Maine Coon Guide

How to Tell If Your Cat Is a Maine Coon

You can usually tell if your cat is a Maine Coon by looking at its size, body shape, ears, tail and coat together, but looks alone cannot prove it. Plenty of long-haired shelter cats look the part, and plenty of purebreds look plain.

This guide lists the physical signs people use, explains how to read a possible mix, and says what can actually confirm the breed. If you want the full background first, read what a Maine Coon is.

How do I know if my cat is a Maine Coon?

Look for several of the traits below at once. Any single one is weak evidence, because other cats share them. A real Maine Coon typically shows most of these together, and the combination of a rectangular body, a square muzzle, big tufted ears and a long bushy tail is the strongest clue. Think of it as a checklist: if you can honestly tick six or seven of the eight signs below, the cat is very likely a Maine Coon or mostly one. If you tick two or three, it is probably a domestic long-haired cat with a few similar features.

Check an adult if you can. Kittens change a lot, and a lot of the breed's look only arrives over the first few years. We give more detail on timing in the guide to how big Maine Coons get.

What are the physical signs of a Maine Coon?

Size and frame: a long, solid, rectangular body that looks big even when the cat is not heavy. Adult males often weigh about 13 to 18 pounds and females about 8 to 12.
Head: a broad head with a square muzzle and a gentle slope to the nose, with high cheekbones.
Ears: large, set high and fairly upright, wide at the base, often with tufts of fur inside and lynx-like tips.
Eyes: large, slightly oval and set a little at a slant, in green, gold or copper, and sometimes blue or odd-eyed in white cats.
Chest: broad and deep, giving a sturdy look from the front.
Legs and paws: substantial legs and large, round paws with tufts of fur between the toes.
Tail: long, nearly as long as the body, thick at the base and tapering, with flowing hair.
Coat: shaggy, silky and uneven, shorter on the shoulders and longer on the belly, britches and the ruff around the neck.

Does the coat color tell you if a cat is a Maine Coon?

No. The famous brown tabby is common, but Maine Coons come in many colors and patterns, including black, white, orange, blue and silver, along with calico and tortoiseshell. You can see them on our Maine Coon colors page.

The feel of the coat is more useful than the color. Maine Coon fur is silky and light, and it falls smoothly instead of standing up thick and fluffy like a Persian's. If your cat has a dense, cottony coat that mats easily, that points to something else.

How can I tell if a kitten is a Maine Coon?

It is hard, which is why many people guess wrong. Young kittens of different long-haired breeds look alike, and the features only become obvious as the cat matures. Some early hints are worth noting:

Big paws and long legs: in proportion to a small body.
Large ears: that look too big for the head, with tufts.
A long, plumed tail: even at a few months.
Fast growth: in the first six months, with a sturdy build.

These signs suggest a large-breed cat but do not prove it. A kitten of unknown parents can only be said to look like a Maine Coon until it grows up. If you have just found a stray or taken one from a shelter, keep expectations loose and enjoy watching it develop. Take photos every month, because the changes are striking and they help your vet and any DNA test company see the same cat you see.

Is my cat part Maine Coon?

Possibly, since Maine Coon blood is common in the American domestic long-haired cat population. Many "Maine Coon mixes" are really domestic long-haired cats, which have been around since long before the breed was formalized. A cat that is large, long-haired and tufted may be a mix, or may just be a big long-hair.

A mix will often show only some features: perhaps the size but not the head, or the ears and tail but a medium frame. How big a mix gets is unpredictable. It may reach the size of a pure Maine Coon or stay well below it, and lifespan and health also vary by the cat. There is no reliable visual rule for the percentage. A cat with a Maine Coon parent will often show the breed more strongly than one with a Maine Coon grandparent, as the traits dilute with each generation. Two other things are worth checking: does the cat grow slowly, well past a year, and does it chirp or trill? Both are common in the breed, and neither proves anything alone.

Can a DNA test confirm a Maine Coon?

A breed DNA test is the nearest thing to a real answer for a cat without papers. Several commercial tests compare your cat's DNA with breed reference panels and report a breed mix. They are useful but not perfect: reference panels for cats are smaller than for dogs, and results can be vague for a breed that blends into the general cat population.

A test also needs a cheek swab or a fur sample sent to a lab, and results take a few weeks. Use a test as one piece of evidence, from a reputable company, and read it with a bit of skepticism. Separate DNA tests exist for health conditions such as HCM and SMA, and those are different from breed tests. Read about them in the Maine Coon health guide.

What proves a cat is a purebred Maine Coon?

Only paperwork from a breeder and a registry that traces the cat's parents can show that a cat is a purebred. Looks cannot, and a DNA breed test is supporting evidence at best. A cat sold as a Maine Coon with no records and no known parents is, at best, a Maine Coon type.

If you are buying, this is why you should ask the breeder questions, meet the kitten's family and see where it was raised. Ask who the parents are, whether you can see them, how the kitten was raised and what health information the breeder will share in writing. Our Maine Coon breeders guide explains what to ask, and the price page shows what a kitten's cost covers.

What if my cat is a mix, does it matter?

Only if you needed a purebred for a particular reason. A mixed cat can be a wonderful pet with a big heart and a gorgeous coat. If you have a rescue that looks like a Maine Coon, enjoy it as it is, and give it good food, regular vet care and a weekly brush. Its name on the adoption papers matters far less than the years you will spend together.

If you want the breed's temperament and size with more certainty, and a kitten whose parents you can meet, look at a breeder. Cass Coon Cats is Cassie's family cattery in Jamul, California, and the available Maine Coon kittens page shows who is ready for a home. Every kitten is seen by a vet, vaccinated, dewormed, microchipped and spayed or neutered before going home, and comes with a one-year genetic health guarantee.

Quick Answers

How can I tell a Maine Coon from a Norwegian Forest Cat?

They look similar, and they share a cold-climate background. Maine Coons usually have a squarer muzzle and a more rectangular body, and Norwegian Forest Cats have a triangular head with a straight nose profile.

Is a big long-haired cat always a Maine Coon?

No. Size and a long coat are common in many domestic long-haired cats. A large cat without the head, ears and tail may be a mix.

Do Maine Coons have a particular meow?

Many have a soft chirp or trill in place of a loud meow. It is a common trait, not a test.

How old must a cat be to see the Maine Coon features?

Adult features usually show from about a year, and the breed finishes maturing at three to five years. Judging at eight weeks is mostly guesswork.

Can I get papers for my cat later?

Registry papers are tied to the cat's parents and the litter registration, so they cannot be created afterward for a cat of unknown origin. Ask the seller for records before you buy.