Maine Coons are one of the most popular domesticated purebred cats in the world. The most common color of the Maine coon cat is brown, and there can be several patterns of the same color. The majestic soft fur, pointed ears, and blue eyes.
Their loving nature gave them the name of ‘gentle giants.’ They are available in red, white, cream, black, and a few more colors. However, the blue Maine Coons do not have a blue-colored fur.
This type of Maine Coon cats is grey with a bluish tinge. We can’t be exactly sure why they are named Blue Maine Coons, but we can ensure that they are as lovable and majestic as the rest of the Maine Coons.
In this article, we will look into the ways you can identify a blue Maine Coon cat, discuss some of the prominent features, the cost of owning it, and suggest a few adorable names if you decide to adopt one.
Blue Maine coons – Everything you wanted to know about:
Blue Maine Coon cats have become one of the most popular Maine Coon breeds recently. These majestic felines can take any cat owner’s heart with their loving, passionate, playful nature.
They look stunning when you see them under the sun. The color of the cat can be grey to bluish silver, and there are several types of patterns available for the Blue Maine Coon cats.
We will discuss all the aspects of the blue Maine Coon cats in the subsequent sections. Despite having the term ‘blue’ in their name, they do not fall into the category of a calm, gloomy, or sad cat.
They are very much the most lovable cats in the world, and their beautiful appearance just makes them even more charming.
They have the excellent behavioral temperament, and they are brilliant with other cats and kids in the house.
Ways to identify a blue Maine Coon cat:
Identifying an actual blue Maine Coon cat can be more challenging than you think.
If you have seen a blue Maine Coon in real life, you must know how difficult it can be to differentiate between a pure grey Maine Coon and a blue Maine Coon.
Cat Fancier Association has given us a list of color categories that consider the blue Maine Coon breed. The color categories are as follows:
- Solid Color Class
- All other tabby color class
- All other tabby & white colors and color class (Including vans)
- Bi-color color class (Including Vans)
- Part-color color class
- Part-color and white color class
- Shaded and smoke color class
- Shaded/Smoked and White Color Class(Including Vans)
Are Blue Maine Coons Rare or Common?
Many cat owners find it hard to believe that blue Maine Coon cats are omnipresent in the Maine Coon world. So, we can say that blue Maine Coon cats are not rare.
However, the Blue Chinchilla Maine Coon is one of the most scarce cat patterns, and you have to pay a hefty sum if you decide to adopt this rare find.
The Color Classes Of Blue Maine Coons:
The color classes of blue Maine Coon cats are a fascinating subject. There are several varieties of blue Maine Coons available, but we are going to look at the main ones.
Solid Blue Maine Coon Cats:
Solid blue Maine Coon cats are most comfortable to recognize, and you can identify them because of their solid color all over the body.
They should have a grey color from the nose to their toes. Every part of their body should maintain a uniform shade of grey. Another striking feature of the blue Maine Coon cat is the golden or green eyes.
Blue Smoke Maine Coon Cats:
These majestic looking Maine Coon cats have grey color on the tip of the fur and white beneath it. You can see the white color when they are moving slowly.
The flowy nature of their fur gives them an exquisite look. The face of blue smoke Maine Coon cat has grey points and white ruff on its neck. The white ear turfs make the beauty of this breed more enticing.
Blue Tabby:
Like any other tabby cat, there can be three patterns for the blue tabby cat as well –
- Blotched – The swirls on their body look like butterflies, and they flow on the side of their body. We also called it the classic tabby patterns.
- Mackerel – This coat pattern looks like the skeleton of a fish. It is probably one of the most common coat patterns, and it looks majestic on most cats. There is a single prominent stripe that runs along the spine of the cat, and small ones originate from the prominent line and come down along the sides.
- Ticked – The main feature of this pattern is the presence of multiple colored bands on each hair strand.
Blue-Silver Maine Coon:
Blue-silver Maine Coon cats have a natural silver-colored background and deep blue(grey) colored marking.
They are available in the three tabby patterns that we have mentioned while describing the blue tabby Maine Coon cats.
There is also a patched variety of the same color pattern. Blue-silver patched Maine Coon cats have cream-colored patches on the dark marks.
Blue Cream Maine Coon:
It is a bicolored variant of the blue Maine Coon cats. The main background of the fur will be dark grey or blue, and there will be patches of cream color.
Blue and White Maine Coon:
It is another example of the bi-color category. The color pattern has a perfect mix of grey(blue) and white, and it gives them a majestic look.
Chinchilla Blue Silver Maine Coon:
It is probably the rarest of blue Maine Coon cats. The cats with this color pattern have a white undercoat, and some of the places are covered with blue tips.
The chin, ear turfs, stomach, and chest of the cats are white, and the rest of the places have a bluish tone.
Blue Maine Coon Eye Colors:
Like most of the other Maine Coon cats, blue Maine Coon cats possess the same variety of eye colors. The eye colors can be of different colors, including gold, orange, green, amber, yellow.
Except for the stable blue color category, we cannot fix a specific eye color to the cats. Solid grey or blue Maine Coon cats have blue eyes.
What’s The Genetic Pattern Of Blue Maine Coon?
It is quite hard to fathom that Maine Coons can have a total of almost 75 different coat colors and patterns. It is even more surprising to realize that all of these colors originate from three primary coat colors. These primary coat colors are- Black, red, and white.
Our primary discussion is on the blue Maine Coon, which comes from the black Maine Coons. There is a specific compound called “eumelanin,” which makes the coat black. However, the presence of this compound is completely genetic.
Several identifiers in the genome determine the color of a Maine Coon cat. So, it is quite hard to predict the color of an offspring by looking at the color of the parents.
However, we can have some idea regarding the coloration of blue Maine Coon cats. We already established the fact that these Maine Coons come from the branch of black Maine Coon cats.
When a black Maine Coon cat breeds a relatively lighter colored Maine Coon, the concentration of “eumelanin” dilutes. As a result, the offspring are born with a relatively lighter shade of color.
The color of the coat of Blue Maine Coon is one of those light black Maine Coon colors. If you want another example of these light black colors, it is the brown Maine Coons. They are also light black Maine Coon color.
What’s the average price of Blue Maine Coon?
Purchasing a blue Maine Coon cat can be a huge setback for any cat lover. You need to pay a hefty sum of money to adopt a purebred Maine Coon.
Above that, this cat comes with its own set of maintenance costs. However, several factors contribute to the high price of the Maine Coon cat. The most significant factors are –
- The purity of the cat
- Appropriate lineage
- Certifications
- Spayed/Non-Spayed
- Show quality
- Age of the cat
- Proper vaccination
If you want to check all the boxes to make sure that your Maine Coon is probably the best one you could get, you must spend a considerable amount of money. Here, we are giving you average estimates of a few categories of Maine Coon cats-
- Purebred Kitten – $1100
- Purebred Cat – $700
- Non-neutered Kitten – $2000-2600
- Show Quality – $3000
- Mixed Breed – Varies
What name should you give to your blue Maine Coon?
If you are ready to adopt a new blue Maine Coon cat, you need to find a beautiful name for your young feline. We all know how confusing the naming of a cat can become.
So, we went through a variety of names for your blue Maine Coon cat, and here are the five names that we liked the most –
- Lavender – Like the color of the flower, this can be a beautiful name for your blue Maine Coon.
- Sapphire – Every cat is like a gem to us, and a Maine Coon will surely be a valuable addition to your family.
- Brunnea – This unusual name comes from a beautiful blue flower. If you have a female blue Maine Coon, this will be an exquisite choice.
- Storm – If you have a dark grey Maine Coon cat with a tinge of blue, this name will be perfect. As the clouds of a storm, this will be a brilliant name.
- Ash- This simple name will be perfect for your silver-grey Maine Coon.
See a full list of Maine Coon names here.
FAQ:
Where Can You Find Blue Maine Coons?
Finding a Blue Maine Coon cat might be tougher than you think. They are rare, but finding a purebred blue Maine Coon cat is tougher in any situation. There are two options for you to find a blue Maine Coon cat.
First, a respected breeder is the best place to buy a blue Maine Coon cat. These breeders should have blue Maine Coons for generations, and it is the safest and costliest way of going about it.
Secondly, you can also check the local shelters if they have a blue Maine Coon cat. You can find some mixed breed blue Maine Coon at a low cost at these places. However, the chances of finding a purebred blue Maine Coon cat are very slim.
How Big Do Blue Maine Coons Get?
Blue Maine Coons cats can grow as much as a normal Maine Coon cat would grow. To give you a proper perspective, an American shorthair cat grows up to a size of 18 inches on average.
If you are sure of how big that is, the Maine coons grow up to a length of almost 40 inches, which is huge in comparison to other cat breeds.
So, blue Maine Coon means you have a large presence in your house. They are children at heart just the same.
Do Blue Maine Coons Bite?
Biting is a common phenomenon amongst almost all cat breeds. So, it is best to identify the cause of biting and address them accordingly. When it comes to blue Maine Coons, they can bite for the following reasons:
- Transferring their pheromone to you.
- Being playful
- Hungry/thirsty
- Irritation in their gum/tooth.
Does Blue Maine Coon Need Any Specific Diet?
Maine Coons, in general, need a special diet compared to other cat breeds, and blue Maine Coons are no different in that respect. You have to make sure that the Maine Coon has high-quality protein, low fat and carbohydrates, and sufficient omega-3/6 fatty acids.
The amount of food is also higher because of their larger size. You have to give the cat sufficient food so that it can go properly.
Conclusion:
This article covered a lot of features of the blue Maine Coon cats. We found out the ways you can determine whether it is a blue Maine Coon cat or not.
CFA has included blue as one of the five solid colors for Maine Coon cats. They are not extremely rare, and you can find a blue one from any reputed breeder.
The majestic-looking cat will be the perfect companion for you because of its loving nature.
If you have decided to buy blue Maine Coon cats, start calling the breeders or catteries nearby and bring home a Maine Coon soon.
Other Maine Coon Related Resouces:
- What are the differences between Maine coon vs norwegian forest cat?
- How to figure out if your cat is part Maine coon?
- Maine coon m on the forehead : Here’s what you need to know
Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.