White Maine Coons are walking clouds of snowy white and are even more imposing due to their size. While some experts suggest only 5% of the total cat population is pure white, the white Maine Coon is not extremely rare, and some Maine Coon Breeders specialize in these attention-grabbing beauties. So what is the secret behind white Maine Coons?
White Maine has a dominant W gene, which is not a color itself but a gene that masks all other color expressions. Dominant W suppresses the pigment cells in a cat coat, leaving them all white with pink skin and paw leathers. However, the W gene carries risks of deafness (when paired with blue eyes) and skin cancer.
While White Maine coons are show stoppers, the glorious color carries with it certain health risks that you need to keep in mind. Conscientious breeding is paramount so that the beautiful white coat does not bring with it the potential for ill health. Let’s explore more about these snowy, gentle giants.
Contents
The Genetics Behind Your White Giant Cat
The dominant white gene behind your Maine Coons snowy coat is represented as the W gene. Geneticists refer to this gene as epistatic, meaning that it will determine whether another trait is expressed (or not.) W dominant Maine coon coats are not actually a color, but the white masks or suppresses all other potential colors in the cat’s coat.
Before melanocytes (the cells that produce melanin or pigment) can start making a color in your kitty coat, the melanoblast (the early cellular form of a melanocyte) must migrate to the developing fetus’ skin to start making the fur pigment.
In a normal developing kitten, the pigment starts on the back of the embryo and spreads through the skin towards the belly, ensuring they fully pigment the entire coat. The W gene masks all expressions of other colors by stopping the spread and replication of the pigment-producing cells.
The W gene is dominant, meaning it will express the white coat no matter what other genetic colors compete in the coat. The gene is also not sex-linked like the red gene in Maine Coons, so the chances of a male or female white Coon are equal in a litter.
Why Are Some Maine Coons White in Color？
This loss of pigmentation in the white coat of your Maine Coon is a mutation caused by the remnants of an endogenous retrovirus which is the genetic carry-over of an ancestor infected with retrovirus. The retrovirus occurs in the KIT gene, responsible for several functions, including the expression of melanoblasts and melanocytes.
In fact, dominant white W and white spotted cat fur (S) are located on the same KIT-gene, thus combined into a single W locus. This locus has a variety of alleles, which are different versions of a gene on the same locus, in this case, W. Each combination of alleles creates a variety of white spotted variations and the solid white coats of our favorite kitties, as seen below.
| KIT Gene W Locus Alleles | Type | Coat Color Expression |
|---|---|---|
| Dominant W | Autosomal Dominant | White, regardless of any other color genes |
| White Spotting wS | Dominant/Co-dominant and Variable | (Ss)or Wh bicolor/tricolor or ventral white (SS) or Wl low spotting 50-100% white, harlequin, Van |
| w or (N) | Wild Type Normal | No white in the coat |
| wg | Autosomal Recessive | White socks |
The Dominant W Gene and Deafness Risk
As we discussed above, the dominant W gene disrupts the replication and migration of melanoblast cells, the same cells that will eventually become the melanocytes that produce melanin (pigment).
Unfortunately, a tiny population of melanocytes serves other vital functions, such as in the inner ear of mammals that are essential for hearing. This area within the cochlea is called the stria vascularis, which is a structure that regulates potassium in the cochlea and enables hair cells to translate sound waves into electric pulses.
This sensory deafness involves a degeneration in the cochlea, resulting in the loss of the vital inner and outer hair cells. In colonies of dominant white cats, about 70% of their young will be deaf. According to clinical estimates, the incidence of deafness in non-pure-bred pure white cats is 50% affected, while white cats born to two dominant white parents could reach up to 96%.
White-coated cats with blue eyes are particularly susceptible to deafness in some studies. The lack of color pigment expressed in the blue-eyed and white-coated cat has an incidence as high as 80% in cats with two blue eyes and 40% with one blue eye. Interestingly enough, an article for the London Veterinary Journal Maine Coons reported a 17% prevalence of deafness across the breed.
However, in a 2009 article published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, the Maine Coon showed the highest incidence of bilateral deafness (deaf in both ears) out of all the pure breeds studied. As a cat lover, you might ask if breeding or encouraging the breeding of all-white Maine Coons is ethical.
If you do decide to purchase an all-white Maine Coon, ensure the breeder has carefully bred their kittens from parent cats that are free of the deafness variation. However, deaf Maine Coons can still live a happy life, albeit a protected one.
Is an All White Maine Coon an Albino?
The gene responsible for feline albinism is a mutation in the C gene’s tyrosinase enzyme, which is responsible for expressing color pigmentation in the cat’s body. This gene contains two recessive alleles responsible for complete albinism (c) and temperature-sensitive albinism (c1) seen in color point breeds such as the Siamese.
So, dominant white cats are genetically coded to mask color with the W gene, while albinism is a mutation that causes a complete absence of pigment in the cat’s body, eyes, skin, and fur. The eyes of an albino cat will be pink or pale blue with a pink tinge, whereas dominant white cats have eyes of various shades.
Are White Maine Coons Rare?
According to sources such as the International Cat Care Organisation, the white-coated cat population is only 5% of all other colors. However, these estimates don’t take into account higher densities of white cats in particular geographic areas,
White-coated felines tend to fare poorly in the survival of the fittest stakes when humans don’t take them under their care. Feral white cats are more visible as prey and are prone to deafness and skin cancers in the wild, so they do not thrive as a genetic mutation.
Certain breeders specialize in the white-coated Maine Coon, so they are not impossible to source. However, the color is most certainly more rare than the dominant tabby coloration within the breed. So you should expect to pay more for a pedigree solid white due to the extra care and expenses of these breeders.
Caring for Your Ivory Coon Companion
Ensuring Your Cat’s Non-Deaf Status
If your Maine Coon is pure white— and particularly if they have blue eyes—you should ensure you test your kitten for deafness. If you do decide to purchase an all-white Maine Coon, ensure the breeder provides you with a hearing test known as the brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) test of the breeding line.
Deafness can be dangerous to a cat for the following reasons:
- Deafness may mask the sound of approaching predators such as neighborhood dogs or aggressive cats.
- Deaf outdoor cats are not car savvy as they lack the hearing to alert them to oncoming cars.
- They may wander off, and the owner cannot recall them.
Protection Against Sun Damage
Although White Maine Coons are beautiful and eye-catching, kitties with snow white coats are not just prone to deafness but sun damage as well.
The Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) describes the Solid White Maine Coon as “glistening white” with pink skin on the nose and paw pads. This pinkness is cute but also potentially deadly, as your white Maine Coon lacks the skin pigment that protects from the sun’s UV rays.
Skin cancer or squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most common in cats, ranging from 15-48% of all reported cancers (depending on their geography). White cats are 13 times more prone to this form of cancer than their pigmented counterparts.
The areas particularly prone to developing cancer are the tips of the ears, nose, and eyelids. If you have a white Maine Coon you should:
- Prevent your cat from lying in the sun between 10 am -3 pm in the summer months.
- Invest in a cat-friendly, waterproof sunscreen and apply it to your cat’s sensitive areas daily and reapply frequently in the summer.
- Ensure your feline sunblock does not contain zinc, is not poisonous if ingested, and is color and fragrance-free.
Now, the question most people ask is: How hard is it to keep your white Maine Coon clean?
Maintaining the Whiteness of Your Coonie: Grooming Tips
Like an all-white car, expect to put in a little more elbow grease to keep your white Maine Coon pristine than other color coats. As mentioned above, white Maine Coons fare better as indoor cats, although supervised runs outside in a kitty-proof area are the best policy (where possible).
Luckily for us Maine Coon owners, the breed is not as water-shy as your average cat. However, experts suggest that you familiarize your kitten with the bathing process as a kitten so they are familiar with the process.
However, it is not a huge hassle to keep your Maine Coon clean. You will have help from your kitty in the grooming department, and natural shedding also helps to circulate the clean fur. My halo has a pure white belly and legs, and my grooming process is not overly taxing even though we live in a semi-rural area and he spends some time outdoors. Except when he sleeps under the cars in summer and decorates his belly in car oil)!
Here are some tips to keep your white Maine Coon looking more like a fluffy white cloud than a grey-smudged storm cloud.
- Regular grooming is vital to stopping your Maine Coon’s coat from looking like velcro for all kinds of dirt. Regular brushing also distributes the natural oils in your cat’s coat to keep it shining and improve skin circulation.
- Avoid chemicals or human wipes for your cat, as the pH may be too acidic for your pet’s sensitive skin. An excellent pet wipe that suits cats and dogs is the Vetnique Labs Furbliss Hygienic Pet Wipes for all-over kitty cleaning, available on Amazon.com.
- If a dirty area is particularly stubborn, try a bit of cornstarch when you groom your cat to absorb the sticky or oily residue. Otherwise, use a damp cloth and gently wipe the area or a small amount of diluted feline shampoo.
Cleansing Your White Coon Breed
If your cat shows stains or deep dirt, you can bathe your cat once or twice a month. Here are some ASPCA tips for the washing process.
- Time your bath for a time when your cat relaxes after a good play session is a good time.
- Gently place cotton wool in your cat’s ears to keep out the water.
- Ensure your bath area has a non-slip surface and keep the water body temperature and not too cold or hot.
- I find it easier to wet their face with a moistened cloth so it doesn’t get into my kitty’s nose and eyes.
- Use a special fragrance-free feline shampoo and dilute 1:5 parts water when lathering your kitty.
- Rinse thoroughly and use a clean, damp cloth to rinse the face and eye area.
- Give plenty of praise and treats after drying gently with a towel in a warm area.
Now that the potential problems are out of the way, just look at these beautiful white Maine Coons sisters, Brigitte and Frozen Queen:
Closing Thoughts
White Maine Coons are majestic with their polar-colored coats, but they do require some extra care in terms of their elegant coloring. Ensure you approach a reputable breeder who tests their breeding stock for hearing impairments to ensure your kitty is happy and healthy. Watch out for the sun with these frosty felines, and may they bring you good fortune like the beckoning white cat Maneki-Neko!
