What Does Mixed Breed Maine Coon Mean? (Pros And Cons)
The Maine Coon is a breed of cat that has been around for hundreds of years.
Probably more.
There are many different types and breeds, but the Maine Coon is one of the most popular among people who have cats as pets.
If you are looking to get one, you might have heard a few terms and be wondering what they are?
Purebred for example, although a more common term is mixed breed Maine Coon.
So, what is meant by that!
What does the term mixed breed Maine Coon mean?
The Maine Coon can be mixed with other breeds, which means there are Maine Coons that aren’t 100% Maine Coon. They resemble them in looks and personality but somewhere in the lineage one of the parents wasn’t from the Maine Coon breed.
Regarding mixed breed Maine Coons, they’re known for being a slightly smaller cat.
Most breeds aren’t as large as the Maine Coon so chances are the parentage is from a smaller breed.
They’re still very mellow and friendly too, which is important if you have children in the house that are to be around the cats.
Although mixed breed Maine Coons can make great pets, it’s important that potential owners consider all aspects before getting one.
Mixed breed Maine Coons are affectionate and loving, but they’re also known for being stubborn so be prepared to have a little extra patience when it comes to training mixed breeds.
The Mixed Breed Maine Coon
The Maine Coon can be mixed with other breeds, which means there are Maine Coons that aren’t 100% Maine Coons
The term mixed breed Maine Coon gets used a lot when talking about this type of animal, but sometimes it’s not very clear what it means.
People use the term without defining it.
People know what purebred means because they’ve heard the word before or seen it in print somewhere before.
A mixed breed Maine Coon is a domesticated animal descended from multiple breeds of the same species.
Simply put, A Maine Coon breeds with another breed to produce offspring that can have Maine Coon features without being pure Maine Coon.
What Is A Purebred Maine Coon?
As opposed to a mixed breed Maine Coon, which are far more prevalent, you can also get a purebred Maine Coon.
The type of cats you tend to get from a breeder.
A purebred Maine Coon has two 100% Maine Coon parents.
When you start getting multiple mixes in a lineage it becomes less clear as to who the actual ancestors were and what breeds they had mixed together.
The breeder will keep records of lineage and provide proof that kittens have two pure Maine Coon parents.
They come with what’s called provenance.
A purebred Maine Coon comes without other breeds mixed with the lineage.
Advantages Of Mixed Breed Maine Coons
It’s not necessarily that mixed breed Maine Coons are better than purebreds, it just depends on what you prefer.
If you are after a Maine Coon and see a mixed breed that you want, then there are some advantages to buying a mixed breed.
Let’s run through a few advantages you might want to consider.
Health
The mixed breed Maine Coon is overall likely a healthier cat than the purebred.
To keep Maine Coon bloodlines 100% pure it can sometimes mean that cat’s with similar genetic coding are bred.
Often one of the Maine Coon parents might be too close in relationship to the other.
Like human cousins breeding.
This doesn’t guarantee a problem, but the chance of genetic problems being introduced into the bloodlines does increase.
Greater Lifespan
With mixed breeds, the mixed breed cats have a longer lifespan on average than purebreds.
Due to the smaller increase in health issues (on average) a mixed breed can help increase the overall amount of time your cat will live.
A mixed breed can sometimes help with some of the Maine Coon health issues like PKD or hip dysplasia.
Cheaper
Purebreds will be more expensive as they require a breeder to keep two Maine Coon parents.
They have strict standards which need to be maintained.
All this adds cost, and people pay more for a purebred because of this.
More Common
Mixed breeds are much more common than purebreds.
Around 2% of cats described as Maine Coons will be purebred, so 98% of Maine Coons will be mixed breeds.
This means that in rescue centers, adoption centers, or with private sellers you will see more mixed breeds available than anything else.
Mixed Looks
With one parent not being a Maine Coon there’s a greater variety of looks to choose from.
Many people like the striking looks of a Maine Coon, but some prefer features from another breed.
By looking for a mixed breed Maine Coon where the cat’s parents are from two breeds you like, the look you’re after is more assured.
Smaller
The Maine Coon is a large cat.
The largest domestic breed there is in fact.
When Maine Coons breed with other cats then the offspring will typically be smaller.
So if you like Maine Coon looks but worry about having a large cat, then a mixed breed Maine Coon may be a perfect choice.
Or should that be ‘a purrfect choice’.
See what I did there?
Personality
Maybe there’s something about the Maine Coons personality you don’t like.
No idea what that might be – they’re awesome – but generally mixed breed Maine Coons are very affable.
If you like the personality of another breed you can look for that very specific breed as the other parent.
Disadvantages Of Mixed Breed Maine Coons
There aren’t a great deal of disadvantages to a mixed breed, as it’s all about preferences rather than anything else.
A mixed Maine Coon will look slightly less like a Maine Coon than anything else, and the Maine Coons’ distinguishing features, looks, and personality are slightly diluted.
Maine Coons trill and chirp, but a mixed breed Maine Coon may not do so as much, if at all.
It all depends upon what you actually want from a breed with distinguishing Maine Coon features.
The main disadvantages come from how the Maine Coon may get to you.
There are plenty of Maine Coons mixes in adoption centers and rescue centers so it’s sometimes difficult to get the backstory with the cat.
With a purebred, they normally have been bred so you know the parents, the history etc.
A mixed Maine Coon may have been poorly treated or suffered something else so the disadvantages are often more to do with history than anything else.
Of course, sometimes there’s a more random element to a mixed Maine Coon than you would get compared to a purebred.
Advantages Of Purebred Maine Coons
A purebred is a 100% Maine Coon cat.
It’s much more likely you will know what you are getting.
When we have a purebred cat, the behavior traits for the breed are fairly predictable.
A sort of ‘standard’ breed character and features sets in, which means you are far more likely to understand what you can expect from the kitten as it grows.
If you buy a Maine Coon kitten that’s purebred you can’t specify coat colors, but you know it will likely be a large cat, what the coat will look like when it will develop a mane, and it’ll probably follow you around a lot.
So the main advantages are –
Large Cat
The Maine Coon is a large domestic breed and well known for its size.
They’re not called ‘gentle giants’ for nothing.
You know you will likely get a large cat if that’s what you want.
That Maine Coon Personality
The Maine Coon has a very distinct personality that owners really adore.
Gentle, affable, affectionate, and loyal, with dog like qualities, means that thousands of owners simply can’t see themselves with another breed.
They are very talkative, have conversations it seems with you, and are intensely curious about what you’re doing.
They’re excellent mousers but are not normally aggressive with other pets.
Show Opportunity
With a purebred comes the opportunity to take them to shows.
If that’s your thing, then by all means go ahead.
Personally, I do occasionally and Alita came third in the local one a few years back
Looks
Lots of people really like the very distinctive looks of the Maine Coon.
They have a striking set of features so if you like that look, a purebred will more than likely resemble them as the kitten grows.
Known History
You know the cat’s history and pedigree with a purebred.
Genetic traits can be carried on, so it’s much easier to get a very specific look if you are prepared to wait.
There are many Maine Coon breeders so eventually you can get a coat color and pattern that you may like.
Purebreds are often screened for known diseases and some of the breed’s health traits have been ‘engineered out’ for better or worse.
You also know exactly who the parents are.
Disadvantages Of Purebred Maine Coons
If you fall for a specific set of features for a breed a purebred Maine Coon is the obvious choice.
Those ‘features’ and character are meticulously maintained by breeders
The advantages of a mixed breed can be turned ‘upside down’ to become the disadvantages of the purebred.
Briefly, these might be –
Health
Unfortunately, depending upon where you get your cat from there’s a chance of inbreeding.
Inbreeding is known to cause genetic defects – ask the historians about Egyptian royalty.
These genetic defects come from a lack of diversity in the gene pool.
The health effects may be profound in the years to come.
To mitigate this, ask any breeder about the relationship between the parents and trace back if they are unsure.
Very good breeders will already try to minimize this effect with their breeding selection.
More Expensive
The cost of breeding purebreds is greater than letting nature take its course.
Purebreds are kept healthy, vaccinated, and the bloodline needs to be documented so there’s more work.
There are fewer purebreds than mixed breeds so as demand is higher, the cost rises also.
Opportunity Lost
Purebreds are well cared for and typically find a good home.
Mixed breeds are plentiful, and occasionally end up in rescue centers or placed for adoption.
In picking a purebred you miss out on the chance to house a perfectly fine cat that will still display the Maine Coon traits.
Conclusion
The mixed breed Maine Coon is a cat that has mixed parentage, but they have the same type of personality that a purebred has.
A mixed breed Maine Coon is a cat where one of the parents was a Maine Coon and they have produced offspring with defining Maine Coon features.
A mixed breed Maine Coon is very similar to a purebred, but mixed breed cats are not pedigree registered.
They have the same look and size and can be from any combination of breeds so mixed breeds do not have that specific look and pattern that you may want.
Purebreds are more costly both in terms of buying one and taking one home with you.
If you want to buy a mixed breed cat then go ahead as there’s nothing stopping you really.
The advantages outweigh the disadvantages for many, but if cost isn’t an issue then get what pleases you the most or your best friend!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are searching for a cat that will have reduced health issues with genetic problem risk, consider a mixed-breed. Purebred cats often demonstrate specific desirable traits, but they come with higher chances for genetic defects and other health problems. Because mixed-breeds are created from a wider gene pool than purebreds, they typically have fewer risks.
Crossbreed is the same as a mixed breed in terms of result – a kitten with parents from two different breeds. Crossbreeds are often more deliberately produced, rather than the more random term ‘mixed breed’.
In the wild, cats are most frequently found in a mixed-breed state. It’s estimated that 98% of all cats fall outside of the purebred population due to this uncontrolled breeding.Cats that have a mixed ancestry are often called “mixed breeds”, but almost all of them are no purebred parentage in any way. Some of these cats resemble typical breeds, but others have no particular defining look.
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About the Author
MaineCoon
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.
Welcome to my site
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.
