Few breeds come in as many colours and patterns as the Maine Coon, from rich brown tabbies to shimmering silvers, deep solid blacks and warm reds. Colour says nothing about temperament or health, so it is best enjoyed as a lovely bonus once you have found the right personality for your home.
Photographs are illustrative examples of Maine Coon colours and patterns and do not show Maine Coon Grove kittens.
Tabby patterns
The tabby is the classic Maine Coon look. Classic tabbies wear bold swirls along their sides, while mackerel tabbies have narrower, parallel stripes. Both usually show the distinctive “M” marking on the forehead.
Silver, smoke and shaded
In silver coats the base of each hair is white, which gives the coat its bright, frosted look. Shaded cats carry colour mainly on the tips of the fur, and smokes can look almost solid until the coat parts to reveal a pale undercoat.
Solid colours
Solid Maine Coons include black, blue (a soft grey), red, cream and white. A dense, even colour shows off the texture of the breed’s long, layered coat especially well.
Tortoiseshell and calico
Tortoiseshell cats blend black-based and red-based colours, and with white patches they are often called calico or tricolour. Because of how coat colour is inherited, these patterns are found almost exclusively in females.
Eye colour
Maine Coon eyes are commonly green, gold, green-gold or copper. White Maine Coons can also have blue eyes, or one eye of each colour.
Colours the breed standard does not include
Major breed registries do not accept every colour in the Maine Coon. Pointed (Siamese-style) patterns, for example, are not part of the breed standard, nor are chocolate and lilac colours.
Kitten coats keep changing
A kitten’s coat can look quite different from the adult cat it becomes. Colour and pattern often develop over the first year or two, and the full, luxurious Maine Coon coat takes time to grow in.
