grey maine coon

How To Identify A Grey Maine Coon Cat

If we refer to the Cat Fanciers Association, it is quickly evident to see that the ‘Grey Maine Coon kitten’ is not recognized as an official Maine Coon coloring.

Instead, the ‘grey and white Maine coon’ actually falls under the color category ‘blue‘ (source 1).

Although calling a grey Maine Coon kittens, ‘blue’ might seem a little surprising at first, you shouldn’t be too shocked since there is a large degree of overlap across all the official Maine Coon colorings.

For instance, did you know that an Orange Maine Coon is actually officially labeled as a ‘red’ Maine Coon?

Check out my article ‘Orange Maine Coon: Complete Guide‘ for more information on the fascinating red Maine Coon cat.

According to the Cat Fanciers Association, grey Maine Coon cats and kittens are available within the following color classes:

  • Solid Color Class
  • All Other Tabby Color Class
  • All Other Tabby & White Colors and Color Class (Including Vans)
  • Bi-Color Color Class (Including Vans)
  • Parti-Color Color Class
  • Parti-Color And White Color Class
  • Shaded And Smoke Color Class
  • Shaded/Smoke And White Color Class (Including Vans)

The table below summarises the physical colorings that a grey and white Maine coon cat must have, to be considered part of the ‘blue Maine Coon’ color category (source 1). Click here to learn more about black Maine Coons

Color
Requirements
Color
Requirements
Solid Colour
Class
(Name: Blue)
Cat with one level tone
from their nose to the tip
of the tail. Sound to the
roots, and blue nose and
paw leather
All Other Tabbies
Colors Class
(Name: Blue-Silver
Tabby)
Classic, mackerel, ticked:
The cat’s ground color will be
clear silver, pale. Deep
blue markings contrast
well with ground color. The
association prefers cats to
have old rose-nose leather
and rose-colored paw pads.
They are permitted white
trim around their chin and lip
(Name: Blue-Silver
Patched Tabby)
Classic, mackerel, ticked:
The cats’ ground color is clear
silver, pale. For blue markings
mixed with cream patches.
White undercoat. Old
rose-colored nose leather,
and rose and/or pink paw
pads are deemed desirable.
This coloring allowed a
white trim around the
chin and lip
(Name: Blue Tabby)Classic, mackerel, ticked:
The cats’ ground color is pale
bluish Ivory. Their very
deep blue markings
contrast well with their
ground color. Overtones
of warm fawn, or patina
over the whole. Rose paw
pads and old rose nose
leather is preferred. White
trim around the chin and
lip is permitted
(Name: Blue Patchy
Tabby)
Classic, mackerel, ticked:
Cats have pale bluish Ivory
ground color, with very deep
blue markings & patches of
cream. Overtones of warm
fawns or patina over the
the whole is visible. Rose
and/or pink paw pads and
old rose nose leather is
preferred. The cat may
have white trim around its
chin and lip
All Other Tabby &
White Colors and
Color Class
(Including Vans) –
Name: Tabby & White
Classic, mackerel, ticked:
The cat’s coloring is as
defined for a tabby,
with/without white on the
face. Should have white on
bib, all four paws, and belly.
Blue, blue-silver, cream,
cream-silver, cameo
colors accepted
(Name: Patched
Tabby & White)
Classic, mackerel, ticked:
The same coloring as listed
for patched tabby (torbie),
with/without white on the
face. Necessary to have
white on all four paws,
belly, and bib. CFA accepts
blue patched or
blue-silver patched colorings
Bi-Color Color Class
(Name: Blue & White)
The cat will have a mixture
of blue and white,
with/without white on its
face. There must
be white on all four
paws, belly, and bib
Parti-Color Color
Class (Name:
Blue-Cream)
The cat will be blue with
cream patches, or cream
colors softly intermingled
on their boy and extremities
Parti-Color & White
Color Class (Name:
Dilute Calico)
Includes vans: Cat will be
white, with patches of blue
and cream. Their underparts
are mainly white
(Name: Blue-Cream
& White
Cat’s color named blue-cream,
with/without white on their
face. Need to have white on
all four paws, bib, and belly
Shaded &Smoke
Color Class – (Name:
Chinchilla Blue Silver)
Cat has a white undercoat.
Sparkling silver appearance,
due to the coat on the back,
flanks, head, and tail being
tipped with blue. Rims of
eyes, lips, and nose outlined
with blue. Rose paw pads
and nose leather are
preferred. Pure white chin,
stomach, chest, and ear tufts.
The cat may have legs
slightly shaded with tipping
(Name: Shaded Blue
Silver)
White undercoat ‘with a
mantle of blue tipping shading
down from the sides, face, and tail
from dark on the ridge to white
on the chin, chest, stomach,
and under the tail’. The cat
must have legs with the same
tone as its face. Much darker
color. Rose paw pads and
nose leather is preferred.
Rims of lips, eyes, and nose
outlined with blue
(Name: Shell
Blue-Cream)
White undercoat. The fur on
the cat’s flanks, back, and
tail gently tipped with blue
and shades of cream. Rose
to blue paw pads
(patched/unpatched), nose
leather, and rims of eyes.
Ear furnishings, chest ruff,
the stomach can be white to
very lightly tipped with
shading. Can have gentle
shading with tipping on
legs and face
(Name: Shaded
Blue-Cream)
SHADED BLUE-CREAM:
White undercoat.
‘Mantle of blue and cream
shading down the sides, face,
and tail’. A cat can have
deeper shading on its legs
and face. Light tipping allowed
on-ear furnishings, chest
ruff, stomach, and chin.
Appears much darker than
shell blue cream. Rose to
blue nose leather, paw pads,
and rims of eyes – can be
patched
(Name: Blue Smoke)White undercoat deeply
tipped with blue. The resting
the cat looks blue. The white
the undercoat shows when
the cat moves. Blue paw pads
and nose leather. Ear tufts
and the frill is white. Mask blue
with a narrow and white
hairs next to the skin, visible
when fur is parted
(Name: Blue-Cream
Smoke)
Cat has a white undercoat
that is ‘deeply tipped with
blue, with clearly defined
patches of cream as in the
the pattern of the blue cream.
The cat will look blue-cream
whilst resting. White
undercoat visible when
moving. Ear tufts and ruff
are white. Ears and face
display a blue-cream pattern,
with a narrow white band at
the base of hairs, next to
the skin. Desirable to have
a blaze of cream on the face
Shaded Smoke &
White Color Class
(Including Vans)
– (Name: Chinchilla
Blue Silver & White)
Cat fur color ‘as defined
for chinchilla blue silver
with or without white on the
face’. All four paws, belly,
and the bib needs to be white.
(Name: Shaded Blue
Silver & White)
Cat fur color as defined
for shaded blue silver with
or without white on the face.
All four paws, belly and bib
are white
(Name: Shell
Blue-Cream & White)
‘Color as defined for shell
blue cream with/without
white on the face. All four
paws, belly, and bib are white
(Name: Shaded
Blue-Cream & White)
‘Color as defined for
shaded blue-cream
with/without white on the
face. All four paws,
belly and bib are white
(Name: Shell Dilute
Calico)
The cat has patches of blue, and
shades of cream. Their flanks, back,
and the tail will be gently tipped with
shades of cream, and blue. Whilst
the stomach, chest ruff, ear
furnishings and chin can be white,
to very lightly tipped with shading.
Cats’ underparts are mainly white
(Name: Shaded
Dilute Calico)
The cat is white with patches
of blue and shades of cream.
Blue and cream shading
appears down the tail, face,
and sides. Cats’ legs and
faces can be a deeper
shading than the rest of the
body. White light tipping
permitted on-ear
furnishings, stomach, chin,
chest ruff. The cat looks
far darker than shell dilutes
calico. Underparts of a cat
are mainly white
(Name: Blue Smoke
& White)
The cat will have colors as
defined for blue smoke with
or without white on the face.
All four paws, belly, and bib
are white
(Name: Blue-Cream
Smoke & White)
The cat will have ‘colors as
defined for blue cream
smoke with or without white
on the face. All four paws,
belly and bib are white
(Name: Dilute
Calico Smoke)
The cat is white with patches
of blue and shades of cream.
Undercoat mainly white
Grey Maine Coon Color Classes

Gray Maine Coon Kittens Size

The Maine Coon is a remarkably hardy cat breed.

Their very large physical form and beautifully thick long mane of hair make them instantly recognizable when they enter a room.

Often referred to as the gentle giants of the cat world, the Maine Coon is officially one of the largest domesticated cat breeds in the world, with only the Norwegian Forest Cat being able to rival their large size.

There are a few things to consider when it comes to the grey Maine Coon size:

1. Growth Rate

All Maine Coon cat colors grow at a very slow rate, not reaching their full size until they’re between ages 3-5 years.

This is unique in the cat world since most cat breeds reach full maturity by the age of 2 years. 

You can measure your Maine Coon cat’s speed of growth by creating a Maine Coon growth chart, like this.

2. Male V Female Size

If you intend to buy a grey male Maine Coon kitten, be aware that the male of the species usually grows to be far larger than their female counterparts.

Obviously, there will always be exceptions to the rule though, but as a general rule of thumb, you can safely bet that the male will grow larger.

3. Length

A key characteristic of the Maine Coon cat breed is its long rectangular-shaped bodies. Their bodies look muscular and long, and should never look out of proportion, or squished.

Both male and female grey Maine Coon kitten will grow to be extremely long, once fully grown.

In fact, you can expect your tiny grey Maine Coon kitten to grow anywhere between 19 – 40 inches (48 – 101 cm) in length.

There are always exceptions to the rule though, so you should never rule this possibility out.

For example, a famous grey tabby Maine Coon known as ‘Stewie’ made it into the Guinness World Records because he grew to a staggering 48.5 inches in length!

Since this record was listed, two other owners have come forward with their long Maine Coon cats known as ‘Omar’ and ‘Ludo’, with the intention of competing for the ‘longest cat’ title too.

4. Height

The average male grey Maine Coon will reach between 10-16 inches in height (25-40cm), whilst a female grey Maine Coon is likely to achieve a height ranging from 8-14 inches (20-35cm).

5. Weight

Grey Maine Coon kittens grow into heavy full-grown cats!

The average male Maine Coon ultimately weighs between 15-25 lbs (6.8-11.3 kg), whereas the female of the species is far lighter, weighing between 8-12 lbs (3.6-5.4 kg).

Many owners make the mistake of overfeeding their grey Maine Coon cats because they are worried that their Maine Coon does not weigh enough.

Although owners have ‘good intentions, they often don’t realize exceptionally slow growth rates are characteristic of the Maine Coon cat breed in general.

Sadly, this mistake often results in obese Coons. 

To avoid making this mistake, use this Maine Coon growth chart, to gain a better understanding of the weight your cat should be, versus their age.

Grey and White Maine Coon Price

The grey and white Maine coon is a very well-loved and sought-after pedigree cat breed. They have won the hearts of so many with their loving, gentle, fun, and energetic temperament.

They are also considered extremely good family pets and are known for being good with young children.

These qualities alone have helped to make them one of the most popular cats breeds to own in the United States.

Pedigree cats are always more expensive than buying a standard moggy, but exactly how much of a premium do you have to pay to own a grey Maine Coon cat these days?

Take a look at the table below to find out:

AgeAverage
Price ($)
Average
Price (£)
Maine Coon Kitten1000819
Maine Coon Cat600474
‘Show’ Maine CoonUp to 2500Up to 1975
Rescue Maine CoonVariesVaries
Maine Coon Price

If you are determined to buy a Maine Coon kitten, the average grey Maine Coon price is a heart-wrenching $1000 (£819). Keep an eye on the latest Maine Coon pricing, by reading this.

Those willing to take on an older grey Maine Coon, however, can expect to pay a reduced average price of roughly $600 (£474).

Maine Coon kittens purchased with the intent of competing in cat shows command an even higher price tag, of up to $2500 (£1975).

This is because there are higher costs, effort, and time involved in breeding a ‘show cat’.

Although Maine Coon cats might appear to be a ‘bargain’, when compared to the cost of buying a grey Maine Coon kitten, you should always buy with caution.

Older cats may have pre-existing health issues that you are not aware of, and treating such conditions at the vet might quickly escalate in large unexpected costs.

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