When we use the color ‘blue’ to describe a cat’s coat, we really mean a blue-silver color, close to gray. This shade is a diluted version of the more common black coat color.
When we look at the genes of the majestic Maine Coon cat, we see a lot of dilute colors coming from black Maine Coons. Maine Coons have three primary coat colors: red, black and white. The rest of the possible coat shades are varieties of these main colors.
So why do Maine Coon cats have blue coat colors? The more common black coat color can be “diluted” to generate different hues by a genetic mutation. The color black in Maine Coons may be diluted to produce brown, cinnamon, fawn, lilac, and blue.
Blue Maine Coons are recognized and registered by both TICA and CFA. These large cats can have many colors, such as orange or smoke color, and many different patterns, including classic tabby and brown tabby.
Blue Maine Coons share the same care needs and personality traits as other Maine Coons; the only difference is the color and pattern of their coats.
The Maine Coon cats are simply beautiful creatures, and they are known for being great family pets. To discover more about the blue Maine Coon cat breed, read on for more information and some fascinating facts.
Blue Maine Coon Color Variations
Blue Maine Coon cats have beautiful blue-silver coats. Grey Maine Coons are often mistakenly considered the same as blue, but blue Maine Coon cats have a distinctive blue hue to their coats not found in gray-colored coats.
Although blue Maine Coon kittens are not uncommon, it can be difficult to find them as they are incredibly popular, so in recent years, the breeders’ waiting lists have grown exponentially.
Color aside, they share the same personalities and grooming needs as other Maine Coons. It’s a well-known fact that the Maine Coon is a very large long-haired cat breed.
There are many coat colors available, one of which is blue. This, of course, doesn’t mean that you’ll find cats as blue as the ocean. Instead, the fur of a blue Maine Coon is silvery gray with a visible blue sheen.
They are often confused with typical gray Maine Coon cats because they can look similar in certain light. In the case of Maine Coon cats, gray and blue are distinct coat colors and the solid blue color is the color that is acceptable in cat shows.
However, other blue variations and blue-colored patterns exist. Let’s explore the different colors and patterns of the blue Maine Coon.
Solid Blue Maine Coon
Maine Coons with a solid color, which covers their entire coat, are most easily identified. These long-haired felines should be gray from the tip of their impressive ears to the tips of their fluffy toes.
Every part of the coat will be the same shade of gray. Their eye color, be it green or golden, is another stunning feature of these striking cats.
Blue Silver Maine Coon
Blue silver Maine Coons have a silver base with very noticeable blue markings. Their coat patterns can vary, and they may have similar patterns as those seen in blue tabby coat markings.
Blue Silver Tabby
The stunning blue-silver tabby Maine Coons have amazing blue markings that provide a wonderful contrast to the base color. They feature distinctive mackerel or ticked patterns on their paw pads, which are frequently rose-colored.
The leather on their nose is an exquisite rose-pink, and they might have white lines around their mouth.
Blue Smoke Maine Coon
The magnificent blue smoke Maine Coon’s coat is gray-colored at the tips, a great contrast to a white undercoat. When you brush through their fur slowly, you can see the white color underneath.
Their flowing hair gives them a lovely appearance (almost like the coat is changing color) with gray markings on the forehead and a white ruff below their chin. These cats also feature white ear tufts, which add to their charm.
Check out: More About The Black Smoke Maine Coon Cat
Blue Silver Patched Tabby
The blue-silver tabby with patches has the typical mackerel pattern with cream and dark-blue markings.
They also have a white undercoat and rose-colored noses and paw pads, which are particularly unique. The delicate silver foundation color of these blue Maine Coons is accented by white around their mouth.
Blue Tabby Maine Coon
The blue tabby Maine Coons have three primary tabby coat varieties (as do all tabby cats):
Mackerel – the mackerel coat pattern resembles the skeleton of a fish. It’s one of the most common coat patterns in felines, and it looks magnificent. One main stripe goes along the cat’s spine, while thinner stripes go from it toward the cat’s sides.
Ticked – this pattern is defined by the appearance of several colored lines on each hair.
Blotched – these stripes resemble butterflies and run down the sides of the cat’s body. This used to be known as the primary, or traditional, tabby coat pattern.
Blue Cream Maine Coon
The blue cream Maine Coon is a bi-color version of the blue Maine Coon. The fur’s primary color is blue, overlaid with stunning cream markings.
Blue Cream And White Maine Coon
This pattern resembles the blue cream Maine Coon a lot, except blue cream and white Maine Coons have white stomachs, bibs, and paws.
Chinchilla Blue Maine Coon
The most unique blue variety of the breed is the Chinchilla blue. They have a white undercoat with blue areas.
The cat’s chin, stomach, ear tufts, and chest is white, while the rest of the body is blue. They are in high demand, which is understandable given their gleaming silver look.
Blue And White Maine Coon
This is yet another intriguing example of the Maine Coon’s bi-color category. The color pattern is a wonderful blend of gray (blue) and white, giving them a magnificent appearance.
Dilute Calico Maine Coon
Calico-diluted Maine Coons have a white undercoat with blue patches and cream markings. This is essentially a faded – or diluted – version of the black, white and orange calico cat pattern.
See also: Dilute Calico Cat: Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know
Blue Tortie Maine Coon
Tortie Blue Maine Coons have blue coat colors; they include the smoked blue tortie, blue tortie tabby, blue tortie mackerel, and shaded tortie blue Maine Coon.
Shaded Maine Coon Variations
The remaining Maine Coon color classes are included in the shaded color class:
• shaded blue-cream
• shaded blue-silver
• shell blue-cream
In all these patterns, the cat has a white undercoat that is heavily tinged with blue. The color of the nose leather and toe beans varies from rose to blue, and the majority of them have lovely white ear tufts.
The shaded blue cream is distinguished by blue and cream coloring along the tail, head, and sides.
The face of the shaded blue silver should be the same color as their legs. The Cat Fanciers Association favors blue rims around the cat’s mouth, eyes, and nose.
The shell blue cream pattern has a blue and cream-colored tail, back, and flanks. Some have subtle shading and spots on the legs and face.
You might also be interested in The Interesting Maine Coon Tuxedo Cat
Popularity And Breed Recognition
Many breeders feel that the Maine Coon breed, including blue Maine Coons, is one of the country’s oldest cats. Even though there are no precise origin records about the breed, it is most likely related to Siberian and Norwegian Forest cats.
Maine Coons were popular in cat shows during the 1800s, but they almost became extinct towards the end of the century. However, the breed gradually recovered, and today it is one of the most popular breeds in the USA.
The Maine Coon recovered its prominence as a beloved pet due to its extraordinary aesthetic appeal, its suitability for families with kids, and its exceptionally friendly attitude.
The American Cat Fanciers’ Association recognizes the Maine Coon breed, including the blue color of their coats. Since 1980, the Maine Coon has been recognized by all the major cat registries.
The Average Price Of Blue Maine Coons
Maine Coons are simply beautiful in appearance, and Blue Maine Coons are so eye-catching! When it comes to price, many people believe that Maine Coons are fairly expensive, perhaps even too pricey for some.
The reputation of the breeders, the current local demand for Maine Coons, the cat’s age, exact pedigree, and many other factors all influence the price.
The average price to pay for a purebred Maine Coon kitten ranges from $1000 up to $4000, all depending on the breeder and their standards.
As far as blue Maine Coons are concerned, you can expect their price to be at the higher end of the range since their coat color is less common.
They are not the rarest color, but they’re also not the most common coat color, and not every cattery will have them available. For more info about the average prices of Maine Coons, check out this article: Average Prices & Costs Of Maine Coon Cats.
Fun Facts About Blue Maine Coon Cats
• Maine Coon cats are, as their name suggests, native to the state of Maine, USA.
• Maine Coons are affectionately called gentle giants by many owners and cat lovers.
• A cat of the Maine Coon breed holds the world’s record for the longest cat. The length of 48.5 inches is recorded in the Guinness World Records.
• The first winner of the first-ever cat show was a Maine Coon cat.
• The official cat of Maine state in the USA is Maine Coon.
• The only domesticated cat that is bigger in size than the Maine Coon is the Savannah cat.
• Even though they’re big cats, Maine Coons typically have a lifespan of 13+ years.
• The exceptionally vivid blue coat color is only found in solid Blue Maine Coons.
• Maine Coon cats have thick coats that protect them in cold conditions and help them tolerate much lower temperatures than most other cat breeds can cope with.
• According to some legends, the Maine Coon breed was invented by Marie Antoinette.
To avoid death, she loaded all of her personal things, including her Turkish Angora cats, onto a ship that set sail to the USA. It is believed that her cats mated with some native wildcats to form the beautiful Maine Coon.
See also: All About The Savannah Maine Coon Mix
Final Thoughts
It’s safe to say that blue Maine Coons are just as beautiful as any Maine Coon cat. For many people, the blue coat color is the most beautiful one as it’s not very commonly seen in other cat breeds.
Maine Coon cats have blue coat colors due to a genetic mutation that dilutes a black coat to produce paler colors, such as blue. Despite their large size, Maine Coons have a pretty long lifespan on average.
If you choose wisely and buy from a reputable and registered Maine Coon breeder, you won’t need to worry so much about health issues as the cat will have been screened for diseases.
If you’re thinking of getting a Maine Coon as a pet, be sure to do your research and check out the article I mentioned above about the average Maine Coon prices and costs.
To sum up, I hope you’ve got the answers to any questions you had about blue Maine Coons. Maine Coons are, in general, great with people and other pets.
However, always remember that every cat is unique and that we can never be 100% sure about its temperament. It helps to meet and get to know the cat before committing to welcoming them into your home.
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