The Black Maine Coon: Facts and Personality Traits

The Black Maine Coon cat has one of the most alluring and stunning colors of this breed.

Do you know the difference between a Black and a Black Smoke Maine Coon Cat? Of course, all the cat colors of this breed are so beautiful, it would be impossible to choose a favorite!

Telling if your cat is a black Main Coon or not will require a little bit of help from a true breeder. If you took home a kitten or full-grown cat that’s not from a breeder, it might be difficult to tell.

In fact, a lot of cats with long, abundant fur are mistaken for this breed, simply because many cat owners aren’t exactly all-knowing about the physical traits of the cat breed.

How can you tell if a cat is Black Maine Coon?

You need to know that cats have some physical traits quite similar to the breed, but they may not be a purebred Maine Coon or of this breed.

Your cat may be a mixture of breeds, although that doesn’t make your feline friend any less valuable to you. We just need to cover the basic traits of this cat breed so you can understand your feline better. Knowing how to tell your cat apart from a certain breed, or even identify with it.

Considering a cat to be Maine Coon means understanding their true physical indicators of what makes them one.

What are the characteristics of a Black Maine Coon cat?

There are a lot of ways to use in identifying a cat. You can refer to its physical characteristics such as its large size, its distinctive black shaggy fur, a large set of eyes, and how tapered its tail and ears are.

What’s more to cats with this type of breed is how they are often friendly and outgoing. By observing their behavior, you can easily identify how warm and agreeable they are with humans.

They can easily be identified by observing their personalities and behavior. Let’s dive deep into the common characteristics of this cat breed that you may not know.

What you need to know about the Maine Coon

Size and Look

These cats are, by far, the largest among all feline breeds. There seems to be an unmistakable tough and sturdy look about them. If your cat appears unusually large, it just has the genes of this cat breed.

They appear to have a rectangular body, and so the size and shape of their muscular build give them a stronger body than the common sleek type. This can be different if your cat is a mixed breed, for as long as your cat has the genes of this cat breed, then he or she will have that signature bulky build.

Most cats of this breed have quite the distinctive mane that covers the neck area which extends more than the rest of the hair that is covering their bodies.

Try to check with your cat’s hair length if it is as long as the standard Maine Coon’s. What you will be expecting is a medium to a long, shaggy fur coat. This fur coat will likely shed, most of the time.

These cats’ fur will grow thicker in the wintertime to keep warm during the cold, and then it starts thinning during the summer season when they no longer need so much fur to keep warm.

Their tail is covered with thick, long fur as well just as much as their necks. These cats usually bring their fur coats and tails up with pride.

Types of Maine Coon fur colors

Black Maine Coon

The black Maine Coon is purely black. So, each and every bit of the cat is black, and that is something we will be expecting. Meanwhile, a black cat you consider to be this breed that contains a lighter black shade in the undercoat can be a black smoke.

The difference between a pure black one and the black smokey other lies in the undercoat. When you ruffle the fur under a black smoke-colored cat’s belly and chest area, you will see its fur having a lighter shade.

Grey Maine Coon

Grey Maine Coons have a wide range of different fur coat patterns. This cat’s solid grey coat is the most common variation of this color. Other patterns include spots, stripes, and blotches.

Calico Maine Coon

The Calico Maine Coon are bred in different colors that create a unique pattern. This version of the breed has distinct markings compared to the breed’s solid fur coat counterparts. These felines are bred in different colors.

Black Genetics of a Maine Coon cat

For a black Maine Coon kitten to be solid black, both biological parents need to have a black gene. So the odds of having a black-colored cat entirely vary depending on the parent’s genes.

Dominant black is represented by the capital letter “B”. The recessive black gene is represented by a small letter “b”. For a cat to be a solid black they must have both (“B”) dominant genes.

What about the short-haired Maine Coon cat?

We all know that this cat breed is popularly known for its long fur and shaggy coats. You may be wondering why you see some short-haired cats that look like the largest cat breed, and if it is possible that this cat would be born with short hair?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Purebred Maine Coons have long fur, so short-haired ones may not be pure. However, they are still lovely cats, nonetheless!

If you see a Maine Coon cat with short hair, then there are two main possibilities:

• This cat is a mixed breed
• The cat has been groomed and professionally trimmed.

Should you trim your Maine Coon’s coat?

Trimming your cats comes to mind when you care for them. When the weather gets hot, your cat’s fur looks like an inconvenience, and you’d rather trim the ends away for your feline friend to have some breathing space amidst the heat. I mean, the cat doesn’t need too much fur on in warm weather, right?

That’s when we’re wrong. Unfortunately, there are effects of having suddenly shorter hair which might be a shock to them. Here’s what we need to know before trimming their precious coat away:

What happens when you trim the fur coat?

Trimming their fur coat has several effects on them. These range from an imbalance of regulating their body temperature. You will only need to perform a bit of trim when your cat’s fur coat is now matted.

A cat’s fur coat not only covers them up to get protected from certain weather conditions, but it also protects them from getting scratches and scrapes from rough surfaces or another cat’s claws. So, with a trim, you might be lowering that protection.

The cats’ fur coat behaves like a built-in insulator against colder weather since their fur serves as a natural regulator of their temperature. It is also quite water-resistant. However, during the warmer seasons, their fur is also used to cool them so your cat doesn’t get dehydrated.

This breed can get a sunburn even with a full coat, all the more when it’s trimmed. You can tell if they’ve had it when their coat becomes a brown color. This is just natural, and you can just make sure you give your feline friend fresh, clean water to stay hydrated.

In the end, this cat sheds fur, so we don’t need to trim it. Instead, a daily routine of grooming and a good high protein diet to maintain the regulatory system of a cat is good for the fur.

How to care for a Black Maine Coon cat

Caring for a black Maine Coon starts with grooming. However, even with the cat’s fur length, the fur coat is rather silky and should not mat so easily, especially if you groom it on a regular basis.

In grooming, it is best to avoid unnecessary trimming and shaving. With the fur’s silky texture, you need not worry about grooming since it is easily cared for with twice weekly. You can comb gently through the fur to remove some dead hair and also distribute skin oils with a stainless steel comb.

Knowing when to bathe your cat is to see determine that the coat has become greasy. You can bathe your cat as needed, ranging per bath session from every few weeks to every few months.

In addition to grooming, the cat's litter box shall be kept clean at all times. It's safe for this cat to be kept as an indoor-only cat as a way to protect them from diseases contracted and spread by other animals.

Is a Black Maine Coon cat a good pet?

Felines make wonderful therapy animals as it has been proven that simply petting one reduces stress, depression and blood pressure.

Thanks to this cat's temperament, it makes this cat breed fit in well with other pets and family. This cat is known to be the perfect choice for families with children and cat-friendly dogs. They're happy to live with cat-friendly dogs, for as long as a rapport has been properly built.

This adorable breed love the care and attention they receive from patients and children who can treat them with respect.

What is the personality of a Black Maine Coon?

The size of these cats already makes them stick out in the best way, and yet this cat’s personality also leaves a mark on all of us for how warm and friendly they are. Surprisingly, the cat’s personality is a lot calmer around people, docile even, compared to other felines.

What a lot of cat-lovers fall for about this breed is how it can gaze upon you directly in the eyes as if trying to make a deep connection with you through eye contact.

Thanks to their outgoing and fun-loving nature, a lot of humans might prefer their company over most breeds. Even as kittens, you will witness how they love to play with strings or anything hanging that is within their reach. They also enjoy a bit of hunting as well, in an endless pursuit of whatever they can find! Need not be surprised if you find an unconscious small creature on your doorstep!

The Maine Coon price range

How much is this cat?

The value of a black Maine Coon, today, is approximately between $400-$1500 (USD), which is highly dependent on the health and age of the cat.

If the cat is healthy with a silky mane, the value can soar up to $1500. The opposite happens if the cat is too young or needs to pick up on its health which can range around $400-$800.

Final Thoughts On The Black Maine Coon

Cats have always been a fascination for society when they come to different breeds. This cat is one of the most popular cat breeds in the US and is the largest domestic cat breed.

What makes them quite popular is their friendly personality and how they are a highly social cat breed as they typically get along well with other pets and children.

The black Maine Coon is a unique version of the breed with pure black fur, inheriting such genes from purebred Maine Coon parents with the dominant black-fur gene.

Nonetheless, these cats have been favored and adored for quite a long time that they maintain a soft spot in cat owners’ and people’s hearts alike.