Crazily good tortie-and-white Maine Coon is an eyeful

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This is a crazily good female Maine Coon with a massive muzzle, a white ruff reminiscent of the 17th-century and ears which jut out of the top of the head. All-in-all an outstanding looking Maine Coon. Of all the features which stand out the most it is the muzzle which looks inordinately heavy perhaps too heavy and perhaps bred to an extreme which I don't altogether like.

Tortie-and-white Maine Coon
Tortie-and-white Maine Coon. Photo in public domain. The Maine Coon tortie-and white should have a white 'bib' and white on all four paws. This individual appears to meet that standard.

Let's talk about the muzzle for a minute. Under the CFA breed standard it should be 'visibly square'. It should also be medium in length and blunt-ended when viewed in profile. So far so good. This cat meets those objectives, very clearly. It seems that above all the Maine Coon muzzle should not be tapering or pointed. 

This is the difference between the Maine Coon and the Norwegian Forest Cat. The latter has a tapered muzzle. If you want to pick on one physical attribute of the Norwegian Forest Cat and the Maine Coon for comparison then choose the muzzle, in my view. After that the ears are which distinguish these two cats.

The CFA be standard also states that the "length and width of the muzzle should be proportionate to the rest of the head and present a pleasant, balanced appearance". This, I think, is where the cat in the photograph goes wrong slightly. The muzzle is too heavy and I would argue not in proportion to the rest of the head. That's what I mean by extreme breeding. It's going a little bit too far to the point where visually the cat no longer looks balanced.

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