Oh, turns out not everybody has the pleasure of cuddling with an orange Maine Coon! Who would’ve thought they were few and far between and you happened to be among that 1% (statistics are there for “making my point” purposes) that managed to get one? What are the rarest Maine Coon Colors, though?
Truth be told, there are a bunch of color combinations and patterns that haven’t even been officially recognized because they’re that rare. What would Selena Gomez think of them stealing the spotlight of her Rare Beauty?!
But, when we’re talking about Maine Coons that have been recognized, you might be surprised to learn that solid-colored Coons are as scarce as hen’s teeth.
And, to make my point even further, solid-colored Coons seem to be a better choice than the torbies and torties of the feline world. Given that you’re a parent to a flamboyant mouser, chances are you uttered the words “Why are you giving me that attitude?!” at least once.
But, you probably haven’t even thought that the color of her coat would have anything to do with her cattitude. Who would’ve thought that multicolored Coons (and other multicolored breeds) are more aggressive than monotone-colored ones?
Studies galore suggest that genetics don’t only play a part when we’re talking about the color of the coat. Genetics affect behavior, purrsonality, and the above-mentioned cattitude. Now, the same studies suggest that the difference seems to be minor, but better safe than sorry, right?
When you decide to go for a solid-colored Coon, you are getting the rarest color out of the bunch and the most affectionate, appreciative, and adorable creature ever. Therefore, now would be the right moment to discuss the rarest Maine coon colors.
Rarest Maine Coon Colors: What makes these Coons the talk of the town?
Maine Coons are a force to be reckoned with! Whether they’ve got a pattern or are monotone, everyone agrees they’re some of the most mysterious creatures out there. Oh, these beautiful beasts have been the talk of the town for ages considering the fact nobody knows where they came from.
Were they a cross between a raccoon and a cat? Were they bred by Marie Antoinette? Or were they brought to the States by Charles Coon? Whatever the case might be, brown tabby Maine Coons took the world by storm before anyone could even utter “Where did these gentle giants emerge from?”.
And, they didn’t take long before they appeared in every single color of the rainbow… kind of. According to the Cat Fanciers Association, there are over seventy-five colors and patterns of the Coon (from black, brown, and cream to tabby and tortoiseshell.
Anything goes with Coons – other than lavender, chocolate, and Himalayan which haven’t been officially recognized.
With that many color combinations and patterns, nobody’s surprised the solid ones are the rarest Maine Coon colors you can cross paths with. With that on your radar, we’re bringing you a rundown on everything you should know about these frisky felines.
1. Solid Red Maine Coon
Red Maine Coons aren’t necessarily red – they’re orange or ginger! More often than not, they have those famous tabby markings scattered across the face, ears, and back. And, chances are they have more than one shade of red (or even cream) somewhere on the body.
But, a true solid red Maine Coon doesn’t have those characteristics. Each strand of fluff has the same shade of red (or orange) from root to tip without a pattern. Now, that’s pretty rare. As a matter of fact, every fifth red Maine Coon turns out female which makes these stunners the rarest out of the bunch.
2. Solid Black Maine Coon
A solid black has to be one of the rarest Maine Coon colors and here’s why! A black Maine Coon, as the name suggests, has a completely (and we mean completely) black fluff with brown paws and a brown nose.
But, a solid black Coon’s pretty out of the ordinary even when both parents possess solid-colored coats. Not to mention the fact that you might purchase a black Cook kitten that turns patchy with time (from sunbathing, overgrooming, and spending a lot of time outside).
And, that’s something to keep an eye out for – a solid black coat doesn’t come without sacrifice.
3. Solid White Maine Coon
Trust me, solid white Maine Coons are the fluffiest of snowmen you might ever cross paths with! White Coons have a white coat (how surprising!) that appears glistening and sparkling when they’re longing outside in the sunlight.
But, white Maine Coons aren’t white – they possess a gene that covers up the true coloring that’s hiding underneath. And, on the off chance that you’re doubting “the rarity” of these bad boys, only 5% of the entire feline population’s white.
Go ahead and picture how many white Coons you would need to produce a white Coon kitten. Don’t forget that one parent has to be white for them to even attempt anything. Oh, the Snow White of Coons seems to be pretty remarkable!
4. Solid Cream Maine Coon
Trust me, the solid cream deserves the spot on the “Rarest Maine Coon Colors” list! First things first, solid cream Coons are pretty rare because most kitties possess at least some remanence of a pattern. On the other hand, cream Coons are a dilute version of red Coons (which are the rarest out of the bunch).
And, last but not least, breeders don’t have that much of a problem producing cream Coons that are shaded, smoked, or tabby-patterned. But, solid creams are tough to produce because both parents would need to possess that dilute gene. And that’s not that likely, as you might have guessed!
5. Solid Blue Maine Coon
Blue Maine Coons look like they’re grey, but they’re far from that! Actually, blue Coons are a dilute shade of black. And, blue Coons can be lighter or darker depending on a bunch of factors.
But, according to the Cat Fanciers’ Association, Coons that have a blue coloring from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail (blue nose and blue paws, too!) are likely a solid blue Maine Coon.
Blue Coons aren’t as rare as you might think. But, they are rare enough when you’re hoping to get your hands on a solid blue coat. Blue tabby, blue and silver, blue and cream, and chinchilla blue silver are some of the combinations you might have a better chance of spotting.
6. Silver Maine Coon
Alright, are you ready for some tea?! Turns out the solid red might not be the rarest Maine Coon color out of the bunch. Actually, some humans argue that silver and gold Coons are the ones to watch for.
Silver Maine Coons are a result of those diluted genes we mentioned beforehand. Silver’s a dilute shade of black and red which typically appears at the end of strands causing the coat to appear glistening.
And, not to forget, silver’s often referred to as smoke. Haven’t you heard of a beauty known as black smoke Maine Coon?
7. Gold Maine Coon
Gold Maine Coons have every right to live rent-free in all of our dreams! Of course, these mythical creatures came to be as different shades of black and red. While they share some similarities with silver Maine Coons, they’re even rarer.
Depending on the dilute gene, gold Maine Coons appear “shining, shimmering, splendid” because they possess a white (or cream) undercoat with lightly tipped golden strands scattered across the top part of the fluff.
We can agree that both silver and gold Maine Coons sound absolutely adorable! And, we want to have them and hold them right meow!
