No outcrosses for the Maine Coon

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I thought I'd check the position regarding outcrosses for the Maine Coon. All the cat associations do not permit outcrosses. This includes the GCCF, CFA, FIFE and TICA. Outcrossing introduces unrelated genes into the breeding line. 

This is the TICA breed standard. I added the cat and the red box!

It helps to maintain health and reduce inbreeding but it pushes the breeding line away from the pure Maine Coon appearance. I presume that the cat associations don't permit outcrossing of Maine Coons to ensure the purity of the genes that create its distinctive appearance while at the same time believing that the cat is not too inbred. All selective breeding is inbreeding. It is a question of how far you go. Go too far and you have an unhealthy cat with inbreeding depression. Not far enough and the appearance is not good enough as per the breed standard.

Sometimes cat associations allow outcrossing for the betterment of the breed. For example Devon Rex breeders can outcross to the British and American Shorthair, two similar looking breeds with standard coats. I think great issue here is that the Maine Coon has a very distinctive appearance which sets it apart. Tinker with that at your peril which is why there are no permissible outcrosses.

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