Maine Coon chin should be strong, firm and in line with the upper lip and nose

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This is about the appearance of the Maine Coon. It is very important for the breed. The title is an extract from the CFA breed standard of the Maine Coon with respect to the muzzle/chin. We know that the muzzle should be very strong and square. In harmony with that objective, the chin should be strong, firm and in line with the upper lip and nose. 

When viewed in profile as you can see in the image below, the "chin depth should be observable and give the impression of a square, 90-degree angle". The anatomy of a cat is not going to square shaped 👍. But the chin must not be tapered. The problem with describing a breed standard in this way is that it can drive breeders to extreme. They might be trying to achieve that 90-degree angle when natural feline anatomy does not allow it.

Maine Coon chin should be strong, firm and in line with the upper lip and nose
 Maine Coon chin should be strong, firm and in line with the upper lip and nose. Is this example acceptable as per the breed standard? Image: MikeB.

I have picked out a Maine Coon in profile which I think pretty well meets (but not wholly or to an extreme) with that breed standard objective. It seems clear to me that the CFA wants the Maine Coon face to be strong in appearance. 

This follows from the idea that the Maine Coon is a former barn cat and therefore a hardy, capable cat able to survive harsh winters. They want a cat which reflects that history and not one that is too refined and delicate. 

Some cat breeds are selectively bred to be delicate and slender. The CFA breed standard for the Maine Coon is the polar opposite of that objective and I'm thinking of, for example, the modern Siamese cat or contemporary Siamese cat with that very slender body conformation and elongated head.

RELATED: Modern Siamese Cats.

I think, too, that the chin of the Maine Coon should help to distinguish it from the cat breed with a similar appearance namely the Norwegian Forest cat. The latter has a much more pointed muzzle and therefore I would expect the chin to be more tapered and less of a 90° angle as specified by the Maine Coon standard.

I tweeted this.

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