Maine Coons are one of the largest breeds of cats that are easily kept at home. They have a special attraction and always get along well with humans and other pets. Especially beautiful and elegant look Maine Coons of tortoise color, which will be discussed further. This article will also take a look at the opinion of felinologists on how to predict the birth of tortoiseshell kittens.
Main characteristics
Tortoiseshell kittens appear rather rarely, as it is associated with complex genetic processes occurring in the feline body. Usually tortoise color involves the mixing of two, three or more colors on the fur of a cat or a cat. Speaking of the Maine Coon breed, it can be safely noted that dozens of original combinations and variations of mixing colors on animal fur can be found in nature, but, as a rule, specks of black and red shades are most often found. And also it is possible to observe the "turtle on white".
Most often with tortoiseshell color females are born. For cats, this is a serious rarity - as a rule, experts have associated this with serious gene mutations.
Consider the main types of tortoise color.
- Classical. Classic tortoise color implies the alternation of orange (red) and brown shades on the animal's fur. If the parents of the Maine Coon have very beautiful wool, and chocolate color is predominant on it, then the kittens may also have a tortoiseshell color with chocolate and black spots.
- With white. The tortoiseshell color with a predominance of white color implies that white specks will be especially noticeable on the paws of the animal, on the back, face and stomach. They will contrast with a different dark shade.
- Blue with cream. With this turtle color, the white color on the wool is usually not present, in general. But throughout the cat's body, you can easily observe the alternation of dark blue and cream (milky) spots. Maine-coons of this color are considered among the rarest of their breed. Felinologists spend more than one year to get this color. In this case, the blue-cream cat-girl will be very kind and soft in nature.
- Calico. The predominance of white, red and black colors on wool. Getting this color is very common. In foreign folklore, you can find information that cats with this color bring good luck and are very strongly attached to their owners.
Of course, this is only a general idea of the Maine Coon tortoise colors. There may be other variations of the combination of shades and colors, but in general it is important to understand that the tortoise color implies the presence of spots of different sizes, smoothly turning into cat hair or - in rare cases - a cat.
Forecasts of felinologists
Over the years, many breeders have been trying to get such a rare and beautiful tortoiseshell color, because you can never predict it in the next offspring with one hundred percent certainty. And this is due to many factors.
Turtle pattern, in addition to complex genetic factors and processes, also depends on the individual characteristics of the parents, their age and pigmentation of the color of their wool. Predicting the receipt, for example, of a tortoise color with the dominance of blue and milky colors is almost impossible.And it is also obvious that in order to get kittens with such a color it is impossible to knit red and black Maine Coons, even if there are cats or cats with such color in their pedigree, it’s not a fact that their descendants will be like that.
Pictures on the body of little kittens in the first days of life is very difficult to make out, but over time they will surely amaze with their originality. Moreover, such kittens are most valued in nurseries and sold at higher prices.
What will kittens be like?
Each tortoise color probably will find its fans. After all, how can not charm the color with fuzzy smooth transitions from one spot to another. In addition, the cat or cat breed Maine Coon. Soft tints of chocolate, black, blue and white colors certainly will not leave anyone indifferent.
If the mother cat is the owner of a tortoise color, then in her litter, most likely, there will be kittens of both normal color and tortoise color. Calculate the color will be more difficult. After all, it can be a combination of shades of wool and a cat-mother, and a cat.
Experts believe that if the coat of the alleged parents of the cat and the cat match the color, then there is a high probability of getting male kittens with the same color.
To more accurately predict the color of future offspring, it is necessary to study not only the analysis of the dominant genes of the alleged parents, but also their closest ancestors by genealogy. And also consider the prevailing colors on wool and their pigmentation. Of course, not all breeders are professional genetics, and therefore it is sometimes just pleasant to expect Maine Coon kittens without any special calculations with their original turtle color. In addition, they may appear unexpectedly, even if the parents are not at all tortoiseshell.
Interesting facts about the Maine Coon are waiting for you in the video below.
