American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon Cat Breed Comparison

"Find similarities and differences between American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon" Compare American Shorthair and British Shorthair. Which is better: American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?

Size, Appearance and Physical Traits Special Abilities Health Characteristics and Personality Grooming Show differences only

Name	American Shorthair	British Shorthair	Maine Coon
Origins	United States	United Kingdom	United States
Cat Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Natural	Natural	Natural
Popularity Rank	9	3	4
Reviews	0	0	1
User Ratings

Other Names What other names do they have?	Domestic Shorthair	Highlander, Highland Straight, Britannica	Coon Cat, Maine Cat, Maine Shag, Snowshoe Cat, American Longhair, The Gentle Giants
Price Which one is cheaper, American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon cat?	$600 to $1200	$1,500 to $3,000	$1200 to $2000
Cost Of Ownership	Low	Moderate	High
Breed Recognition	The International Cat Association (TICA) Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA)	The International Cat Association (TICA) American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe)	The International Cat Association (TICA) Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association

American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon Size, Appearance and Physical Traits Comparison

Size Which is bigger, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon cat?	Medium The medium-sized cats usually weigh 10-15 pounds and are 8-11 inches long from the nose down.	Large The large-sized cats usually weigh 10-20 pounds and are 10-16 inches long from the nose down.	Large The large-sized cats usually weigh 10-20 pounds and are 10-16 inches long from the nose down.
Weight Which is heavier, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	Males: 11 to 15 pounds, Female: 8 to 12 pounds	Males: 12–18 pounds, Females: 9-15 pounds	Male: 15-25 pounds, Female: 8-12 pounds
Bite Force	Average Bite Strength: Around 10-15 PSI	Strong Bite Strength: Greater than or around 15 PSI	Strong Bite Strength: Greater than or around 15 PSI
Body Type	Semi-cobby This body type is a mix between the cobby and foreign types.	Cobby This body type is a mix between the cobby and foreign types.	Substantial Maine Coon are large and heavy-boned with a strong, muscular build.
Ear Shape	Medium Rounded Wide-set	Medium Rounded Wide-set	Large Tufted Wide-set
Eye Color	Green Copper	Gold Copper	Gold Green
Hair Color and Pattern	Wide range of colors and patterns, including solid, tabby, bicolor, and more.	Wide range of colors and patterns, including solid, tabby, bicolor, and more.	All coat colours and patterns, including solid, tabby, tortoiseshell, bicolor, tricolor, and colorpoint; most common is the brown classic tabby pattern.
Coat What is the difference between American Shorthair, British Shorthair and Maine Coon coats?	Short Hair	Short Hair	Longhair
Leg Lenght	Medium	Medium	Medium
Whisker Length	Medium	Medium	Long
Musculature	Lean	Muscular	Solid
Head Shape	Round	Round	Square
Toe Count	5 front 4 back	5 front 4 back	Polydactyl (extra toes commonly)
Eye Shape And Orientation	Round	Round	Square
Night Vision
Paw Size	Medium	Medium	Large
Nose Structure	Concave	Button	Concave
Neck Length	Medium	Medium	Long
Fur Texture	Short Shaggy	Soft Curled	Silky Long
Bone Density	Medium	Medium	High
Flexibility	High	High	Medium
Bone Structure	Slender Fine	Robust	Slender Fine
Tail Length	Long and Tapered	Long and Tapered	Plumed
Sleep Patterns	Calm More Sleep	Active Less Sleep	Calm More Sleep

American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon Special Abilities Comparison

Attention Span	Long, focused on play and hunting	Long, enjoys calm activities	Long, playful and intelligent
Guarding Instinct	High	High	High
Protection Instincts	High	High	High
Climbing Ability	High	Moderate	High
Jumping Ability	Good	Moderate	Good
Swimming Ability	Poor	Poor	Good
Water Affinity
Rescue Capability	Good	Moderate	Good

American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon Health Comparison

Litter Size	1-3 Kittens	2-4 Kittens	1-3 Kittens
Special Needs	Low maintenance Independent	Low maintenance Independent	Active High grooming
Breeding	Easy to breed, large litter size	Easy to breed, large litter size	Requires grooming knowledge, large litter size
Dietary Preferences	High protein, raw diet	High protein, wet food	High protein, balanced diet
Solo Time Tolerance	High	Medium	High
Noise Sensitivity	Low	Moderate	Low
Genetic Diversity	High	Moderate	High
Sensitivity To Changes	Medium sensitivity	Medium sensitivity	Medium sensitivity
Food Motivation	High	High	High
Feeding Schedule	Twice a day Morning and Evening	Twice a day Morning and Evening	Twice a day Morning and Evening
Maintenance Level	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Exercise Needs	Medium	Medium	Medium
Life Expectancy Which will live longer, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	15-17 years	12-17 years	12-15 years
Energy Level Which is more energetic, American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon cat?	The American Shorthair cat has an average energy level.	The British Shorthair cat has a lower energy level than other cats.	The Maine Coon cat has an average energy level.
Hypoallergenic Which cat is hypoallergenic, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	No American Shorthair cats don't do well with allergy sufferers by causing an allergic reaction.	No British Shorthair cats don't do well with allergy sufferers by causing an allergic reaction.	No Maine Coon cats don't do well with allergy sufferers by causing an allergic reaction.
Common Health Issues Which cat is healthier, American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon?	Low Very healthy cat breed.	Low Very healthy cat breed.	Low Very healthy cat breed.
Health Problems	Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Obesity Diabetes Mellitus	Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Obesity Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)	Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Hip Dysplasia
Climate	Temperate	Temperate	Temperate
Cold Tolerance	Medium	Medium	Medium
Heat Tolerance	Medium	Medium	Medium
Breeding Difficulty	Medium	Easy	Easy

American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon Characteristics and Personality Comparison

Common Vocalizations	Moderate meowing	Soft and gentle meows	Quiet chirps and trills
Interaction With Other Pets	Excellent, enjoys other pets' company	Good, calm and tolerant	Excellent, very social and friendly
Facial Expression	Calm and adaptable	Calm and easygoing	Friendly and intelligent
Tail Behavior	Flicks tail when curious	Gentle swaying when calm	Gentle swaying tail
Explorer Instincts	High	Moderate	Moderate
Attention Needs	Low	Low	Moderate
Protectiveness	High	High	High
Territoriality	High	High	Moderate
Independence	High	High	High
Response To Commands	High	Moderate	High
Adaptability To Indoor Life	High	High	High
Hunting Drive	High	Moderate	High
Play Style	Curious Playful Gentle	Playful Gentle Calm	Social Playful Gentle
Escape Tendencies	Moderate	Low	Moderate
Curiosity	High	Moderate	High
Hunting Skills	High ⬆️	Moderate ⏺️	High ⬆️
Reaction To Strangers	Cautious	Cautious	Friendly 😊
Stalking Behavior	High	Moderate	High
Aggression Level	High	Low	Moderate
Training Difficulty	Moderate	Moderate	Easy
Agility	High	Moderate	High
Travel Compatibility	Medium	Medium	Low
Activity	Moderately Active	Moderately Active	Moderately Active
Compatibility With Other Animals	Playful Medium	Playful Medium	Playful Medium
Household Noise Tolerance	Medium	Medium	Medium
Playfulness	Active Adventurer. American Shorthair are quite playful and enjoy frequent play sessions.	Balanced Playmate. British Shorthair have a balanced playfulness.	Active Adventurer. Maine Coon are quite playful and enjoy frequent play sessions.
Trainability	Average Trainability: American Shorthair cat breeds are less interested in training and obedience, but can still learn basic commands and routines with enough practice and rewards.	Moderately Trainable: British Shorthair cat breeds require more patience, repetition, and reinforcement to learn new commands and behaviors, but can still be trained successfully with consistent efforts.	Moderately Trainable: Maine Coon cat breeds require more patience, repetition, and reinforcement to learn new commands and behaviors, but can still be trained successfully with consistent efforts.
Lap Cat Which cat is lap type, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	Yes This cat loves to sit on his owner's lap.	Yes This cat loves to sit on his owner's lap.	Yes This cat loves to sit on his owner's lap.
Temperament Which one has a better personality, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	Active	Affectionate	Adaptable
Adaptability Which cat has a higher adaptability potential?	American Shorthair cats adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	British Shorthair cats adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Maine Coon cats adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Affection Level Which is the more affectionate cat breed: American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon?	High: American Shorthair cats are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate cats toward their handlers.	Average to High: British Shorthair cats are highly affectionate cats.	High: Maine Coon cats are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate cats toward their handlers.
Child Friendly Which cat is more kid-friendly, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	The American Shorthair cat is a child-friendly breed.	The British Shorthair cat is a child-friendly breed.	The Maine Coon cat is a child-friendly breed.
Dog Friendly Which cat is more dog-friendly, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	Very dog-friendly: American Shorthair owners often find that their cats get along very well with the family dog.	Very dog-friendly: British Shorthair owners often find that their cats get along very well with the family dog.	Very dog-friendly: Maine Coon owners often find that their cats get along very well with the family dog.
Intelligence Which cat is smarter, American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon?	Average: the American Shorthair cat has an average level of intelligence.	Average: the British Shorthair cat has an average level of intelligence.	Outstanding: Maine Coon is one of the brightest cat breeds.
Social Needs Which cat is more social, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	Above-average: they need more social interaction than average cats.	Average: they need as much social interaction as the average cat.	Average: they need as much social interaction as the average cat.
Stranger Friendly Which cat is more stranger friendly, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	Average: this cat breed gets on relatively well with strangers.	Below average: this cat breed tends to have difficulty getting along with strangers.	Very: this cat breed gets on very well with strange people.
Vocalization Which cat is the loudest, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	Low Low vocalization cats are a category of cats that typically make less noise than other cats.	Low Low vocalization cats are a category of cats that typically make less noise than other cats.	Low Low vocalization cats are a category of cats that typically make less noise than other cats.

American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs Maine Coon Grooming Comparison

Seasonal Shedding	Moderate	Moderate	High
Grooming Tools Needed	Brush Nail Clipper Comb Deshedding Tool	Brush Nail Clipper Comb	Brush Nail Clipper Comb
Dental Care	Low	High	High
Grooming Which is easier to groom, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	Moderate Maintenance Grooming your American Shorthair cat is an essential part of caring for their health and well-being.	Low Maintenance Occasional grooming is recommended to keep the British Shorthair coat in good condition.	Moderate Maintenance Grooming your Maine Coon cat is an essential part of caring for their health and well-being.
Shedding Which cat sheds less, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or Maine Coon?	High If you're looking for a cat that won't leave a trail of fur everywhere they go, you might want to rethink your choice of pet.	Minimal This cat breed sheds much less than the average.	High If you're looking for a cat that won't leave a trail of fur everywhere they go, you might want to rethink your choice of pet.

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