Breed experts - can you help identify this breed/s?

[TopCatLuther]

We’ve owned cats for the last 10 years, all rescues, all moggies. There was one cat I was chosen by in 2014 and he took a place in my heart like no other. He was taken very swiftly by kidney failure last year and I’m nowhere near over him 😩 I am starting to think about getting another, but would love to get one with some of his characteristics if possible.

I know it’s impossible to identify his breed retrospectively, but he had some quirks that made me wonder if he might have been part Maine coon or ragdoll or something else - those with these breeds and others, do any of these sound familiar?

1. Couldn't miaow properly - had a sort of croak / chirrup that came out as a sort of short ‘mah’ noise
2. Followed me like a dog - used to trail me and my toddler to the top of our cul de sac and wait nearby for hours to escort us back
3. Was always waiting in the hall for me when I got back from a work trip
4. Not a lap cat but loved being picked up on my shoulder
5. A ‘tree’ cat - if startled, went high and often looked like a startled koala gripping the tree / scratching post
6. Tuxedo style markings and semi long haired - pics attached

I can’t quite explain how badly his death affected me, though suspect some of you will know. Any thoughts you may have on a cat that might be able to help fill the hole would be so appreciated.

Should have said - pretty sure Luther was a cross; just wondering what the cross might have been!

@TopCatLuther
Awww, I can see how you would miss Luther..he's adorable.
I can't offer you any answers, but just wanted to let you know that I hope you can find another cat like him

I’m sorry you lost him so young. I think he’s a long hair moggy though. There’s no ear turfs or squished up nose to indicate a particular breed.

I have met other tuxedo cats who are complete love bugs though, real characters. Luther was a beauty.

Which way did he come down trees?

His ruff has a hint of Norwegian Forest.
He's a beautiful boy, so sorry he was taken from you.

@Sweetpea1532 thank you - he totally was!

@Fluffycloudland77 thank you, that’s interesting, I thought his miaow might have been a giveaway that he wasn’t a moggy. He was v different to the other moggies we’ve had

@MiddlesexGirl hmm what are the potential options?! I’ll have to think - I had to rescue him from a tree a couple of times as he didn’t seem overly confident getting down once up there!!

I think Luther definitely had maine coon ancestry. His characteristics would indicate so, the tree climbing and dog like behaviour plus his size. I'm not saying one of his parents maybe further back.

You'll know yourself you'll never replace Luther with a like for like but it's worth having a look at different breeds that you feel would be a good fit.

My eldest two I lost in 2019 and I was distraught. One black the other dark grey and white long hair and their mother was a seal point siamese as I saw their mother! Both lived till 18 and 19, sisters and passed 10 months to the day of each other. I miss them terribly

OP - I think he was an (absolutely gorgeous) long haired mog.

I've seen (individually) all the behaviours you've mentioned in cats we've had past and present. I suspect Luther was just very good at 'catting'.

He's utterly gorgeous and sounds a wonderful character, no wonder you miss him. I know what it is like to own a "special" cat who is a hard act to follow.

The thing about cat breeds is that they are an artificial concept. All the traits (physical and personality) of different breeds exist in the domestic cat gene pool so plenty of moggies will have those traits too, it's just that pedigrees have been selectively bred for those traits. Luther probably doesn't have a "pedigree" ancestor, he just won the genetic lottery and you won the cat lottery when you adopted him.

I've known Maine Coons and Bengals with similar big personalities who are very loyal but they can be absolute horrors too. Ragdolls are also very loyal but more placid. Abyssinians are very social, as are Turkish Angoras.

If you are considering adopting a rescue again, it's not uncommon to see ads where you can see the cat rescue staff have clearly fallen in love with a cat with a special personality from the write up I spend too much time looking at them.

I think it may just be a black + white fluffy cat thing. My boy cat has a very similar personality and he's just a mog. He chirrups at me, is super friendly to other people (he'd make a great pub cat), gallivants around the place like an eejit.

I've had cats with his colouring and personality type before. I always say if he wasn't around I'd have to have a fluffy cat in my life.

So sorry. We had a Maine Coon, she definitely had a voice , her dad sounded more like you described.

Most of your list goes both for our MC and our current two Feline de la Maison (moggies) .

Most semi-longhaired MCs have tuffs on the ears, but since yours was a cross it's hard to tell. Personally I would think Norwegian.

Oh and our MC loved playing with water, have heard a lot if them do 🤷‍♀️. But that tail screams MC or Norwegian.

This was our cat whom we lost last autumn. We loved him immeasurably and still mourn him. He was a British Long Haired aka moggy I think.

Thanks so much for all the replies! Am still processing them all.

There probably is a good chance he was mainly moggy - I just find it hard to believe I’ll ever find another one like him and at the same time can’t imagine not having him or someone like him in my life. If that makes any sense?! We’ve had all sorts of cats, usually we take in the ones we don’t think will find a home otherwise: the ones with cancer, FiV or the plain mad ones 😆 and while I’ve loved them all, none of them has been quite as ‘mine’ as Luther was.

Would love another black and white semi long haired one, but they do seem pretty rare! Am very pro a rescue mog, although it would be a real lottery as to whether I could have a similar connection again.

to you @Miranda15110 and @Ludo19 I can’t believe how affected I’ve been by his death, I’m normally much more grounded because of the types of cat we’ve taken in.
Thanks so much to all of you for your kind words and interest, it really means a lot

I think you'd like one of my cats! She's a black and white semi long haired too. Big bushy tail and another squeaker.
I think the right cat is often just a very lucky match.
Luther was a handsome boy and I hope you do find another special feline friend.

Aah he’s very like my Tom. RSPCA labelled him a long haired moggie but someone else with experience suggested part Maine Coon.

Beautiful cat. I would say he is a long haired moggy too.

I have a ragdoll who has the exact characteristics you have mentioned, but luther is the wrong colouring. Certainly seems to have some maine coon/ragdoll in him though looking at his softer fur and giant build

I had initially thought Maine coon on the strength of pictures like the attached, but there’s a certain lion like aspect to the face that makes me a bit less sure. Are there any specific personality / temperament aspects that set apart eg a MC from a ragdoll from a Wegie? Asking really to get a feel for if one of those breeds might be a good fit for next time

@Beamur @TiddyMc do share photos if not too outing!!

Beautiful!
I'm going to say there's a bit of norwegian forest and/or ragdoll in there. I've got a norwegian Forest girl and a ragdoll/something else boy, I'm def seeing a few characteristics from both in yours.