Maine Coon colors · Kats Kits, Farmington, Minnesota
Orange Maine Coon Kittens for Sale
Orange Maine Coons, called red by breeders and ginger by just about everyone else, are some of the most recognizable cats in the breed: a warm coat, a big ruff and a bushy tail with rings of deeper color. Kat's own big red Maine Coon is the cat in her arms on the About page.
This page explains what makes a Maine Coon orange, the patterns it comes in and what to expect as an orange kitten grows up.
Available Orange Maine Coon Kittens
Roy
Active, curious and always up for a game.
Orange, Red or Ginger?
All three mean the same cat. The breed standards call the color red, which is why a breeder will describe a kitten as a "red classic tabby" while the family taking it home calls it orange. Cream is the pale, dilute version of red, a soft peach or buff rather than a bright orange.
The shade varies from a light apricot to a deep, rich red, and it often deepens as the adult coat comes in. Many orange Maine Coons have a paler chest, ruff and underside, which makes the color on the back and tail stand out even more.
Why Most Orange Maine Coons Are Male
The red color gene sits on the X chromosome. A male has one X, so a single copy of the gene makes him orange. A female has two, so she needs the red gene on both to be fully orange; with one copy she becomes a tortoiseshell instead, with patches of red and black.
That is why orange Maine Coons are mostly boys and why an orange girl is a less common find. It has nothing to do with size or temperament; it is simply how the color is inherited.
Are Orange Maine Coons Always Tabby?
Almost always. Red cats nearly always show tabby markings, even when the pattern is faint, so most orange Maine Coons are red tabbies of one kind or another:
- Red classic tabby: bold swirls on the sides, often called a bullseye or marble pattern.
- Red mackerel tabby: narrow stripes running down the sides like a fish skeleton.
- Red and white: any red pattern with white on the chest, paws or face.
- Cream tabby: the same patterns in the pale, dilute color.
- Red smoke and red silver: red tips over a white undercoat, sometimes called cameo.
Cream: The Soft Version of Orange
Cream is to red what blue is to black: the same color, diluted. A dilution gene spreads the pigment thinly through each hair, turning a bright orange into a pale peach or buff. A kitten needs that gene from both parents, so cream kittens can appear in a litter from two red or tortie parents that carry it.
Cream Maine Coons come in the same patterns as reds: cream classic and mackerel tabbies, cream and white, and cream smoke. Like reds, they are more often male, and they usually show tabby markings, though on a cream coat the stripes can be very soft. The female equivalent, with patches of cream and blue, is the blue cream tortie; see the tortie and calico page.
How an Orange Kitten Changes as It Grows
An orange kitten at ten weeks already shows its pattern, but the coat is still soft and fluffy and the color can look paler than it will be. Over the first two years or more the adult coat grows in, the ruff fills out into a mane and the color usually deepens.
Many orange cats develop small dark freckles on the lips, nose or eyelids as they get older. It is common in red cats and harmless, though it is always worth showing your vet anything new.
Eye color in orange Maine Coons ranges from gold and copper to green. Kittens are born with blue eyes, and the adult eye color settles in over the first few months.
Do Orange Maine Coons Have a Different Personality?
Orange cats have a reputation for being especially friendly and laid-back, and plenty of owners swear by it. There is no reliable evidence that color decides temperament, though. A kitten's personality comes from its parents and from how it is raised, which is why Kat raises every litter in the house, handled every day.
What you can count on is the Maine Coon temperament: sociable, playful and happy to follow you from room to room. Read more about Maine Coon personality, or see how big Maine Coons get.
Orange Maine Coon Questions
How much is an orange Maine Coon kitten?
An orange Maine Coon kitten from Kats Kits is $700, and a $200 deposit reserves one.
Are orange Maine Coons always male?
No, but most are. The red color gene sits on the X chromosome, so a male needs one copy and a female needs two. Orange females exist; there are just fewer of them.
Is an orange Maine Coon the same as a red one?
Yes. Breeders and the breed standards call the color red; most people call it orange or ginger. Cream is the paler, dilute version.
Can an orange Maine Coon be solid with no stripes?
Almost never. Red cats nearly always show some tabby markings, even when they are faint, which is why most orange Maine Coons are described as red tabbies.
Other Maine Coon Colors
- Black and Smoke Maine CoonsSolid black and black smoke
- Blue and Silver Maine CoonsBlue, blue tabby and silver
- Tortie and Calico Maine CoonsTortoiseshell, torbie and calico
- Polydactyl Maine CoonsMaine Coons with extra toes
- All Maine Coon colorsEvery color and pattern explained
- Available kittensEvery kitten ready to go home now
Ask About an Orange Kitten
Call Kat on (651) 463-4780 or email katskitscattery@aol.com, and see how kittens travel if you live outside Minnesota.