Maine coon 'ear furnishings' - pinnae should be well-tufted

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The description: "ear furnishings" is a cat fancy phrase. It is a bit strange. It refers to the hair in the ear and on the tip of the ear flap (the external part of the ear called the pinna). Ear furnishings are frequently mentioned in breed standards where they demand that the ears of Maine Coons are 'well tufted'. Breed standards are guidelines set down by the various cat associations on the way the particular cat breed should look when being shown at cat shows - competitions about the appearance and secondarily the temperament of the cat.

CFA breed standard for ears: EARS: Shape: large, well-tufted, wide at base, tapering to appear pointed.

Maine coon 'ear furnishings'!
Maine coon 'ear furnishings'! Maine Coon kitten with the tallest, biggest ears and lynx tips you'll see. Photo:  Cattery Marvel Forest in Russia. Russian breeders do tend to breed to extreme.

The Maine Coon below is altogether different. They have great ear furnishings to and they are of a type that is typical of the Maine Coon. I am referring to the "ear tufts" on the end of the ears. The face is not very strongly Maine Coon.

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Brown tabby Maine Coon with typical ear tufts
Photo by DreamShoot by Marcel Steger

Do the ear tufts confirm that this cat is a purebred Maine Coon? No. But they are good evidence! Only documentary evidence as to pedigree and registration at a cat association can confirm a cat is purebred. That said a person made an interesting comment on this page about that.

Here is another MC with amazing ear furnishings:

Young MC with excellent lynx tips to her ear flaps. She also wears spectacles!

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