Difference between Maine Coon and tabby

A comparison between Maine Coon cats and tabby cat coats is unhelpful as they are different things entirely. The Maine Coon is a purebred, pedigree cat and the word 'tabby' refers to the tabby coat. The comparison is made all the more unsatisfactory because the most common coat type for the Maine Coon is the blotched (classic) brown tabby and the brown tabby-and-white. In this instance 'Maine Coon' and 'tabby' are one and the same thing in one way.

Ginger tabby Maine Coon. Image believed to be in the public domain. This is a young Maine Coon. Ginger tabbies are normally referred to as 'red tabbies' in the cat fancy.

Some people also search for an answer to the following question: 'How can you tell if a tabby is a Maine Coon?'

The question implies that the 'tabby' is a specific cat breed and it is not. It is a coat type as mentioned. You can see the absurdity of the question when there are many Maine Coon tabby cats. 

It is a problem which comes up a lot: people who aren't involved with domestic cats believing that 'tabby' refers to a cat breed. No criticism in intended.

There are also four different types of tabby: mackerel, classic (blotched), spotted and ticked. This information makes the question even more incorrect.

A slight adjustment to the question would correct it but it is still poorly formulated: 'How can I tell if a tabby cat is a Maine Coon?' This question is basically asking if a tabby Maine Coon is purebred and not a Maine Coon mix. 

You can tell by checking the cat association registration papers and look for a pedigree (family tree or lineage). The appearance of a genuine Maine Coon is also easy to spot because they are so distinct as a cat breed with their strong muzzles, tall triangular ears with eat tufts (lynx tipped), substantial size, shaggy coats and large paws with fur sticking out between the toes.

Here is a comparison between the statement in the title (wrong) and how it should have been formulated.

1. Difference between Maine Coon and tabby
2. Difference between Maine Coon and a moggie tabby

The response to (2) above is that the Maine Coon has a distinct appearance as per the breed standard as described above while the moggie is a regular non-purebred cat. Also, there'll be registration papers and a pedigree as also mentioned for the Maine Coon.

Moggies don't have recorded pedigrees at a cat association. There is no lineage as they are random bred - natural selection as opposite to artificial selection for the purebred cats including the Maine Coon.

Maine Coons are bred by breeders while moggies are not. They are normally the product of informal breeding by careless cat owners of moggies. Or they might be unneutered semi-domesticated or full domesticated community cats.