The Maine Coons Furry Mane

If you’ve recently adopted or bought a female Maine Coon kitten, but cannot see any signs of the distinctive mane yet, you might be wondering do female Maine Coons have manes.

Since the mane is such a distinctive and defining feature of this cat breed, many first-time owners often start to worry that their female Maine Coon may never develop the famous extravagant mane.

All adult female Maine Coons should have a visible mane. Essentially, a mane is a slightly longer fur around the neck and chest of Maine Coon cats. It starts to grow when the kitten is about nine months old, and it will become more distinctive in the winter months when your cat relies on it to keep herself warm.

This post will discuss everything you need to know about the Maine Coon mane to help you understand the breed better, and hopefully, put your mind at rest.

Do Female Maine Coons Have Manes?

The Maine Coon cat is one of the most loved cat breeds in America and many other parts of the world.

Although generally smaller than their male counterparts, the female Maine Coons are still physically larger relative to other breeds.

Read our guide on the Maine Coon vs Normal Cat size to get a true understanding of just how large these cats can grow!

Female Maine Coons are known to be affectionate on their terms.

They are family-friendly cats, but when compared to the male species they are often considered to be a little more reserved and laid back.

For this reason, the female Maine Coon tends to be more cautious around strangers; more aloof, and displays strong independent behaviors.

What Is A Mane?

Many people remark that Maine Coons look like mini lions because the ruff around their necks is reminiscent of a lion’s mane.

A mane is the longer growth of fur along the top and sides of the neck.

Typically, the distinctive Maine Coon neck ruff starts to grow when the kitten is about nine months old. You will begin to notice it at this point.

When the mane grows, the fur around your Maine Coon’s neck and chest will appear longer, lighter, and fluffier, giving the cat a regal lion-like look.

This longer ruff around a Maine Coons neck is one of the breed’s defining traits and gives this beloved cat breed an incredibly regal and impressive look.

While Maine Coon cats have an assortment of distinctive traits, the Maine Coon neck ruff is one of the most distinguishable traits they possess. It is one of the key features used when trying to identify if a cat is from the Maine Coon breed.

Given this information, it’s not unusual for a first-time owner to wonder do female cats have a mane. This is because they might have noticed that their 9 months of female Maine Coon kitten has not started to develop the renowned ruff, yet.

Whilst this can be concerning, it is worth noting that all fully-grown female Maine Coons have some visible signs of a mane. If your female Maine Coon does not grow one this might be because they are a Maine Coon mix?

Shedding

However, if you live in the tropical region, experiencing hot and cold times, you may notice that the size of the ruff around your female Maine Coons neck changes from time to time.

A female Maine Coons long, luxurious ruff never disappears, though a female Maine Coon cat will usually shed a bit of its fur year-round as the warmer weather approaches.

The shedding rate will ultimately vary from one season to another.

However, no matter how they shed, the female mane will never disappear entirely.

In the spring, the neck ruff starts getting thinner and becomes less prominent, resulting in a lighter Maine Coon summer coat. This helps keep your Maine Coon cat stay cooler in the considerably higher summer temperatures.

When the cooler weather starts to come in the fall, the female Maine Coon’s mane and entire coat will get thicker to keep the cat warm in the winter months.

At this time, the neck ruff will be more noticeable because it is needed to overcome the cold temperatures.

If you have purchased a purebred female Maine Coon kitten that does not show any signs of the lion-like mane, it will almost certainly develop one over time.

Do All Maine Coons Have A Mane?

The Maine Coon is the largest domesticated cat breed and has a very distinctive physical appearance.

Many people love their Maine Coons because of their lust-worthy fur coats and intriguing coat colors and color combinations.

If you aren’t too sure which coat color you love the most, why not peruse these 74 different Maine Coon coat colorings!

Whilst the Maine Coon cat’s large size is undoubtedly one thing that attracts animal lovers to the breed, it is their long, luscious, beautiful fur that remains the breed’s hallmark.

Maine Coons are long-haired cats with soft and silky coats. The length of their coat varies across their bodies.

For example, pedigree Maine Coon cats wear shorter coats on the head and shoulder and relatively longer fur on their stomach and flanks.

Purebred Maine Coon cats are characterized by a prominent ruff along their chest.

Despite this leonine ruff around their neck is a very common feature, not all Maine Coon cats grow a mane. This holds regardless of the gender of your cat.

In light of this information, you might be interested to understand do male cats have manes? Well, the same is true of the male of the species. Most male Maine Coon cats have manes, but not all of them.

So what does this all mean? … Ultimately, there is a chance that your Maine Coon cat might never develop a mane, whether male or female.

One interesting fact to note is that the size of your Maine Coons mane might be dependent on the color of your coat. This is because red mackerel Maine Coons tend to have a shorter ruff than other Maine Coon colorings.

You should therefore not worry too much if your Maine Coon cat grows without developing a mane.

Why Do Cats Have Manes?

Many long-haired felines have ruffs around their neck that resemble a lion’s mane. Maine Coons cats are no different.

It is worth noting that why Maine Coons developed a mane is more educated guesswork than anything else.

Below are some key reasons why cats have manes:

1. Selective Breeding

Some cat breeds develop manes as a result of selective breeding.

2. Survival Tool

Although a mane can develop as a result of selective breeding, it is safe to say that mane in cats developed as a survival tool.

This is because the Maine Coon neck ruff makes the felines look bigger than they are naturally, which can help deter attack by predators.

3. Warmth

For many other cats, the mane is a natural cold-weather adaptation to keep the cats warm.

When the magnificent mane starts growing, it looks as though your Maine Coon cat is developing a stunning natural scarf!

As the story goes, when Maine Coon cats were imported into the continental United States, they were introduced to the harsh winters of Maine.

The severe conditions forced them to develop into the environment around them, and the mane is one of the adaptations that the felines developed to keep themselves warm.

This story, however, could not be further from the truth considering that Maine Coons have considerably long, fluffy coats and tails all year round, only shedding when the weather gets warmer.

4. Regal Look

Besides keeping your Maine Coon cats warm and comfortable during the cold winter months, the ruff on your Maine Coon’s neck and chest gives the feline a regal look.

This majestic look greatly contributes to the love that these cats receive from their owners.

When Do Maine Coon Kittens Get Their Mane?

Most Maine Coons have a regal-looking mane around their neck, that is longer than the rest of the fur across their bodies.

The neck ruff will become very distinctive in the winter months and thin nearing summer.

Nevertheless, if you have a young Maine Coon kitten you might have noticed that the feline does not yet have a mane, and her fur is also not as plush as you expected it to become.

Like most great things in life, it takes time for Maine Coon neck ruff to develop and become noticeable.

This is particularly the case when it comes to the Maine Coon cat breed which is well known for its exceptionally slow growth rate, not reaching full size and fluffiness until 3-5 years of age.

With this in mind, at what age do Maine Coons get their mane?

The distinctive Maine Coon’s mane will generally begin to fill in and grow at about nine months of age. Sometimes though it can take up to four years for it to develop. Therefore, just give it a little more time and see if a mane begins to grow.

When the mane begins to grow it will continue growing until it becomes noticeable, even from a distance.

If your Maine Coon kitten does not have the admirable mane just yet, it could simply be due to the following factors:

• Too Young
• Mixed Breed

If you own a purebred Maine Coon cat, it will almost certainly grow a mane in time. It is important to note though, that not all Maine Coon grow their mane.

For this reason, do not count on a mane around your cat’s neck to let you know if what you have is a purebred Maine Coon cat, or not.

Do Maine Coon Cats Shed Their Mane?

The long, luscious coats and fluffy mane of Maine Coons are gorgeous to look at and greatly contribute to the breed’s regal appearance.

But with all that fur, surely anyone considering bringing a Maine Coon home might be thinking that these beloved cats shed a lot?

Shedding is a natural way for cats to get rid of dead hair.

If you have fallen in love with a Maine Coon, the good news is that they don’t shed much hair despite having such long hair.

In fact, Maine Coon cats don’t shed any more than an average short-haired cat.

Even so, it is worth noting that each cat has its own shedding cycle, so don’t be surprised if your Maine Coon doesn’t shed like others of this cat breed.

Unlike a normal cat though, you will quickly find that the dead fur appears in clumps on the floor rather than lots of hairs all over your clothes or covering the floor. These clumps are nice and easy to pick up.

So now we know Maine Coons shed their fur, you might be interested to discover ‘do Maine Coon cats shed their mane?’.

Maine Coons typically shed their manes during the summer.

Whilst they shed a little bit of their fur all year round, it is only during the summer months when they will shed their manes significantly.

During the hot months, the ruff around their neck will become less prominent, and, in rare cases, your Maine Coon can shed its mane entirely.

If you live in a warmer climate, your Maine Coon’s mane may not grow as thick, and the feline will almost certainly shed its mane throughout the year.

Whether your Maine Coon sheds year-round or seasonally, you will need to brush your cat regularly to ensure their fur doesn’t get knotted and matted.

Regular grooming and brushing help to detach dead hairs before they become matted or shed. Grooming also helps build a stronger bond between you and your Maine Coon.

These are my favorite Maine Coon cat brushes, which do a great job at keeping our large cats fur in great condition.

Should I Brush My Maine Coon Cats Mane?

The Maine Coons neck ruff is naturally majestic, but keeping it looking great can often be a concern for many owners.

To ensure that your Maine Coons mane retains its good looks and doesn’t tangle, you need to brush it regularly.

Grooming regularly will make a massive difference in keeping tangles and matting a distance memory.

When it comes to brushing your Maine Coon’s mane, you should make sure you are brushing them 2-3 times a week with a soft brush, or wire slicker brush. If you are short on time, make sure to brush the leonine mane and entire coat no less than once a week.

If you are planning to bring a Maine Coon kitten home, keep in mind that grooming is a time-intensive task.

All in all, it is worth the effort as it strengthens the bond between you and your cat and potentially eliminates the psychological distress your cat could experience with matted hair.

With Maine Coon’s long fur and fluffy manes, you may want to know some of the best brushes that will excellently do the job of keeping their coat looking impressive.

Maine Coons are not hypoallergenic, brushing your Maine Coon’s mane and the entire coat will help keep their long, thick hair in a healthy condition.

5 Best Maine Coon Brushes

Maine Coon cats are prone to matted hair, especially during the wet, damp winter months.

While no single brush covers all of your grooming requirements, these brushes do an excellent job when it comes to grooming your Maine Coon.

Here are the 5 best brushes for Maine Coon cats:

1. Hertzko Self-Cleaning Brush

This self-cleaning brush is ideal for removing the tangles from your Maine Coons long fur.

Read the Amazon customer reviews to see just how good this product is.

2. FURminator

You have likely heard of the famous FURminator. Well, in short, it is as good as people say!

This product helps to safely unhook the dead hairs that have become caught in your cat’s fur.

The FURminator also sheds fur, which makes it an excellent option for reducing shedding.

You can learn more about this product over on Amazon, using this link.

3. AtEase Dual-Sided Pin Brush

This brush is double-sided, with two brushing functionalities.

4. Hertzko Comb

You will be glad you purchased this comb for grooming your large Maine Coon cat’s mass of fur. It glides through the thick dense fur easily and helps to gently untangle the knots before they become matted.

5. Grooming Glove

The reason I love grooming gloves is that you can easily groom your cat whilst you stroke them.

These gloves are soft and gentle, and our male Maine Coon has never had an issue with the feel of these gloves.

Cat Breeds With Manes

All cats are wonderful, but something is fascinating about long-haired cat breeds. Maybe it’s because they have such impressive and lust-worthy coats?

If you are planning to adopt a feline with a mane, the good news is that there are many cats with neck ruffs out there.

Cats with manes are just as imposing as wilder felines, but many will happily sit on your lap and do not cause havoc at home.

If you want a feline with a long, luscious, fluffy coat and a distinctive mane, here are some cat breeds you cannot go wrong with:

• Maine Coon cats
• Persians
• Norwegian Forest cats
• Ragdolls
• Siberians
• Himalayan
• Birman
• Ragamuffin
• LaPerm
• Turkish Angora

Luxuriously long-haired cats with a mane are impressive.

They also tend to have a loving personality, which makes them a great addition to any family.

Whether you are looking for a capable outdoorsy, miniature lynx, or feline royalty to pamper, you cannot go wrong with these particular breeds.

Why Don’t Other Cats Have Manes?

There is no substantial reason why other cats do not have manes – it is still pure guesswork.

Cats with no manes do not have “deep” wild origins.

Unlike breeds with manes, short-haired cats with no ruff around their neck are known to spend solitary lives in their territories.

This means that they don’t need manes to protect themselves against bites when fighting other felines or struggling to escape from predators. After all, domesticated cats are not under extreme threat.

The absence of manes in other breeds of cats could also be related to evolution.

Black Cats With Manes

A little mystique, a little mystery, and a lot of adorable traits, there is just something about black Maine Coon cats that makes them so fascinating.

As such, it should be no surprise that black Maine Coons hold a special place in our hearts and are becoming increasingly popular.

Like other members of the breed, black Maine Coon cats have manes, which give them a majestic look.

Even better, their long, silky manes require less maintenance, which is a big plus for them.

If you are considering a black Maine Coon cat, you will almost certainly like the feline’s diverse personalities.