1. Look at frame and bone first — not at weight
Maine Coons are among the largest domestic cat breeds. Adult males commonly reach 6–9 kg, females around 4.5–6 kg, and total length including tail can approach 100 cm. Full maturity takes three to four years, though, so the number on the scale tells you very little about a kitten.
What does hold up at kitten age is the frame: feel whether the chest is broad and deep, whether the leg bones are thick, whether the paws are large and round, and whether the tail is heavy at the base. A well-boned kitten often looks lean because it is growing upward fast. A kitten with ordinary bone that has simply been fed round will photograph far better.
2. Head type: square muzzle, high cheekbones, a clear break
From the side, a mature Maine Coon shows a distinct transition from forehead to nose bridge, with a square rather than pointed muzzle and a firm chin that sits roughly level with the nose line. The whisker pads are full, and the head reads from the front as a wedge that is wide on top and tapering slightly below — not a narrow triangle.
One caution: a kitten's muzzle widens gradually with age and is typically still narrow at two to three months. Declaring a kitten's head type poor at that stage is wrong more often than not.
3. Ears: large, high-set, roughly one ear-width apart
The ears are the breed's most recognisable feature, and there are three things to check: the ear itself is large with a wide base; it sits high and slightly toward the outside of the skull; and the distance between the inner edges of the two ears is about one ear's width. Lynx tipping is very popular, but it is a bonus rather than a requirement — a cat without ear tufts can be an excellent cat.
4. Eyes: large, slightly oval, wide-set
The eyes are large and slightly oval, with the outer corner angled gently upward and a wide gap between them. Eye colour is not enforced within the standard — green, gold and copper, along with blue or odd eyes commonly seen in white cats, are all acceptable. Judge this feature on expression and shape, not on how rare the colour is.
5. Coat: judge density, not fluffiness
Maine Coons have a double coat: a dense undercoat plus slightly harsh, semi water-resistant guard hairs. Hair is shorter over the shoulders and back and noticeably longer on the belly and tail. The chest ruff develops slowly and usually fills in only in adulthood, so a bare neck on a kitten is normal.
To judge coat quality, blow against the grain and watch how much skin shows and how fast the fur springs back. The dramatic "explosion of fur" in photos is almost always blow-dried. Judging coat volume from fluffiness will mislead you every time.
Check the tail separately: length should roughly equal the distance from nose tip to tail base, with dense fur and no kinks. An obviously short or stiff tail deserves a question on the spot.
6. Overall balance beats any single outstanding feature
Judges assess the whole cat: the rectangular body proportions, firm muscle, coordinated movement — not one exaggerated trait. A cat with enormous ears but insufficient bone does not read well overall. Polydactyly is preserved and recognised by some groups, but it is a disqualifying fault under the mainstream standard; if you plan to show, confirm this early. As a household pet, extra toes have no effect on health.
7. Three traps when judging from photos
First, three to four months is the Maine Coon's awkward phase — the body stretches and the coat lags behind, making it the least photogenic stage of the cat's life, and unfortunately the stage at which some sellers are most eager to close. Second, bathing, blow-drying and combing against the grain will make any cat look heavily coated. Third, stills hide everything about movement: gait, landing from a jump, reaction to people — the things that are hardest to fake. If you must choose remotely, insist on unedited live footage with no lighting tricks and no grooming beforehand.
