When you want to compare the Maine Coon vs. Siberian, it’s hard to tell the difference. The differences between Maine Coons and Siberian cats are their appearance, size, personality, and behavior.
Both cats are most beautiful and look pretty. Maine Coon and Siberian cats breed bring something amazing and unique to any home that they are in. So, what are the differences between Maine Coon and Siberian Cats?
When you decide to adopt a cat then you must be known about what is best for your family members. Maybe you’re drawn to the wild and natural looks of the Siberian Cat and Maine Coon, with their long coats and love of the outdoors. You study that before adopting their cat carefully.
The Maine Coon and Siberian look the same but they are significant differences. If you sat them down side by side, it would be easy to see that the Maine Coon is significantly larger, and these chunky cats are one of the largest breeds of domesticated cats. The size Maine Coon cats are 3 feet in length and weigh 18 pounds while Siberian is 2 feet and weigh 17 pounds.
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Origins of the Siberian
The name of Siberian gives us a hint about its origins. This breed belongs to the cold forests of Siberia. In fact, Siberians are also called Siberian forest cats. This breed naturally lives in the cold climate of Siberia without any human intervention for centuries, with the first reference to the breed which dates back to 1000AD. The Siberian appeared for the first time in a cat show at the end of the 19th century.
Finally, the breed reappeared after the end of the cold war. The first pedigree was issued in 1987 by the kotefei cat club. The color pointed (siamese patterns) Siberians are called “Neva Masquerade”: their name comes from the Russian Neva river. The Neva Masquerades are sometimes considered an independent breed.
Origins of the Maine Coon
This breed belongs to the state of Maine in the USA. There are several hypotheses about how these cats arrived in the region of Maine. One of them is that the ancestors of the Maine Coon arrived with the Vikings around the 11th century.
Another hypothesis is that they arrived with the boats of the European seafarers in the 18th century.
The breed started to develop and being popular at the end of the 19th century thanks to the farmers of the state of Maine, who were very proud of their cats.
The breed was then almost forgotten: it was less popular than the Persian or Siamese, but it was then rediscovered in the 1950s. By the 1960s, the breed rose again in popularity and was recognized by the ACFA in 1967. The Maine coon is the official cat of the state of Maine.
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Physical Appearances
Face Shape
Siberian has a soft rounded head. The muzzle is short and rounded while Maine Coon has a square muzzle, prominent cheekbones, and square head.
Ear Shape
Both cat breed has mostly the same shape with large and wide ears, set high on the head.
Eyes Shape
Siberian’s eyes are large and almost round. They are set wide apart.
Maine Coon’s eyes are large and slightly oval, but appear round when wide open. They are set slightly oblique.
Fur
Maine Coon’s upper coat has a silky texture, with a slight undercoat, soft and fine.
Siberians have a triple coat, composed of a tight undercoat, a water-repellent overcoat, and a middle coat.
Color
Both have all color varieties. The colorpoint pattern (also called the Siamese pattern) is allowed in the Siberian breed. Colorpoint Siberians are called Neva Masquerade (see previous history paragraph). Sepia and mink patterns (also called respectively Burmese and Tontines patterns) are not allowed.
Which Cat Is Larger: A Maine Coon vs. Siberian?
The Maine Coon is a bigger breed, even if the Siberian is not a small cat.
The Maine Coon: males are around 7-12 kg (15-26 lb) and females are 5-8 kg (11-18 lb).
The Siberian is a medium-large cat. Males weigh between 5 and 8kg (11-17 lb) and females between 3.5 kg and 5.5 kg (8-12 lb).
Maine Coon is the largest domestic housecat doesn’t mean Siberians are tiny. These cats are still big in their own right. Male Siberians can get as large as 17 pounds and two feet long.
If they weren’t compared to a Maine Coon, we would be discussing how large Siberians are. Like their Maine Coon friends, they also have an extended kitten phase. They don’t reach their full size until closer to three to five years old as well.
What Are Some Known Health Issues In Maine Coon Cats
Maine Coons are prone to be spinal muscular atrophy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. You will want to get a full health history of your cat’s parents from your breeder. You will also want to find specialists who can evaluate your cat to check for early signs of these diseases.
While these conditions can’t be cured, a much better quality of life for your animal is possible with early treatment. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is also the number one health problem found in Siberians. This condition is the most common heart problem found in cats of all breed types. Like you would with your Maine Coon, check your cat’s parents’ heart history and have your vet check your Siberian early for this condition.
Siberian Cats have a dense triple coat for keeping them warm during a Siberian winter! This includes an undercoat, a middle coat, and a waterproof outer coat. They can have a thicker ruff or frill of hair around their necks, as well as thick tails, britches, and ear tufts.
Their fur is waterproof, and while it doesn’t tend to tangle, they’ll need biweekly grooming to make sure any shed hair is removed and to prevent mats and dirt from settling in.
Conclusion
All the facts about both cats are deeply explain in the article. Now you should have a better idea of whether the Siberian Cat or the Maine Coon is going to suit you and your family better. They’re both affectionate and outgoing cats, with plenty of love to give to their families.