HEAD:
big, long, as wide as the chest
and well-proportioned to the body. In profile, it goes gently
downward toward the eyes with an almost round forehead. The cheek-bones
must be high and prominent- you should feel an endpoint when touching them
and from this very point starts the mouth, which should be
slightly square. The chin must be strong and inline with the upper lip and
the end of the nose.
EARS:
very big compared to the body, long and
very wide at the base. They are high on the head, approximately an
ear's
width apart, but leaning slightly sideways. They must be moderately
pointed as well as tufted inside. Lynx-like tufting on the top of the ears
is desirable.
As for kittens, ears are much taller and stand straight on the head.
EYES:
slightly oval-shaped, big and with some distance between them. Their
position on the muzzle should slant down a bit and must look grave and
watchful. Eye color can come in many varieties, as long as the color is in
harmony with the coat color.
NECK:
strong and of average length.
BODY:
very long, strong, muscular and rectangular-shaped. It must have heavy and
massive bones. There exists a slight structural difference between male
and female.
TAIL:
should be at least as long as the torso and bushy. Small defect on the
vertebras are not allowed.
LEGS:
depending on the size of the body, they must be of average length
and strong.
PAWS:
big, round and must convey the idea of stability, strength and have much
inter-digital hair.
COAT:
semi-long, but uneven in length (shorter on the shoulders, gradually
longer on the sides and quite thick on the stomach). The ruff is plentiful
and creates a 180° angle starting from the base of the ear. All along the
body, the hair softly follows its shape, which makes the body look more
compact. The hair structure is particularly suited to open-air life in
that it is water-resistant. The considerable texture makes the coat look
glossy.
TEMPERAMENT:
the main feature of a MAINE COON is its sweetness. It is
never subject to sudden mood changes and is always very sociable with both
children and other animals.