What breed is my cat?
April 9, 2018 7:54 AM Subscribe
What breed is my cat?
He might be mixed, but I would like to have an idea what he might be mixed with if he is.
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I have posted photos so that you may see what he looks like. Everyone says he is very big for one years old. As far as his personality, he is a very friendly cat, and very loving one. He loves to snuggle, and sit in my lap. He follows me around the house, like a dog which I find very cute.
I adopted him from the Humane Society. He was only there for five days before I got there, and he was surrendered by his previous owner because they were moving. To be honest, he chose me. I would not take a cat home unless they chose me.
A friend of mine said that he is a Maine coon mix because he has fur between his toes. I do not know, but I have been looking at a lot of pictures of Maine coons. A lot of the characteristics match, but I am not sure, which is why I am asking for your expertise. will
I have posted photos so that you may see what he looks like. Everyone says he is very big for one years old. As far as his personality, he is a very friendly cat, and very loving one. He loves to snuggle, and sit in my lap. He follows me around the house, like a dog which I find very cute.
I adopted him from the Humane Society. He was only there for five days before I got there, and he was surrendered by his previous owner because they were moving. To be honest, he chose me. I would not take a cat home unless they chose me.
A friend of mine said that he is a Maine coon mix because he has fur between his toes. I do not know, but I have been looking at a lot of pictures of Maine coons. A lot of the characteristics match, but I am not sure, which is why I am asking for your expertise. will
Response by poster: Riley! My little shnoogie bottom! ☺️
He looks very much like that! That looks like a winter coat on that cat, if that is what he is.
posted by squirbel at 8:08 AM on April 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
He looks very much like that! That looks like a winter coat on that cat, if that is what he is.
posted by squirbel at 8:08 AM on April 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
Definitely looks like a Maine Coon mix to me. What a babe!
posted by merriment at 8:08 AM on April 9, 2018 [9 favorites]
posted by merriment at 8:08 AM on April 9, 2018 [9 favorites]
There's a lot of confusion between mixes that involve Maine Coon and/or Norwegian Forest Cat, but the set of his shoulders and the fluffy sides showing the double coat (which lightens as it ages and is bleached by the sun; my tuxedo boy would "rust" to brown every summer) suggest the latter to me also. Toe and ear tufts are definitely a thing for both breeds. NFCs seem to be a bit more elongated than MCs, though for the extra poofy ones it's not always apparent. Here is a handsome fellow with similar coloring.
posted by notquitemaryann at 8:12 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by notquitemaryann at 8:12 AM on April 9, 2018
Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest (they're similar) mix. Also, officially, 100% full-breed Gorgeous Floof. I am an expert.
posted by rtha at 8:13 AM on April 9, 2018 [13 favorites]
posted by rtha at 8:13 AM on April 9, 2018 [13 favorites]
Response by poster: I have been spoiling him by feeding him Blue buffalo kitten kibble, and salmon (chicken of the sea).
posted by squirbel at 8:13 AM on April 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by squirbel at 8:13 AM on April 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: So basically I have to wait until least three or four years old, which is when Maine Coons reach their height in weight?
posted by squirbel at 8:17 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by squirbel at 8:17 AM on April 9, 2018
What does he sound like? All the Norwegian Forest Cats that I've known have a tiny meow, more suited to a tiny kitten than a 15-pound cat.
posted by answergrape at 8:29 AM on April 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by answergrape at 8:29 AM on April 9, 2018 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: His meow sounds like a low volume bubbly meow or chirrup. But when he demands food he gets loud. Not sure how to answer. 🙂
posted by squirbel at 8:37 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by squirbel at 8:37 AM on April 9, 2018
Mod note: Replaced the original image link with a better gallery setup, cleaned up a few comments, carry on.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:03 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:03 AM on April 9, 2018
The chirruping and bubbly meow is definitely a maine coon thing, but he doesn't have the strong chin or other characteristic parts of that breed. Most long haired cats have hair between their toes. All the ones I've known have had copious toe hair.
He's most likely a mutt, if he was a pure breed then the owners would have taken him to the breeder or to a rescue for that breed instead of the pound. (hopefully.) Mutts are great, pure breeding leads to a concentration of physical characteristics while ignoring health and temperament. He's the one and only Riley breed, no imitators.
posted by Dynex at 9:57 AM on April 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
He's most likely a mutt, if he was a pure breed then the owners would have taken him to the breeder or to a rescue for that breed instead of the pound. (hopefully.) Mutts are great, pure breeding leads to a concentration of physical characteristics while ignoring health and temperament. He's the one and only Riley breed, no imitators.
posted by Dynex at 9:57 AM on April 9, 2018 [3 favorites]
He looks like some mix of Norwegian Forest/Maine Coon/Siberian. Not wholly -- he isn't as fluffy as those breeds tend to be, especially in the ruff. Those cats all look a bit similar, they are the Big Fluffster Cats.
posted by jeather at 10:03 AM on April 9, 2018
posted by jeather at 10:03 AM on April 9, 2018
Looks like a domestic medium hair brown tabby to me.
posted by Stewriffic at 10:04 AM on April 9, 2018 [14 favorites]
posted by Stewriffic at 10:04 AM on April 9, 2018 [14 favorites]
Yeah, to me this is just a straight-up long(ish) haired domestic tabby of no particular pedigree, like a couple of pets I had as a kid... which is fine!
My understanding of the Maine Coons, NFCs etc of this world is that they're relatively rare, very expensive and also HUGE ANIMALS. I don't know if you'd just luck into a mix in your local animal shelter.
posted by Ted Maul at 10:15 AM on April 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
My understanding of the Maine Coons, NFCs etc of this world is that they're relatively rare, very expensive and also HUGE ANIMALS. I don't know if you'd just luck into a mix in your local animal shelter.
posted by Ted Maul at 10:15 AM on April 9, 2018 [4 favorites]
> My understanding of the Maine Coons, NFCs etc of this world is that they're relatively rare, very expensive and also HUGE ANIMALS. I don't know if you'd just luck into a mix in your local animal shelter.
Depends on where - we found our Linus (may he rest in sunshine) at the pound, and he was on the large side for a cat, but not as big as many Maine Coons can get. He had the ruff and the fluffy pants and all the other hallmarks of the breed, though.
posted by rtha at 10:32 AM on April 9, 2018
Depends on where - we found our Linus (may he rest in sunshine) at the pound, and he was on the large side for a cat, but not as big as many Maine Coons can get. He had the ruff and the fluffy pants and all the other hallmarks of the breed, though.
posted by rtha at 10:32 AM on April 9, 2018
Your cat may resembled a Maine Coon, but unless an (expensive and loved!) pedigreed cat escaped and went unclaimed at the shelter, you very very likely do not have a purebred cat. If a Maine Coon escaped and bred with a stray, you still don’t have a Maine Coon. You have a domestic shorthair or domestic longhair.
Here’s more information about how this works. What Breed is My Cat?
posted by littlewater at 1:30 PM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Here’s more information about how this works. What Breed is My Cat?
posted by littlewater at 1:30 PM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
He's got the tabby 'M' on his forehead so I'd agree with Stonkle that you have a lovely domestic long-haired tabby cat.
posted by machine at 1:48 PM on April 9, 2018
posted by machine at 1:48 PM on April 9, 2018
Wow, he looks exactly like my old cat. Slightly longer fur, but they could easily be siblings. The entire face and the body shape are so similar.
She was definitely not any fancy breed or related to maine coons etc. Your standard domestic shorthair (more like mediumhair, if that's a thing) tabby, from the pound. Most cats from the pound don't really have a "breed" beyond domestic short/longhair. Not that there's anything wrong with that! Designer breed cats aren't any better pets than regular cats.
posted by randomnity at 4:00 PM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
She was definitely not any fancy breed or related to maine coons etc. Your standard domestic shorthair (more like mediumhair, if that's a thing) tabby, from the pound. Most cats from the pound don't really have a "breed" beyond domestic short/longhair. Not that there's anything wrong with that! Designer breed cats aren't any better pets than regular cats.
posted by randomnity at 4:00 PM on April 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
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posted by orrnyereg at 8:07 AM on April 9, 2018 [3 favorites]