Maine Coon Colours and Patterns

 

Maine Coons come in an incredible variety of colours and patterns, almost everything seen in domestic cats except for “pointed” coats (like Siamese). Their DNA controls base colour, tabby patterns, modifiers like silver, and white spotting.

 

1. Base Colours

 

 

• Black (eumelanin) – the default pigment.
• Red (pheomelanin) – also called “ginger” or “orange.”
• Dilution gene (d) – lightens pigments:
  
  • Black → Blue (grey)
  • Red → Cream

 

👉 The four basic bases: Black, Blue, Red, Cream

 

 

2. Tabby Patterns

 

Most Maine Coons are tabby-patterned, which is controlled by the Agouti gene (A).

 

• Classic tabby – bold swirls and a bullseye flank.
• Mackerel tabby – narrow vertical stripes.
• Spotted tabby – stripes broken into spots.
• Ticked tabby – no clear stripes, each hair is banded for a sandy look.

 

If the agouti gene is switched off (aa), the coat appears solid instead of tabby.

 

 

3. Solid Colours

When the agouti gene is off, the cat has a solid coat in:

 

• Black
• Blue
• Red
• Cream

 

 

4. Colour Modifiers

 

 

• Silver/Smoke (Inhibitor gene, I) – reduces pigment at the base of the hair.
• Brown (B locus) – can shift black toward chocolate/cinnamon (rare in Maine Coons).
• Dilution modifier (D/dm) – creates unusual “caramel” shades.

 

 

5. White and White Spotting

 

 

• Dominant White (W) – all-white Maine Coon.
• White Spotting (S) – produces bi-colour, tuxedo, harlequin, or van.
• Mitted – white paws, chest, and sometimes a blaze.

 

 

6. Tortie and Torbie (Female-Specific)

 

The red gene is sex-linked (on the X chromosome):

 

• Tortie – mix of black (or blue) with red (or cream).
• Torbie – tortoiseshell combined with a tabby pattern.

 

 

Most torties and torbies are female; males are extremely rare.

 

 

7. Shaded Maine Coons

 

 

The “shaded” coat is a striking variation of silver and smoke, created when the Inhibitor gene (I) removes pigment from the base of each hair.

 

• Shaded – only the tips of the hairs are coloured, giving a soft, shaded effect.
• Chinchilla – very light version of shaded, with even less colour on the hair tips.
• Cameo (Red Shaded) – red or cream shaded versions.

 

 

Shaded Maine Coons can look almost luminous because their coats shimmer as they move. They’re less common than classic tabbies, but highly prized for their elegance.