Features look closer to a Siberian/Siberian Forest than a Maine Coon to me. I have a female Siberian and a male Siberian in this same coloring, though the male looks like he may be a mix of Siberian Forest and Norwegian Forest. --- **Comparing Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest and Siberian Cats** - https://pictures-of-cats.org/comparing-maine-coon-norwegian-forest-and-siberian-cats.html - https://archive.ph/xHeOk ||Maine Coon|Norwegian Forest Cat|Siberian Cat |:---|:---|:---|:--- |Coat|All weather uneven coat|Full ruff, double coat and water repellent.|Triple coat (guard, awn and down), full ruff, water repellent |Body|Long rectangular and substantial. Legs medium long|Medium in length. Square appearance. Legs medium long. Forelegs shorter than hind.|Heavy and moderately long. Arched back. Legs moderately long. |Head|Broad and a modified wedge. High cheekbones. Square muzzle and straight slope on profile.|Classic equilateral triangle. Straight lines from forehead to nose tip in profile.|Large and broad. A modified wedge. Rounded muzzle. Straight slope from forehead to nose (profile). Great breadth, Asiatic appearance. TICA: “cheek bones neither high set nor prominent”. |Popularity per this site’s poll of of 66 breeds|Ranked 1st|Ranked 12th|Ranked: 24th Comparing Maine Coon -vs- Norwegian Forest -vs- Siberian/Siberian Forest Cat - https://files.catbox.moe/56kcb4.jpg - https://files.catbox.moe/fs0or8.jpg - https://files.catbox.moe/wc6gc1.jpg - https://files.catbox.moe/aya0fe.jpg --- Here is some info from that site: Maine Coon Cats - https://pictures-of-cats.org/maine-coon-cats.html - https://archive.ph/rzKxN |Maine Coon |Stats |:---|:--- |Male weight |15 to 25 lb (6.8 to 11 kg) |Female weight |10 to 15 lb (4.5 to 6.8 kg) |Height |10 to 16 in (25 to 41 cm) |Length |max: 40 in (100 cm) |Guinness World Records longest cat -nose to tip of tail |Maine Coon: Verismo Leonetti Reserve Red – 48 in (120 cm) in length --- Norwegian Forest Cat - https://pictures-of-cats.org/norwegian-forest-cat.html - https://archive.ph/tb6d6 >More Photos: > - http://norwegian-forest-cat.pictures-of-cats.org/ - https://archive.ph/Rc4W9 --- Siberian/Siberian Forest Cat - https://pictures-of-cats.org/siberian-cat.html - https://archive.ph/GtJLR --- History: - **Maine Coon** (MC): Date of origin: 1860 in USA. Ancestry: Farm cats in USA for 400 years. Long prior history originating in Europe. >Maine Coon Cats are a native (i.e. not imported from outside of the USA or born in a place or country referred to) long haired cat of North America and have been shown in competition is America since the 1860s. > >However, as the domestic cat is a domesticated Mediterranean basin wild cat, the forebears of the Maine Coon were at one time imported into the North American continent from Europe. The breed possibly originates from the Norwegian Forest Cat brought over on ships to America by the Vikings. However, it is more likely that the Maine Coon actually evolved from matings between domestic shorthairs introduced by early settlers and Angora types later taken across the Atlantic by seafarers. Because of the appearance of the cat’s coat it became a myth that the breed developed from matings between cats and raccoons. When you add that to the fact that this cat came from Maine in America, you get Maine Coon. - **Norwegian Forest Cat** (NFC): Date of origin: 1930s in Germany. Ancestry: Farm cats. Cats arrived in Norway around AD 1000. >The history is long. This cat is a part of Norway’s history and is mentioned in mythological tales. Cats were brought to Norway in around 1000 AD. Oslo was founded by the Vikings in about 1000 AD. At this time the Vikings of Norway where trading with the Byzantine East (the Roman Empire). It is accepted that the domestic cat was introduced into Europe by the Romans (e.g. British Shorthair cat). There is evidence that the first Norwegian Forest Cats came from the Roman Empire during the period that the Vikings were trading with the Romans. - **Siberian/Siberian Forest Cat**: Date of origin: 1980s in Eastern Russia. Ancestry: Household and farm cats. Pets to Russian monks in 13th century. >The breed originates in Russia, where it is or was as ordinary and ubiquitous as the “moggie” random bred cat, found around the world. But this cat has a very long history indeed, going back perhaps 1000 years (the Japanese Bobtail has a 1000 year history too). The story goes that they lived in monasteries and acted as guards. The monks in return treated them as pets. This mirrors, somewhat, the Birman cat. > >This cat breed was exported to the the United States on June 28th 1990 to be owned by Elizabeth Terrell of Starpoint Cattery of Baton Rouge, LA. According to Kathy Wade (a breeder based in America, Croshka Siberians) there was an exchange of breeds between the Russians and the Americans arranged by Elizabeth Terrell who was an Himalayan cat (pointed Persian) breeder. The Russians got the Himalayan and the Yanks got a Siberian. I can see why there was a formal exchange of breeds. In 1990 the communist party was still (just, it seems) in charge in the USSR (as it was then). The break-up of the communist party took place in about 1991. There were heavy restrictions and bureaucracy in those days on anything leaving the country. Also, at this time a certain David Boehm also imported Siberian cats from the USSR to the US. > >The breed was registered by the CFA in 2000 (very recently in cat history terms). The Siberian looks a little like the Maine Coon, medium/long hair (for protection against the Siberian weather) and a “distinguished” and classic cat face. There is a third cat, the Norwegian Forest cat that has a similar appearance. The Siberian may be the ancestor of both of them. > |Siberian cat – brief time line|| |:---|:--- |Early - at least 13th century|Early recognition of this cat breed. Pets to monks in Russia |Post-Communist era|People started to arrange and attend cat shows |1980s|Breeding in Russia to standardize the appearance (type). |1987|Registered by the Kotofei cat club in St. Petersburg. |1989|The Soviet Felinological Federation began |1990s|This cat breed exported to USA and Europe |2000|Accepted for registration by CFA |Early 2002|This breed exported to UK |2006|Championship status CFA |Current|TICA and GCCF and All-Russian Club recognized --- Appearance: - **Maine Coon**: the largest non-wildcat hybrid cat breed. “Substantial body shape”. Strong face. Square muzzle. Large ears (lynx tipped). Long hair. Shaggy coat. Coat: all colors and divisions of the traditional category. - **Norwegian Forest Cat**: Substantial build but not as big as the Maine Coon (on average). Slightly less masculine face than the MC. Medium to large ears (lynx tipped). Long hair. Triple coated. Coat: all colors and divisions of the traditional category. - **Siberian/Siberian Forest Cat**: Substantial body shape. Strong appearance. Looks slightly less slender than the MC or NFC. Slightly squarer head (less long). Coat density similar to NFC. Coat: all colors and divisions of the traditional category. --- Character: - **Maine Coon**: Gentle giant. Relaxed, easygoing. Fairly quiet. Not necessarily a lap cat or wanting to be held. People orientated. - **Norwegian Forest Cat**: Very quiet. Single-minded. “Most are not interested in playing games“. Reserved and contained. - **Siberian/Siberian Forest Cat**: Sensible and resourceful. Strong independent cat. Requires space in which to roam. Not a lap cat. Dog-like devotion. --- Health: - **Maine Coon**: Hip Dysplasia (bad hip joint) – HCM (heart condition) – PKD (kidney disease) – Gingivitis (gum disease) – Spinal muscular atrophy (spine condition). - **Norwegian Forest Cat**: HCM – PKD – Type IV glycogen storage disease (metabolism disorder). - **Siberian/Siberian Forest Cat**: No inherited health issues reported. (this does not mean there are none but none recorded) --- Also: >--- >Main Coon/Norwegian Forest/Siberian Cat Mix photos and more info > >- https://cutesiberiankittens.blogspot.com/2019/01/siberian-norwegian-forest-cat-mix.html >- https://archive.ph/v2L64 > >--- >Siberian Cat Health > >- https://cat-chitchat.pictures-of-cats.org/2008/03/siberian-cat-health.html >- https://archive.ph/r11Na > >---