Genetics and Health: Part 1 — What “Purebred” Really Means

For everyone who buys a purebred kitten, the first and most important question is always about health — and especially:

👉 Do the parents have any genetic diseases?

At first glance, genetics might seem simple: you take a DNA test, look at the results, and everything becomes clear.

But when it comes to heredity, things get much more complicated. Around this topic swirl many myths, confusions, and marketing tricks that often lead to unnecessary stress for both breeders and owners — and sometimes, sadly, to the loss of a cat’s health and wasted money.

That’s why I decided to start a short series of posts about genetics for breeders and kitten owners, written in simple, practical language.

Here’s what we’ll cover step by step:

1️⃣ Purebred genetics — what it really means

2️⃣ How to read and understand genetic test results

3️⃣ Genetic testing specifically for Maine Coons

4️⃣ Hip dysplasia: myths and facts.

5️⃣ Entropion (eyelid inversion), myths and facts.

Let’s start with the first topic — purebred genetics.

What Does “Purebred” Really Mean?

Sometimes DNA test results show something like “75% Maine Coon, 25% Persian” — and that immediately makes people worry: “Oh no, maybe my cat isn’t purebred?”

In reality, a purebred cat is one whose both parents are officially registered in recognized feline associations such as TICA, CFA, or others.

If both the mother and father are registered as Maine Coons — and the kitten receives official registration — then this is a purebred Maine Coon.

That’s how the breeding and registration system works.

DNA tests show the approximate distribution of genetic markers compared to reference samples in the laboratory’s database.

So, if your cat’s report says “70–80% Maine Coon” with some “traces” of other breeds, that doesn’t mean mixed breeding. Because all modern breeds were once formed through crossbreeding under supervision. To achieve specific coat colors, body types, or hair lengths, breeders historically combined different lines — all within official programs registered by feline clubs.

For example, the Maine Coon breed was developed in the state of Maine from the crossbreeding of shorthaired wild cats and longhaired domestic cats (mostly Angoras).

The name “Maine Coon” comes from “Maine”, name of state + “coon,” because early cats of this type looked somewhat like raccoons. 🦝

Later, controlled crosses with breeds such as Persian and British Shorthair helped introduce variations like shaded and smoke colors — now officially part of the breed’s heritage.

So if a genetic test shows a small percentage of other breeds —

that’s not a mistake, and it doesn’t mean your cat isn’t purebred.

It’s just a reflection of the ancestral history of the breed itself.

What Is a True “Mix”?

A mix means that one parent does not have a pedigree or registration.

For example, if the mother is unregistered and the father is a certified Maine Coon, the kittens cannot be officially registered as Maine Coons.

That doesn’t make them bad or less lovable — but formally, they are not purebred.

If both parents are registered and have official pedigrees, the kittens can also be registered and are considered purebred — even if a DNA test shows traces of other breeds. That’s completely normal and simply reflects the historical development of the Maine Coon breed.

When a breeder writes that their kitten is “100% Maine Coon,” it simply means the kitten meets the breed standard and has proper registration.

The phrase “100% Maine Coon” is just a marketing expression — it doesn’t mean there are “non-100% Maine Coons.” Every Maine Coon carries within it the breed’s own history. The very first Maine Coons were originally created through the crossbreeding of two types of cats.

What truly matters is the pedigree and official registration, not the “percentages” shown in a DNA report.