These felines are bred in different colors. The similar tortie pattern has small patches, and the tortie has stripes. Scientists have been studying cats with these patterns since the s. One interesting feature of these cats is the pattern is always different.
In fact, the combinations are almost as high as the number of snowflake patterns! There are also a few interesting facts about calico cats in terms of gender. Meanwhile, the males are nearly always sterile. A Calico Maine Coon always has three colors. However, only certain combinations can be defined in this category. One of the main types of calicos is the dense variety. The dense calico color combinations include:. This is the other main type of calico cat.
Some other dilute colors include fawn dilute of cinnamon , and lilac dilute of chocolate. Here are some color combinations that are sometimes found in the dilute variety:. One reason this type of Calico Maine Coon is rare is based on genetics. The two main types of genes are dominant and recessive. The weaker dilute genes make Dilute patterns less common than Dense patterns. This is the most common calico pattern in Maine Coon cats. In this pattern, dense patches of red and black are patched with white.
The white is usually located on the belly, legs, and front of the cat. In every pattern, the red and black patches are completely solid, with no overlap between colors. This is also referred to as being unbridled. The Maine Coon dilute calico is similar to the dense calico, except the red and black are diluted.
Dilute colors are paler in appearance. Diluted forms of red are referred to as cream, and diluted forms of black are called blue, although they are gray in appearance. The dense shell calico Maine Coon has a white base and patches of black, as well as patches of red in multiple different shades.
On the back, sides, tail, face, and legs of a dense shell calico, the tip of each hair is black or a shade of red. The Maine Coon dilute shell calico is exactly like a dense shell calico, except their black coloring is diluted to blue, and the shades of red become shades of cream. Maine Coon cats with a dense shaded calico pattern have a base coat color of white as well as black and red unbridled patches.
Unlike the standard dense calico, the dense shaded calico also has a shading of black and red which is present on the tail, sides, and face of the cat. Overall, dense shaded calicos appear darker than standard and shell calicos.
The Maine Coon dilute shaded calico is similar in appearance to the dense shaded calico except the red is diluted to a shade of cream and the black is diluted to a shade of blue. Even if it is diluted, a shaded calico should still be darker in appearance than diluted standard or shell calicos. A Maine Coon with a dense smoke calico pattern might look like a dense calico at first, but the unbridled patches of red and black have a white undercoat.
This coloration is similar to a dense smoke calico except the shades of red are diluted to cream and the black is diluted to blue. There are legends saying these cats can weigh anywhere from pounds. In reality, they are not as big as breeders try to make us think. They have their standard, which is: pounds for males neutered ones can reach up to 27 pounds , and 6.
Most well-socialized Maine Coons love to be held. Of course, this can vary from cat to cat. For most Maine Coons, however, being held and cuddling on your lap is their favorite way to show affection. Maine coons are also highly intelligent pets, and they can be trained to perform simple tricks on command.
They like to play fetch, making them ideal for the more active pet owner. Maine Coons rarely sleep while lying on their backs. If a cat is lying on its back, it is a sign of trust. By exposing their belly to you, your cat is telling you that they feel safe and comfortable in your presence. Just like all Maine Coons, the calicos are very intelligent and playful animals.
There is a superstition that calicos and tortoiseshell are extra feisty and prone to expecting to get their own way, but we suspect that might just be a case of nurture over nature.
Make sure to begin socializing and training your little calico kitten as soon as you get them home and they should be as good as gold. Maine Coons are great with children and other animals, and calico Maine Coons are no exception. If you are looking for a family pet, Maine Coons are a great bet. They are known for their putting up with a lot of prodding and poking from little ones without responding, and they also do well around other pets including dogs. The fur is silk-like and is not difficult to brush and easily remains smooth.
We recommend brushing through once a week, but your cat will take care of the rest. Dental care is of more concern with the Calico Maine Coon because they can be predisposed to gum disease. If you initiate tooth brushing as a kitten, you can eliminate the inevitable battle that you will have with your cat if you leave it only until the problem appears. Try to do this times a week. Despite the popularity of the calico coat, it is more difficult to breed than other coats and therefore there is a smaller pool of cats available to breed.
Expect stiff competition for any calico kittens and move fast to secure your new pet. Just remember to take all the necessary steps in locating a good breeder, which we cover below. We recommend that you always should look around to find reputable maine coon breeders. The breeder should have had your kitten vaccinated and genetically tested, and should also be able to provide a health certificate to confirm this has been done.
No reputable breeder should allow you to remove the kittens from their mother before 8 weeks, and many will ask you to wait for 13 weeks.
Genetic testing should be undertaken to identify the presence of any problematic genes. Not all cats with the genetic markers will go on to manifest the disease itself, but it is important to be aware of the possibilities. We recommend that you check out our article on buying from a reputable breeder, to reduce the risk of buying a kitten with problematic gene anomalies.
Remember, the calico is NOT a crossbreed, and therefore does not benefit from the typically better health of mixes.
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