ATTICUS: What are our plans.

	We wish to breed Maine Coons of Great type, health and temperament. Where possible we will look for good markings and colour - but for the moment this will be secondary to the aforementioned.
	We will use both the show benches of the C.A. and the G.C.C.F to confirm the cats we are breeding are of good type and fit with the breed standard. We aim where possible to get breeding cats up to at least champion level. Maine Coon Cat Breed Standard General Statement: The Maine Coon is a solid, rugged cat and is America's oldest natural longhaired breed. Type must not be sacrificed for size, nor size for type, the optimum being a large, typey cat. Females are somewhat smaller than males, and allowance should be made for the slow maturation of the breed. Head: Medium in length and width, with a squareness to the muzzle. Allowance should be made for broadening in males. Cheek bones high. Nose medium in length with a gentle, concave curve and no break or bump. Chin firm and in line with upper lip and nose. Eyes: Large, wide set, slightly oblique setting. Eye color can be shades of green, gold, or copper, though white cats may be blue or odd-eyed. There is no relationship between eye color and coat color. Clarity of eye color is desirable. Ears: Large, wide at base, moderately pointed and well tufted. Set high on head approximately an ear's width apart. Lynx-like tipping is desirable. Body: Muscular, medium to large in size, broad chested. Body is long, with all parts in proportion, creating a rectangular appearance. When viewed from the rear, there is a definite squareness to the rump. Neck medium-long. Legs and Paws: Legs substantial, wide set, medium in length, contributing to a rectangular appearance. Paws large, round, well-tufted (five toes in front, four toes in back). Tail: Long, equal to body in length (distance from end of rump to shoulders), wide at base and tapering. Fur full, long, and flowing. Coat: Fur on shoulders is short, gradually increasing in length along back and sides, ending in full britches and long, shaggy belly fur. Fur is soft but has body, falls smoothly, and lies close to the body. A slight undercoat is carried. A full ruff is not expected; however, there should be a frontal ruff beginning at the base of the ears. Coat Colors: All recognized colors. White trim around the chin and lip permitted except in solid color cats. Disqualifications: Buttons, lockets, spots, overall even coat, short cobby body, crossed eyes, kinked tail, incorrect number of toes. Penalties: Delicate bone structures, untufted paws, poor condition, nose break or bump, undershot chin, short rounded muzzle. Colors: The following colors are among those recognized by most registering associations: White, black, blue, red, cream. Silver (chinchilla & shaded), blue-silver (chinchilla & shaded), cameo (shell, shaded, & smoke), cream cameo (shell, shaded, & smoke), black smoke, blue smoke, shaded tortoiseshell, shaded blue tortie, shaded torbie, shaded blue torbie. Silver tabby (all patterns), blue-silver tabby (all patterns), cameo tabby (all patterns), cream cameo tabby (all patterns). Shaded brown or golden tabby (all patterns), red tabby (all patterns), cream tabby (all patterns), brown tabby (all patterns), blue tabby (all patterns). Bi-colors (solids with white), Parti-colors - tortoiseshell, torbie (patched tabby), calico, blue cream, tabby with white and other colors with white. GCCF STANDARD OF POINTS THE MAINE COON - BREED 64 The Maine Coon is a semi-longhaired cat of medium Foreign type and is distinguished by its large size, bone structure, rectangular appearance and flowing coat. Many colour combinations are accepted but 'colour' is of far less importance than type, size and coat quality. The Maine Coon evolved as a working domesticated cat in a rural environment; this role is reflected in a muscular cat of rugged outdoor appearance with a characteristic weather-proof coat and the demeanour of an alert capable hunter. Head Medium in length, the nasal bridge being equidistant from the ear line and the tip of the nose, with the width being slightly less than the length of the head. Allowance should be made for additional breadth or jowls in mature males. The muzzle should be square with firm chin; Chin, upper lip and nose leather should fall in a perpendicular line. Cheeks fairly full, with high cheek bones. Bit level. Nose of uniform width with shallow concave at the nasal bridge when viewed in profile, and without a sharp break or stop. Large, tall ears, wide at base and tapering to appear pointed at the tip; set high but well apart. Eyes Full and round, spaced wide apart with a slightly oblique aperture and set. Shades of green, gold or copper; coat colour and eye colour may be unrelated. Odd or blue eyes are permissible in White cats. Body Large to medium size, solid and muscular with breadth of chest. Long back with proportionate limbs to create the characteristic rectangular appearance; square rump. Since the Maine Coon is slow to mature (taking up to 4 years), allowances should be made when judging younger cats. Neck moderately long; particularly thick and muscular in mature males. Substantial legs with large round paws; toes carried close, five in front, four behind. Tail long, at least as long as the length of the back, wide at the base and tapering towards the. Coat Waterproof and virtually self maintaining, consisting of an undercoat covered by a more substantial glossy top coat. Fur shorter on the head, neck and shoulders increasing in length down the back flanks and tail. A fluffy appearance is undesirable. Breeches and belly fur full and shaggy. Tail fur long, profuse and flowing; not bushy. Ears feathered and preferably tufted at the tips; the ear feathering should extend beyond the outer edges of the ear. Paws tufted, with long tufts emanating from under the paws, extending backwards to create a snowshoe effect. Coat colour and markings are of less importance than coat type and quality. The cat loses coat during the summer months. SCALE OF POINTS Head: Including general shape and proportions; shape, size and ear set; shape, size, set and colour of eyes; nose length and profile; cheeks, muzzle and chin; teeth ........................35 Body: Including shape and proportions; size, bone structure, muscularity and condition, height and thickness of legs; shape and size of paws; shape and length of tail ...................35 Coat: Including length, texture and frontal ruff; ear feathering and tufting; tail furnishings; paw furnishings ............................................................................................................................20 Colour and pattern .......................................................................................................................10 Withhold certificates for: 1. Cobby body shape and/or fine bone structure 2. Blue or odd eyes in cats of a colour other than white 3. More than one third of the fur white in Bicolour and Particolour cats 4. Definite nose break 5. Overall even coat length 6. Untufted paws 7. Any defect as listed in the preface to the GCCF Standard of Points Booklet
	We will use this online magazine to promote the Maine Coon breed and our cats. We will update this magazine as required or every quarter.

We will use our neuter Atticus Merlin (see photo below) as a template for our breeding cats - we feel he fits our interpretation of the breed standard very well - or until we breed a better example of a Maine Coon.

merlinar2.jpg (70409 bytes)

Photo by Alan Robinson.

Here is our latest stud boy who we feel is another great example of the Maine Coon Standard. We are lucky enough to be able to breed from Saucy and we look forward to see what kittens we get from this line.

Photo by Bob Fox.

Maine Coon Cat Breed Standard

General Statement:

Head:

Eyes:

Ears:

Body:

Legs and Paws:

Tail:

Coat:

Coat Colors:

Disqualifications:

Penalties:

Colors: