What breed do you think this kitten may be?

mikmouse22

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
7
Purraise
9
Hey all. I’m currently in the process of getting this kitten.
The owner isn’t sure of the breed & I’d love to know what you all reckon he may be.
From what google tells me, he may have some Maine coon in him but I’m not too sure.
Thanks!
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,739
First of all, this is a tortoiseshell kitten, so it is most likely a girl :)

How old is she? She has a very cute and sly look to her in the picture.

If the owner doesn't already know what breed the kitten is, it probably isn't any breed. Most cats are not any particular breed, and unlike dogs, aren't "mixes" of breeds. Most cats are simply domestic cats, and we call them domestic longhair or shorthair based on their coat length. Domestic shorthairs and longhairs are just as nice as any breed; they don't need a breed label to make them more special.

It's difficult to tell from the picture whether this kitten is longhair or shorthair. With young kittens, sometimes it's hard to tell what coat length they will have, until they are older.
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,739
All I can say from these pictures is that it's a tortoiseshell kitten... I'm not seeing anything obvious that would lead me to believe the kitten has specific breed ancestry. If you have pictures of the parents of the kitten, you could post them and we can see if they have any distinctive breed characteristics.

Were you planning to get this kitten soon? Seven weeks is too young for the kitten to leave mom and littermates, unless it is a foster situation and the kitten is already a single kitten being fostered. It's really best for kittens to stay with mom and littermates until they are 12-16 weeks old.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

mikmouse22

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
7
Purraise
9
Question how do you know this is a female just by looking at it? Are all tortoiseshells female?
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,739
Yes, almost all tortoiseshells are female. A male tortoiseshell either has XXY chromosomes (not the normal XY for a male), or is a chimera (two different fertilized eggs that accidentally merged together in the uterus, making one kitten out of two kittens).
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

mikmouse22

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
7
Purraise
9
My! What big ears you have!
See that’s why I was wondering if he/she is a specific breed or mixed with something. I’ve never seen a cat with ears so large. It intrigued me so I googled cats with big ears & up popped different breeds. Maine stood out.
But I have no idea. Absolutely gorgeous kitty no doubt. 😍
 

lutece

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Messages
4,499
Purraise
5,739
Young kittens can have really big ears... it can just be a growth phase, and they can grow into those ears. If the parents have huge ears as adults, that might tell us more. Did the owner show you pictures of the parents?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

mikmouse22

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
7
Purraise
9
Yes, almost all tortoiseshells are female. A male tortoiseshell either has XXY chromosomes (not the normal XY for a male), or is a chimera (two different fertilized eggs that accidentally merged together in the uterus, making one kitten out of two kittens).
Wow interesting. You learn something new everyday!
move only ever had black domestic longhaired cats. Sadly my lovely cosmo passed away 2 years ago 🙁 hence why I’m looking for a new fur baby to call my own.
 

sivyaleah

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 16, 2011
Messages
6,259
Purraise
5,222
Location
New Jersey
See that’s why I was wondering if he/she is a specific breed or mixed with something. I’ve never seen a cat with ears so large. It intrigued me so I googled cats with big ears & up popped different breeds. Maine stood out.
But I have no idea. Absolutely gorgeous kitty no doubt. 😍
I'm assuming you meant Maine Coon. Yes their ears are very large. But this little girl is not an MC as she is short haired and Maine Coons are long haired cats.
She's a very sweet looking tortie. And yes, those ears really are something!
 

Kieka

Snowshoe Servant
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Messages
11,394
Purraise
19,968
Location
Southern California
I’ve never seen a cat with ears so large.
Kittens can have that bat ear look, either for a long time or just at certain times ok n their growth. Links ear seemed to explode one day and he looked really goofy for a few months. Let's be honest, Links ears are still pretty big for his body. But it fits the goofball so we roll with it. Link is just a regular old domestic cat with good genes in the look department.

Screenshot_20191210-175321_Instagram.jpg
 
Last edited:
Top