The Maine Coon tabby mix is one of the most sought after breeds when it comes to a cat that many consider the perfect family pet.
Maine Coons are often mixed with other breeds but the outcome is what you’d expect of a Maine Coon, only in a tabby color pattern.
This article will discuss precisely what makes up a tabby Maine Coon mix, common traits you may be looking for if you see one for sale, as well as some possible differences between these types of cats and their non-tabby counterparts.
What Is A Mixed Maine Coon?
As with any breed, there’s an overall standard for body size, coloring, and even personality type.
Purebreds have overall ranges and accepted normals.
A mixed Maine Coon is a cat where one of the parents is not of Maine Coon lineage.
A mixed breed cat is an offspring of parents of two different breeds, or a purebred and a domestic.
If you have a cat that looks like another breed, it may be called a mixed-breed.
So when a Maine Coon breeds with a domestic shorthair, if the resultant offspring has mainly Maine Coon features, then it would be described as a Maine Coon mix.
For the average Maine Coon mix you’re looking at a larger sized cat that will have markings similar to those of a regular Maine Coon.
The same personality and affectionate nature are also carried over from the parent breeds as well.
These kitties grow quickly both physically and mentally so it’s important to be prepared to appropriately care for a growing kitten before bringing him or her home.
What Is A Tabby Maine Coon?
A tabby Maine Coon kitten is simply a Maine Coon that has inherited the gene for tabby markings from one of their parent breeds.
Maine Coons can be born with tabby coloring, but they may also be added as the cat ages.
This is because tabbies are not a specific breed but rather a pattern of markings that show up on many different breeds, including Maine Coons themselves.
The tabby gene acts like any other coat color and can mix into all coat colors associated with this breed or any other cat for that matter.
Breeds that have been mixed with the Maine Coon can produce cats with tabby coloring.
There may be some features from their non-tabby parent, but for the most part, they will take on traits of the tabby mix Maine Coons.
This includes the longer body and muscular build associated with Maine Coons.
The tabby form has 5 different types
mackerel tabbies
classic tabbies
ticked tabbies
Spotted
patched
You can get mixed patterns as well, such as a Calico tabby.
There’s a lot of different color coordination and patterns going on.
Can You Get Tabby Maine Coon Mixes?
If you’re a fan of the Maine Coon, you may not believe that they can mix with other breeds.
But these cats are growing in popularity, so the likelihood of mixing them with a new breed is high.
You can absolutely get a tabby Maine Coon mix.
Maine coon tabby mix colors come in all sorts of colors and patterns, but this depends on what color is dominant from either of the parent’s genetic pool.
Tabby is a recognized pattern and the Maine Coon is a popular breed of cat so you should see a few about.
How Can I Tell If My Tabby Cat Is Mixed With A Maine Coon?
Knowing if your cat is a tabby Maine Coon mix can be done by asking the breeder who sold you the cat, or if there’s no breeder then simply have a look at the cat itself.
Is it larger than most domestic cats?
Is it exceptionally fluffy?
Does it love to sit in warm places and enjoy being around its master?
There are a few telltale signs that you have a Maine Coon mix.
The Maine Coon is a physically large cat, even a small female would be considered normal size.
They also take several years, up to 5 to properly mature.
Other physical traits include a sturdy back from their fluffy coats and large paws that help them navigate snowy terrains.
Ears on these kitties can also differ depending on what breed was used to make the Maine Coon tabby mix.
Maine Coon ears are very distinctive.
They look like lynx ears with tufts on show.
The fur on a Maine Coon is thick, of medium to long length and often described as silky.
They have a double layered coat, with fluffy undercoats.
Their eyes are often quite large, and wide.
Their face may be a wedge shape.
The personality of a Maine Coon can also be a dead giveaway.
They are very dog like in behavior.
They are loyal, sociable, and love the company of the family.
A Maine Coon will follow you around out of curiosity.
They are overly friendly – normally.
If you take a look at the characteristics, personality, and physical nature of a Maine Coon and compare it to your cat, hopefully you might see some similarities.
If your cat shows many traits from a Maine Coon, then you could well have a Maine Coon mix.
What Causes The Tabby Look In A Maine Coon Mix
When a kitten is formed, the tabby pattern is a dominant gene.
This means that it affects the outcome of every cat it colors.
If you mate two cats with this gene, there’s a high likelihood that the offspring will have tabby markings as well.
Some breeds are more susceptible to expression than others but they do not eliminate the chance that the tabby gene will show up on an offspring.
What Are Common Breeds For Maine Coon Mixes
There are many breeds that have been crossbred with the Maine Coon to create a mixed tabby cat.
Maine Coons mix with just about every other breed of cat there is.
Common Maine Coon mixes are with Persians, Ragdolls, Norwegian Forest Cats, American Curls, and Bengals.
How Big Do Tabby Maine Coon Mixes Get?
The size of a Maine Coon mix is largely dependent on the other breed.
A Maine Coon / Ragdoll mix will likely result in larger offspring than a Maine Coon / American Curl mix.
Maine Coon mixes can be very large, especially if you have a Maine Coon / Norwegian Forest mix.
Those two breeds are quite similar as well, so it might even look like a purebred Maine Coon.
Generally, most cats are smaller than Maine Coons so mixed Maine Coons are smaller than purebreds on average.
Are Tabby Maine Coon Mixes Rare?
Tabby Maine Coon mixes are not rare, in fact, you’ll be able to find plenty of them online.
They’re a popular crossbreed that many people love for their large size and affectionate personality.
Maine Coon mixes are fairly common, and a quick online search should bring a few up in your local area.
Tabby is a recognized pattern as well, so it shouldn’t be too long before you come across an ideal kitten or cat to bring home.
Are There Any Issues With Tabby Maine Coons Mixes?
Did you know Calico Maine Coons are nearly always female?
Only 1 in 100 will be male.
That’s the strange thing about genetics – it can play strange quirks of fate on you.
There aren’t really any known issues with tabby cats that are either decisive or indicative.
A Maine Coon tabby mix will be susceptible to the diseases that Maine Coons and the other parent breed are.
The fact that that kitten would be a tabby doesn’t impart anything you need to worry about.
What Are The Benefits Of A Tabby Mix?
Due to their large size and mixed heritage, this makes for an interesting cat that is not found in many other breeds so you could stand out by owning one.
The main benefit is perhaps the personality associated with these cats since they take on characteristics of the parent breeds.
They are large and friendly – Maine Coon cats have a soft temperament which makes them very easy to get along with.
Tabby Maine Coons will require no more grooming than your average cat though so you’ll need to be willing to brush and clean them on occasion if you want the best quality of life possible for your kitten or cat companion.
The real benefit is with you the owner, if you simply love this style then a Maine Coon with this pattern is an awesome combination.
Conclusion
The Maine Coon tabby mix can be a great choice for anyone who wants to have their own unique cat breed.
Tabby Maine Coons are more common than you’d think, and they’re super friendly too!
If you want your own tabby Maine Coon mix then this is the way to go.
There are many places to find a Maine Coon tabby mix from online searches, professional breeders, to rescue or adoption centers.
The most important thing is to make sure that you keep healthy cats, no matter what pattern they come in!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Maine coon and a tabby?
This question gets asked but it’s not a comparable answer. The Maine Coon is a breed of cat and tabby refers to a style of coat. The tabby pattern can be found on many breeds of cat, and isn’t exclusive to the Maine Coon breed.
Can a Maine coon cat be a tabby?
Yes, a purebred Maine Coon can have a tabby pattern. They are quite common within the breed so they shouldn’t be hard to find.
What is the rarest tabby cat?
Ticked tabbies are said to be the rarest. Ticked tabbies don;t look like tabbies on the body guard fur, and have the tabby pattern on the face. The hairs on a ticked tabby can have subtle changes of color on the same hair.
My name is Ann and I have been looking after and breeding cats since 2013. I am currently the proud ownder of Alita, a female Maine Coon to whom I've dedicated this site. She has had 2 litters and is around 3 years old. We share adventures and stories together.
My name in Ann, I am a Thai citizen hoping to tell the world about the Maine Coon. It’s my favorite breed of cat and I have learnt a lot of things about them. Please look around my site and let me know what you think. This is Alita, my Maine Coon and you can find out more on the About Me page.
