hairs and no rust-colored tint, from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail. Nose leather and paw pads are black or dark brown, and the eyes are usually gold, copper or green. A cat like that, with the full mane and plume of a tail, looks almost like a small panther in a fur coat.
Both CFA and TICA accept solid black Maine Coons. In practice, many black cats show a few white hairs or faint stripes, which is natural and not a flaw in a pet. A small white spot on the chest, called a locket, turns up in some black cats and is accepted by the associations only in limited amounts, so it matters for shows but not at all for a family home.
What Is a Black Smoke Maine Coon?
Black smoke is a black cat with the silver inhibitor gene. The gene removes the color from the lower part of each hair, so the root is white or pale silver and only the tip is black. At rest the cat looks black. When it moves, the wind or a brush parts the coat and a pale silvery layer flashes underneath.
Smoke is a silver with no tabby pattern. It sits close to the silver shaded colors, which you can read about on the silver Maine Coon page. A blue smoke, the dilute version, has gray tips and a paler undercoat, and you will find more on the blue Maine Coon page.
Do Black Maine Coon Kittens Change Color?
They can. Young black kittens often look brownish or show faint ghost stripes, especially on the legs and tail, and those usually fade by the time the adult coat comes in. Smoke kittens are harder to spot. At eight weeks, a smoke can look solid black, and the pale undercoat only becomes obvious as the coat lengthens over the first year.
This is the main reason a breeder who sells a smoke kitten should be honest about uncertainty. Ask about the parents' colors, and look at photos of the adult cats if they exist.
Why Does My Black Maine Coon Look Brown or Rusty?
It is called rusting, and it is common. Several things can cause it:
- Sunlight: long hours at a sunny window bleach black fur toward brown. This is the most frequent cause.
- Genetics: some black cats carry a gene that makes the coat lighter, and some lines rust more than others.
- Age and shedding: a coat in the middle of a molt often looks duller.
- Nutrition and health: a poor diet or illness can dull the coat. If rusting comes on suddenly, mention it to your vet.
A smoke is less likely to look dull this way, because the pale undercoat shows rather than a faded surface.
Are Black Maine Coons Rare?
Less common than brown tabby, yes, but they are not exotic. Solid black needs both parents to carry the right combination of genes, which means some breeders produce them often and some almost never. Smokes are rarer still, because both the black base and the inhibitor gene must be present, and you cannot always tell by looking at the parents.
Rare does not mean better. If you are comparing, treat the cat's health, temperament and breeding as the first questions and the color as the last. For how the price side works, go to the price page.
Do Black Cats Really Have a Different Personality?
Not that anyone can prove. Old superstitions linked black cats with bad luck, and more recent ones link them with calm, loyal behavior. Neither stands up well. A Maine Coon's character comes from its parents, its breed and how it was raised in the first weeks of life.
In practice, most Maine Coons, black or not, are gentle, curious and good with children and other pets. The personality guide goes into detail. One practical note is that black cats are harder to photograph, and black fur shows pale dust and hair more than other colors do, so keep a lint roller handy.
How Do I Care for a Black or Smoke Coat?
Brush two or three times a week with a steel comb and slicker brush, and take extra care behind the ears and in the britches where mats form. Keep the cat away from long, direct sun if you want to minimize rusting, and feed a complete diet with enough protein and fat, which supports a glossy coat. Our grooming guide walks through the routine, and the colors page shows the other options.
One more tip is to photograph a black cat near a window in soft daylight, never with a flash. Flash flattens the coat and turns it gray, while gentle side light shows the gloss, the tufts and the shape of the face. It also helps you judge a kitten honestly when you are choosing from pictures, because dark coats hide a great deal in poor light.
Black Maine Coon Questions
01Can Maine Coons be black?
Yes. Black is an accepted color in both CFA and TICA, in solid and in smoke versions.
02How can I tell a black smoke from a solid black?
Part the fur or watch the cat move. A smoke shows a pale silver or white undercoat at the roots. A solid black stays dark to the skin.
03Is a black smoke the same as a blue smoke?
No. Black smoke has black tips. Blue smoke is the dilute, with gray-blue tips over a pale undercoat.
04Do black Maine Coons shed less?
No. Shedding follows the coat and the season, not the color. Black hair just shows more on light furniture.
05Do black Maine Coons have yellow or green eyes?
Both are common, along with gold and copper. Eye color is separate from coat color in non-white cats.
When You Are Ready
Would You Like a Black Maine Coon?
Fill in the application with the kitten's name, or send us a question first.