The Progression Of My Hopeless European Maine Coon Addiction

[MistyDawn]

So, we're looking for a female, in hopes of starting a small cattery. It'll mostly be a hobby but if any profits are had, I figure I'll use them to help my rescue work.

Now starts the difficult process of shopping for a queen. My most specific category that I'm looking at is good noses, to help Alaska's kittens not all carry his nose bump, which he gets from his father. It seems like every picture I see of very young European Maine Coons have a nose bump. There's one kitten I'm particularly interested in as both of her parents are *gorgeous*, and 100% European, and she's a torbie, so she would have diverse litters.

Is there any way to tell, in very young kittens, what their nose will shape into? I know the answer is probably "No", but at the very least, those of you who have Maine Coons and have pictures from infancy and pictures of adulthood, could you show me those so maybe I can at least have a reference guide of sorts? Also, would it be okay for me to show you guys the kitten I'm interested in, and you maybe give me your .02?

 

[abyeb]

I can’t find much online about nose bumps in Maine Coons. Do you know if Alaska’s parents had it? I’m not sure if it’s genetic or not.

 

[MistyDawn]

His father did, yes. His mother did not. My breeder says his nose bump looks just like his dad's.

But I've found a queen in Russia I'm hellbent on buying. She's not only stellar in appearance, with huge and perfectly set ears, a gorgeous muzzle, a thick torbie coat, and a big girl, but making lovey faces in half her pictures. It's obvious she has looks and personality, that I'm eager to breed into my babies. She's a little older, at 4 months, and already quite large for a lady. She and Alaska will have perfect kittens.

 

[MistyDawn]

This is a video of the Russian queen I'm trying to get. Photos below. Great features, big, and look at the lovey eyes she makes at the camera!

 

[MistyDawn]

I can’t find much online about nose bumps in Maine Coons. Do you know if Alaska’s parents had it? I’m not sure if it’s genetic or not.

You know, as he's getting older, the nose bump seems to be shrinking. It appears barely noticeable now, closer to the healthy curve expected in the TICA breed standard PDF than a bump. I'm between phones, so I can't take pictures right this second, but I'll try to get some with my husband's phone when he's home off the road (he's a truck driver).