Orange Maine Coons not only have a distinctive appearances but they are also sweet-tempered. If you have a career and a busy family, these cats may be a good fit for you because they can entertain themselves while you are away.
Orange Maine Coon: Color classes and variations
The orange Maine Coon cat is also called a ginger but it is officially classed as red. This is because cat organizations like the Cat Fancier Association do not recognize the orange color and only accept the color class red.
These are the color classes where the Orange Maine Coon is included:
1. Solid red
Cats have a deep, rich and brilliant red coat, there are no markings, ticking or shading; paw pads and nose leather are brick red and the lips and chin match the color of the coat.
Solid orange Maine Coons are considered rare and to be classified as solid the coat must be brilliant orange from roots to tips with no white or any other shading or markings.
2. Red tabby
These cats have ground color red, their paw pads and nose leather are brick red including the fur markings; the lip and chin may have white trims.
3. Red tabby and white
These cats have the same coat characteristics as the red tabby with or without white on the face for classic, mackerel and ticked; they also have white markings on all four feet, belly and the bib.
4. Bi-color (red and white)
These cats have a mixture of red and white fur and may have white on the face while. Their bib and belly have white coloring and all four paws have white on them.
5. Orange smoke
These cats have white undercoats with deep orange tips and the name of the coat is red smoke; the nose leather, paw pads and eye rims are rose-colored. These cats appear to have a solid color but they have a white undercoat that gives a smokey look when they move
The other Maine Coon coats that feature orange include the tortoiseshell, shell tortoiseshell, shaded tortoiseshell, calico, calico smoke, shell calico, shaded calico, cameo smoke and tortie smoke.
What is the difference between an Orange Maine Coon and Ginger Maine Coon?
While most people refer to Orange Maine Coons as Ginger Maine Coons they do not mean the same. Orange Maine Coons are considered having the red color but with a hint of yellow or a red yellow mix while ginger is referred to as reddish-brown. Orange Maine Coons have coat colors of yellow/red while Ginger Maine Coons have traces of brown blended with red in their coats which is missing with the former.
Are all Orange Maine Coons male?
No, not all Orange Maine Coons are male but most of them are. There are an estimated three orange males for every orange female and if both of their parents are orange, the kittens will also be orange. Also, most Orange Maine Coons are tabby cats.
What makes Maine Coon cats orange?
For a Maine Coon to be orange, the process starts with the genes. The orange gene on the X chromosome has alleles that may have two forms, O for orange and o for non-orange. Alleles are alternative forms of a gene that arise by mutation and are found alongside chromosomes.
Males only have one X chromosome and if they carry the orange gene with the O allele they will be orange but if they have the o allele they will be black or brown. Females have two X chromosomes and if she carries OO she will be orange if oo she will be black or brown. If she carries Oo a female cat will be a tortoiseshell. Nevertheless, males have a one in two chance of being orange while females only have a one in three chance.
Orange Maine Coon personality and behavior
Orange Maine Coons share the same personality traits and behavior as other Maine Coons. These cats are generally playful, loyal and very affectionate. They are friendly, are good hunters and get along well with other pets. They are also intelligent, very vocal and adore the water. Orange Maine Coons also get along well with kids and they have earned the title as the dogs of the cat world because they are obedient, play fetch and can easily open doors.
How big do Orange Maine Coons grow?
Like most Maine Coons, these orange felines can grow and weigh from seven to 10 kilograms. Males are generally bigger than females and the average length of these cats are from 30 to 40 inches. No wonder, these cats are considered one of the largest cat breeds in the world.
Are Orange Maine Coons rare?
No, orange Maine Coons are not rare. Rare Maine Coons include the grey and also the solid orange.
Image: istockphoto.com / ESOlex