Maine Coon? Norwegian Forest Cat? What is he?

[carlymarie]

Hey guys. So I recently started to volunteer at a rescue, and we have this little kitten named Dusty. Hes absloutley gorgeous, and im really curious as to what type of cat he may be. He had short fur when he first came to us, then just fluffed up. Someone said they think he is part Maine Coon, someone else thought he was a Norwegian Forest Cat. Im just looking for some more opinions. Any ideas? Hes about 9 weeks old.

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• carlymarie
• Jul 8, 2013

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• carlymarie
• Jul 8, 2013

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• carlymarie
• Jul 8, 2013

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• carlymarie
• Jul 8, 2013

 

[StefanZ]

CarlyMarie. He is domestic longhair.  The pattern is Tabby and White, the exact color I dont dare to tell.

The normale for cats IS to be domestic, just about 3% of cats belong to a breed.

What can be done is, as a pastime for the fun of it, speculate what a breed they are look alike.

He isnt not clear cut alike, just very pretty and longhaired.

Although, living in Pennsylvania, he may be akin to those cats from whose Maine Coons was bred from, ie the foundation stock.

So, if comparing him to some breed is important for you, look at the Maine coon.

Good luck!

   Welcome to our Forums!

 

[carlymarie]

Thank you! No, I am not looking to group him into a breed, I was just curious because a ton of people ask. (:

 

[maewkaew]

  People ( like all the people who ask you what breed he is)  often think that cats must be like dogs,  either a breed or a mix of breeds.  and especially when they see a beautiful cat like this,  they think there must have been some selective breeding involved!       but there has been much less selective breeding of cats compared to dogs.   The vast majority of cats have just bred randomly on their own and have a mix of genes from the general cat population in their  part of the world.  and they come in a great variety of colors, patterns and coat lengths.   

 Some of the cat breeds originally came from groups of these random-bred cats who by themselves had developed into a certain sort of type .  Then people started breeding them to preserve those cats of that type  and/ or to accentuate certain features they found attractive / distinctive.      

Both NFC and MC  originally started as  "natural breeds" like that. ,  cats in a rather isolated area who developed on their own into a certain kind of look.   

 It's not surprising that  other cats from other places  could turn out to  have some similarities in looks,  and may mean their ancestors came from similar environments.    but it makes it very hard/ impossible to tell if a cat is part some breed.  He does not have an extremely strong look of either breed.  nor of Siberian which is the 3rd of the northern longhair "forest cat" breeds.  

 I  think of those 3 breeds,  it could be argued that he  looks a bit more like Norwegian Forest Cat . ( for example in the 3rd photo his profile looks almost straight!)   but that doesnt mean he necessarily has any NFC ancestry.    

 If he were related to either breed,  MC would be more likely considering your location and their popularity. 

 But it may well just be his ancestry is entirely random-bred cats  not from either northern Maine or Norway 

In any case,  he is  sure  a very handsome Brown Tabby and White cat!    

 

[carlymarie]

  People ( like all the people who ask you what breed he is)  often think that cats must be like dogs,  either a breed or a mix of breeds.  and especially when they see a beautiful cat like this,  they think there must have been some selective breeding involved!       but there has been much less selective breeding of cats compared to dogs.   The vast majority of cats have just bred randomly on their own and have a mix of genes from the general cat population in their  part of the world.  and they come in a great variety of colors, patterns and coat lengths.   

 Some of the cat breeds originally came from groups of these random-bred cats who by themselves had developed into a certain sort of type .  Then people started breeding them to preserve those cats of that type  and/ or to accentuate certain features they found attractive / distinctive.      

Both NFC and MC  originally started as  "natural breeds" like that. ,  cats in a rather isolated area who developed on their own into a certain kind of look.   

 It's not surprising that  other cats from other places  could turn out to  have some similarities in looks,  and may mean their ancestors came from similar environments.    but it makes it very hard/ impossible to tell if a cat is part some breed.  He does not have an extremely strong look of either breed.  nor of Siberian which is the 3rd of the northern longhair "forest cat" breeds.  

 I  think of those 3 breeds,  it could be argued that he  looks a bit more like Norwegian Forest Cat . ( for example in the 3rd photo his profile looks almost straight!)   but that doesnt mean he necessarily has any NFC ancestry.    

 If he were related to either breed,  MC would be more likely considering your location and their popularity. 

 But it may well just be his ancestry is entirely random-bred cats  not from either northern Maine or Norway 

In any case,  he is  sure  a very handsome Brown Tabby and White cat!    

Everything you just said; all reasons I am a total cat person!

 

[13i11man]

Having had two Forest Cats and looking at the great shots you took it looks to me like a mix between the Wigi (no break in your cats nose and looks soft not silky) with the rounder head shape and tiger strips of a Maine Coon it could be a mix of the two. But I'm betting Norwegian Forest Cat, Domestic mix because of the size. Very pretty cat you have.