INTRODUCTION
The white Maine Coon Cat possesses specific attributes that will no doubt make them a desirable feline companion and indeed carry the virtues of elegance, intelligence, and a serene disposition. They are available in over 75 color varieties and patterns, one of which is white Maine Coon Cats; they happen to be among the most popular in demand. They often have exciting eyes in colors such as blue, gold, and green, with their long, flowy, pure white fur. White Maine Coons aren’t actually white; this gene masks chemicals their natural color. In other simpler words, this color masks their natural color; hence, their actual color is buried beneath this white fur.
WHITE MAINE COON CAT
Most of the White Maine Coon kittens are born with a small spot on the head showing their actual color at birth. All Maine Coons may have green, green-gold, copper, or gold color eyes or blue or Odd-eyed in color. White is accepted as a solid color for the Maine Coons on the condition by the Cat Fanciers Association that the cat should have pink paw pads and a pink color nose.
HISTORY OF WHITE MAINE COON
The Maine Coon represents one of North America’s oldest breeds of cat. Its origin is taken to be the State of Maine. There are a number of theories on its origin, for instance, concerning the longhaired cats belonging to Marie Antoinette, or created when short-haired cats in Maine mated with longhaired cats brought by sailors from New England, or even Vikings when they explored North America. They arrived on U.S. shores in the latter part of the 1800s and are now regarded globally as the third most popular breed of domesticated cat.
ARE WHITE MAINE COONS RARE TO BE FOUND?
White Maine Coons make up approximately 1.5% of the overall population of the Maine Coon breed. The white Maine Coon has this beautiful medium to long coat, and the body is sturdy and muscular, with large tufted ears, a long bushy tail, and of course, its striking coat of white, perhaps accented with odd eye colors or matching blue eyes. High cheekbones give them an aristocratic look, combined with a square muzzle and a strong chin.
ASSUMPTION OF WHITE MAINE COON’S AS ALBINO CATS
White Maine Coons are believed to be albino cats, which is no fact whatsoever. Genuine albino cats possess a genetic fault that leads to the loss of pigmentation and appears commonly in white. The white Maine Coons are not true albinos; they may possess blue eyes that might get ashy upon being partially albino. It can also be deaf because of the defect that connects with a Maine Coon having blue eyes.
CHARACTERISTICS OF WHITE MAINE COONS
The White Maine Coons are curious, clever, and jealous, generally dog-like, as they follow their master and fetch them things. Yet their strong character includes gentleness and calmness that allows owners to make them companions in a family with kids or other pets.
CARING AND GROOMING WHITE MAINE COON CATS
Beautiful coats do require regular grooming in order to keep them at their best. Brushing is necessary at least once a week since matting and tangling can set in relatively quickly. Mild cat shampoo, keeping water out of their ears to prevent infection, is the way to go. For white Maine Coons, it is best if they get used to baths when they are kittens and not wait for them to be adults.
WHY MAINE COON CATS LOVE WATER?
Maine Coon cats enjoy playing with water. Its fur is waterproof due to some protective mechanism that keeps it warm and dry even after several contacts. In fact, one of its fascinations with water is among the things that make this Maine Coon cat interestingly charming to many people.
THE RACCOON CONSPIRACY
Actually, it is scientifically impossible, and the fact that they like water due to some genes of the raccoon about them is a myth. This has been proven to be negative by scientists. The other fact about white Maine Coons is that their growth period is significantly extended. The reasons may be one of the few. They may keep growing up to the age of four or five. The breeders cannot know whether or not their white Maine Coon cat will contribute the “masking gene,” as it is called, because it masks the appearance of the other colors to your kitten to produce the white Maine Coon cats.
APPEARANCE OF WHITE MAINE COON CATS
Most white Maine Coon kittens are born with some sort of small-colored mark on top of their head, which then moves away after a couple of months. By looking at ancestry and any previously produced kittens from the same breeding cats, breeders make an educated guess about masked patterns and colors on white Maine Coons. Many White Maine Coon kittens are born with a colored mark atop the head; this generally provides a good clue regarding the masking coloration of the cat. When such a white kitten survives to breeding age and breeds, its kittens will be either white or the flash color that showed up there.
LIFE SPAN AND HEALTH
Generally, white Maine Coon cats are very healthy and long-lived; the average age is 12 to 15 years. However, there are a couple of health concerns linked with this breed.
HEALTH CONDITIONS IN WHITE MAINE COON
Due to the W gene responsible for the white coat color, which at the same time causes deafness, a white Maine Coon with blue eyes can become deaf either in one or both ears. However, not all white Maine Coons that have blue eyes can be deaf, and many, despite their disability, may live long, healthy lives.
While not as common in cats as in dogs and humans, this genetic problem does not mean owners should be ignorant of its signs and how the condition is managed in case it occurs. This genetic problem inhibits the proper formation of the ball-and-socket joint that attaches a cat’s thigh bone to its hip, making locomotion difficult and giving rise to arthritis.
Apart from the above genetic problem, another issue that the owner of a giant White Maine Coon should be aware of is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The neurologic disease causes muscle weakening and muscle atrophy. White Maine Coons are more vulnerable to sunburn compared to other-colored cats, for which the owner has to consider protection measures.
Skin cancer is another ailment that your pale-skinned White Maine Coon may have to face. Pure white cats are found to have skin cancer on those parts of the body where there is no or minimum coating of hair, such as ears, eyelids, and the nose. The risk of skin cancer will be minimal if you are going to keep your cat indoors and limit their exposure to the sun.
SUMMARY
Conclusion The White Maine Coon Cats are just so captivating, ideally blending elegance and attraction with high intellect. They bear striking blue shades or heterochromatic eyes, which marvelously go well on beautiful white fur. The cats prove to be not only physically beautiful but also kind and compassionate; the way they bond with human companions is such a delight to see.
