A tabby is not a particular cat breed but is a coat pattern found in most cat breeds. It is known that a large percentage of Maine Coons are actually Tabbies because most of the characteristics of a Tabby Cat can be found in most Maine Coons. There are some identifying marks Tabby Cats have that you can look for. The reason for these marks is a gene called Agouti Gene.
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Unraveling the Agouti Gene
Agouti gene is what’s responsible for the Maine Coon Tabby cat’s distinctive stripes and blotched patterns. The wild-type A gene bands the hair with black and red making the cat have a certain pattern. This gene is common for Tabby Cats. In darker Maine Coon such as black ones, they have more non-agouti genotypes. This non-agouti masks the patterns so these patterns are not too visible.
Identifying Marks Of A Tabby
Some of the identifying marks caused by the agouti gene are listed below.
- Maine Coon Tabby and other Tabby Cats have patterns such as stripes, swirls, and spots that can be found on its fur. Most Maine Coon tabbies have stripes that run down its front legs. Some of the patterns can be found on their bodies such as their legs and tails. Their tails can sometimes show a ringed pattern. Maine Coon Tabby may have spotted or marbled patterns on their body.
- M-shaped markings can be seen on its forehead. Did you notice that your Maine Coon has a letter M on its forehead? Then your Maine Coon has the Tabby pattern! The M on the forehead does not mean Maine Coon like some folks have led others to believe. This M-marking can be seen in other Tabbies of different Cat Breeds. Though this M-shaped marking is common to most tabbies, it isn’t a requirement as some tabbies are far too dark or have too much agouti gene to see the M mark on its forehead.
- Tabby Cats have dark lines that extend from their eyes to their neck area. It resembles mascara marking and is called ‘whisker pads’.
Decoding Distinctions: Maine Coon Tabby vs. Maine Coon Tabby Mix
Many often mistake the two. Maine Coon Tabby is purebred and is not mixed with a cat from another breed. This type of Maine Coon will have the lines and patterns that are common in all types of Tabbies.
Maine Coon Tabby Mix is different from the purebreed. Maine Coon Tabby mix results from having one Maine Coone breed with a Tabby Cat of another breed.
A Maine Coon Tabby Mix is a result of Maine Coon breeding with another Tabby type of a different cat breed. Some of them retain the physical characteristics of a pure Maine Coon but most of them have a certain look that gives away the idea that they are in fact, a mixed breed.
Below Are Some Examples of What a Maine Coon Tabby Mix May Look Like:
How Would You Know If Your Big Maine Cat Is A Tabby Mix?
In order to know if your Maine Coon is a Tabby Mix, you need to inspect its physical appearance against the general physical traits of a purebred Maine Coon such as the following:
- Compare its size to other cats – Maine Coons are considered the largest domestic cat breed in existence. Male Maine Coons can grow as tall as 10-16 inches. Female Maine Coons can grow up to about 8-14 inches.
- Head Shape and Muzzle – Maine Coons have a rectangular or square-shaped face and muzzle compared to most breeds which are rounder in appearance.
- Shape of eyes – Maine Coon’s eyes are semi-oval and large, they only appear rounder when they open their eyes fully. In relaxed mode, it is more of an oval, slanted, and slightly oblique shape. Their eyes are set nearer to each other. Their eyes are usually colored green, green-gold, copper, and in White-colored Maine Coons, their eyes tend to be colored blue. This blue eyed Maine Coon is at risk of blindness so careful consideration and tests should be done to make sure they won’t lose their eyesight.
- Ears – Maine Coon’s ears are propped up higher and are larger, longer, and wider compared to other cat breeds. The ends of the Maine Coon’s ears have colored tips, usually black or the same color as its fur. The tufts of the ears are also very prominent in Maine Coons.
- Body Shape – The Maine Coon has a long and rectangular body. Its bushy tail is said to be as long as its body.
- Rugged appearance and muscular build – Maine Coons have very rugged-looking fur but its fur can be very shiny and smooth to the touch. The builds are a bit more muscular than other breeds. They come in over 75 colors according to the CFA. The Tabby pattern is seen as the most common Maine Coon pattern. The black smoke is seen as the most common color of Maine Coons.
- Polydactyl – Maine Coons are commonly polydactyl, which means they have more than 5 toes for each paw.
Other Things You Should Check on Are
- Love for water – Maine Coons love water which separates them from traditional cats which absolutely hate water. Their water-repellent fur helps them enjoy the water more.
- They chirp and trill – Maine Coons don’t meow like most cats. Instead, they have bird-like sounds.
Clarifying Tabby vs. Tabby Mix through DNA Testing
Still In Doubt Whether Your Maine Coon Is A Tabby Or A Tabby Mix?
If your Maine Coon Tabby Mix has very similar traits and appearance to a purebred Maine Coon yet you still feel your cat is a Maine Coon Tabby Mix, you need to get a feline DNA testing. Basepaws, a petcare genetics company, offers at-home DNA testing for cat DNA and oral biomes. This will also help you identify what breed of Tabby has mixed its DNA with the purebred one.
Can A Maine Coon Tabby Be Registered In The CFA?
It should be noted that a Maine Coon Tabby and a Maine Coon Tabby Mix are different from each other. Cat and Feline Associations and shows such as the CFA recognize Maine Coon Tabby as part of the breed. However, the Maine Coon Tabby Mix is not recognized by the CFA as an official Maine Coon type. Therefore, if your Tabby is a mixed breed, it cannot join contests and it cannot be formally registered with the CFA. This is the biggest difference between the two and a major point to consider.
Tabby Patterns Recognized By The CFA
Maine Coon Tabbies come in more than 75 different colors but they only come in 3 different tabby patterns.
1. Classic Tabby Pattern is characterized by the following:
- Dark stripes running down their spines and sides
- Dense markings
- Legs evenly marked with stripes
- Tails are evenly ringed
- M-marking on forehead
- Vertical line down the spine from butterfly to tail
- Large solid blotched pattern on each side
2. Mackerel Tabby Pattern is characterized by the following:
- Narrow bracelets running on legs
- Thin tiger stripes that run from the spine to the cat’s belly
- Many chain-like necklaces on the beck
- M-marking on forehead
- Spine lines running down head to shoulders to spine, forming a saddle.
- Narrow pencillings can be seen all over the fur.
3. Ticked Tabby Pattern is characterized by the following:
- Shows tabby markings on the face, legs, and body.
- Has pronounced ticked markings and colors on the body. The color of the fur alternates between dark and light but produces no visible stripes or patterns when viewed from above.
Other Less Common Types of Tabby Variations
4. Patched Tabby Pattern is characterized by the following:
- Come in a solid base color with patches of a different color along with the distinctive tabby stripes.
5. Tabby and White is characterized by the following:
- Typical tabby cat with stunning pure white design on the bib, tummy, and four white socks.
6. Tabby and White is characterized by the following:
- Same as a patched pattern but with a white bib, belly, and socks.
Did You Know?
The first Maine Coon that ever won in a cat show was a brown tabby. This was in 1895 at the Madison Square Garden Show and went to a female called “Cosey.”
In conclusion, even though they are both Tabby types, Maine Coon Tabby and Maine Coon Tabby Mix are considered different from each other. While Maine Coon Tabby is recognized by the CFA as the most popular pattern type of a Maine Coon, the Maine Coon Tabby Mix isn’t considered an official type of Maine Coon. Therefore, it cannot be registered with the CFA and other feline associations.
It is quite easy to identify whether a Maine Coon is a mixed breed or not just by looking at its physical features. However, in instances wherein the breed being mixed looks quite similar to the Maine Coon, one should explore the option of taking a feline DNA test just to be sure. Cats that look quite similar to the Maine Coon include the Siberian Cat and the Norwegian Forest Cat.
