Maine Coons should not have a delicate bone structure

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In Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) cat shows, Maine Coons are disqualified if they have a "delicate bone structure". The antonym (opposite word) of "delicate" might be the word 'heavy' or 'indelicate' or 'rough' or 'coarse'. I prefer the word "heavy" in this instance. So, if a delicate bone structure disqualifies a Maine Coon, then the opposite might make them winners, which is why I have said in the title that Maine Coon should have a heavy bone structure.

Maine Coons should have a heavy bone structure
Heavy bone structure. Photo in public domain.

And this is what we get with the very large Maine Coons that we see so much of nowadays. The Maine Coon need not be large but the breeders want them to be large. They should be solid, rugged and have the ability to endure a harsh climate which is all in line with the idea of being heavy boned. 

But they've got to be well proportioned and balanced in appearance. This points to avoiding extreme breeding which can tend to create unbalanced appearances such as the heavy muzzle and the extra-large ears.

If Maine Coon breeders do one thing wrong in my book, it's that they overdo the muzzle to the point where it looks as if it's been stuck on the face. It can look unnatural albeit impressive in some ways. The breed standard makes is clear by saying "a well-proportioned and balanced appearance with no part of the cat being exaggerated".

Disqualify Maine Coons for these reasons
Disqualify Maine Coons for these reasons.

Other physical aspects of a Maine Coon cat's anatomy which disqualifies them in cat shows can be seen above in the image. This is a screenshot from the CFA Maine Coon breed standard. Kinked tails are present in pointed cats in Asia. These are street cats and pointed and shortened tails are not uncommon in that part of the world. It would seem that the genetic mutation which causes the kinked tail has found its way into some Maine Coon breeding lines. Perhaps this mutation is present all over the world but we don't see the kink in the tails of domestic cats. Perhaps it is there but almost invisible.

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