Maine Coon Cat Breed – All Information, Facts, Care and Price

Maine coons are large, affectionate cats that enjoy spending time with their owners and playing with them when they are not busy playing. Although this breed of cat is often known for its enormous size — up to 40 inches in length — owners of Maine coons know and prize the loving and affectionate way these cats behave as family pets.

In spite of the fact that this breed almost came to be extinct at one point, Maine coons have become quite popular in recent years. There is no doubt that the Maine coon cat breed holds a very high place in the Cat Fanciers’ Association’s list of the top cat breeds in 2019. There is a wide range of prices for Maine coon kittens, depending on the pedigree, ranging from $400 to $1,500.

It’s a medium-sized to large species of coon, with the male being somewhat bigger than the female. It has a long, rectangular body, as well as a long, curled tail. As a result, she may appear much bigger than she really is because of these reasons.

A Maine Coon cat is a muscular, heavily boned cat with a thick coat. The first time she was seen outside, she was a domestic cat, later growing into a working breed that kept barns as well as homes free of rodents. This is a large dog with tall ears and a large head. As you can see from the profile, the large eyes have a slight dip underneath them. In addition to the big chest, the legs are also large and thick.

Maine Coons have heavy coats that are silky to the touch, but they do have a heavy coat. I find the shaggy nature of the coat to be intriguing, since the coat drapes, on the stomach and behind the thighs (britches), longer than it drapes over the shoulders but is shorter on the stomach and behind the thighs.

Personality:

There is no doubt that the Maine Coon cat has a sweet temperament, despite her size and history. In spite of the fact that she loves her parents, she is adaptable to any environment as long as it offers her some exercise opportunities. During runtime, she can be quite loud, but when you hear her soft, quiet voice, it is clear that this lion is indeed a lamb at heart.

In order to ensure the welfare of the Maine coon, it is absolutely essential that it be raised by an affectionate, loving family with the time to play and a willingness to include it in every aspect of day-to-day life. It is no problem for these friendly animals to be around children, dogs, and even other cats.

It is possible to leave Maine coons alone for a long period of time without them getting upset, but they won’t be happy about it. These cats can become sad and anxious if they are regularly left alone all day, so they’d be best suited to a family that often has at least one or two people home during the day to give them some company.

The majority of Maine coons enjoy playing in the water. Obviously, this is great news when you are taking a bath, but it also means that your little one may follow you into the shower or interfere with your dishes while you are doing them.

As big cats, these cats are surprisingly quiet-although they do enjoy communicating with their human companions and vocalizing to them, their soft voices may surprise you at first.

There is no doubt that Maine coons make excellent family pets. It would be hard to find a more loving and adoring feline friend than a member of this breed of cat if one has the time, patience, and attention to devote to them.

Physical Attributes

Your Maine Coon’s Health

Since you are very passionate about your cat, we know that you are going to take great care of her, since you care so much about her. That’s why we have provided you with a summary of some of the health concerns you will be discussing with us during your Maine Cat’s lifetime. We are able to help you tailor a preventive health plan for your Maine Coons by knowing what health concerns are common among Maine Coons, and hopefully eliminate some predictable risks in your pet as a result.

It should be noted that many diseases and health conditions are inherited traits, meaning they have a connection with your pet’s breed. According to a general consensus among both feline genetic researchers and veterinarians alike, the conditions that we will describe here are prone to occurring at a high incidence or having a strong impact on this particular breed. There is no guarantee that your cat will develop one of these diseases, only that she may be at an increased risk than a typical cat. To give you an idea of what may be coming up in the future for Maine Coons, we will describe the most common issues we have seen in Maine Coons in the past. Obviously, we can’t cover all the possibilities here, so if you notice any unusual symptoms or signs, please do not hesitate to get in touch!

I would like to point out that this guide contains a lot of information regarding the health of cats in general, as well as genetic information concerning Maine Coons. In this section, you will find information that can be helpful to both you and your pet’s healthcare team as they plan together for your pet’s unique medical needs. Towards the end of the article, we have also included a description of what you can do at home to maintain the health and beauty of your Coon Cat so that she usually looks and feels her best. It is our hope that this information will help you know what to look for, and that we will all feel better about taking care of your friend knowing that we are doing our best to make sure he is doing well.

General Health Information For Your Maine Coon

Weight Management

Obesity is a major disease that contributes to a surprisingly large number of illnesses and deaths in cats.

It is a well-known and well-understood fact that extra weight can have a negative impact on your pet, but many pet owners are still unaware of the dangers posed by extra weight on their pets. There is no doubt that excess weight plays a significant role in the development of arthritis, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases. There is no doubt that many of us know through experience how even shedding just a few pounds can result in improved mobility and a greater motivation to be active as a result of losing a few pounds. There is no difference between you and your pet when it comes to the same thing.

Several studies have suggested that a pet who carries excess weight can live up to two years less and can develop arthritis up to two years sooner if they carry excess weight. The risk of diabetes developing in overweight cats is significantly higher than that of a healthy-weight cat, as diabetes is an inherited disease, and it may never become a problem if a cat is in a healthy weight range. Whenever a cat becomes obese, it is more likely that it will develop diabetes as time goes on. Another potentially fatal disease that is more likely to occur in overweight pets is hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver; when an overweight cat stops eating for any reason whatsoever, hepatic lipidosis can develop as early as 48 hours later.

In order to keep our pets trim and healthy, what can we do to help? Understanding your cat’s dietary habits is essential if you want to keep him healthy. There is a particular preference among cats for eating about 15-20 times a day, just a few nibbles of food at a time. Most cats are happy to be free fed by this method, but boredom may lead to your cat making more trips to the bowl of food because of boredom. You will be able to keep your cat at a healthy weight by keeping him or her playfully active and engaged during the time you spend with them. You can both entertain yourself and your cat with a string tied to a stick and something crinkly or fuzzy on the other end. There is a possibility that food puzzles, such as kibbles in a paper bag or under an overturned basket or box, will motivate cats who have a more food-based interest to romp and tumble.

The best thing you can do for your cat if he or she is overeating is to take a firm stance, and to regulate the amount of food he/she is eating on a daily basis. Rather than filling your cat’s bowl to the brim with food, you should follow the feeding instructions that come with the food and make sure you feed your cat a high-quality adult cat diet that your vet has recommended. In order to prevent your cat from eating out of boredom, give her a lot of playtime and attention. The amount of affection offered to cats determines how much they desire personal interaction, so in other words, ignoring your cat means that you will be ignored by your cat in the future. On the same token, if you spend a lot of time playing with and loving on your cat, your cat will begin to crave that time with you in the future. It is important to realize that a healthy, happier cat–and its owner–is one that is more active!

Dental Disease

There are several chronic problems that pet owners can experience when their pets do not have their teeth brushed regularly. Dental disease is one of them. In most cases, cats don’t take very good care of their own teeth, and this includes your Maine Cat as well, because most cats don’t take very good care of their teeth. Unless you provide your cat with extra assistance and care, it is likely that he or she will develop potentially severe dental problems in the near future. Initially, dental disease is caused by the accumulation of food residue on the surface of the teeth, which hardens into tartar, which eventually causes an infection of the gums and roots of the teeth. It may be possible to prevent or delay the need for advanced treatment of dental disease by protecting your cat against dental disease from the start by removing food residue from their mouths regularly. The treatment can be stressful for your cat and expensive for you as well, so preventing it is in everyone’s best interest. The effects of chronic dental infection may even produce tooth loss or damage to your pet’s internal organs in severe cases of chronic dental infection. If nothing else, you’ll be able to have a much more pleasant relationship with your cat because he or she won’t be knocking you over with stinky cat breath all the time! It’s our job to ensure that your cat’s pearly whites are kept clean at home, and to make sure that regular routine dental checkups are scheduled regularly for your cat.

Vaccine-Preventable Infections

The Maine Coon is susceptible to viral and bacterial infections, including panleukopenia, calicivirus, rhinotracheitis, and rabies, as all cats are. All of these diseases can be prevented by vaccination, including panleukopenia, calicivirus, rhinotracheitis, and rabies. There is a high risk that your cat will contract any of these diseases, so the vaccines corresponding to these diseases are called ‘core’ vaccines, which are highly recommended as part of your cat’s vaccination program. Furthermore, other dangerous diseases such as the feline leukemia virus (FeLV) can also be protected from through vaccines that are available. Your cat’s age, the prevalence of these diseases in the Indian Trail Animal Hospital area, and any other risk factors specific to her lifestyle will all be considered when making vaccination recommendations.

Parasites

Your Coon Cat can be infested by all sorts of worms and bugs, both inside and outside of its body. There are many things that can infest her skin and ears, from fleas to ticks to ear mites. An infected mosquito bite, drinking unclean water, walking on contaminated soil, or being bitten by an infected mosquito can lead to her getting hooked worms, roundworms, heartworms, and whipworms in her system. There are a wide variety of parasites that can be transmitted from one person to another, which is a serious concern for each and every one of us. These parasites can cause pain, discomfort, and even death in your cat, which is why it is important for us to check your pet regularly for these parasites. As many types of parasite can be detected through a fecal examination, it’s a good idea to bring a fresh stool sample (in a smell-proof container, please) with your pet for her twice-annual wellness examinations in the event that she has any parasites. Our team will also recommend preventative medication as necessary to ensure that she stays healthy in the future.

Spay Or Neuter

Having your Maine Cat spayed (neutered for males) is one of the best things you can do to make sure she lives a long and happy life. A woman’s ovaries are surgically removed, along with her uterus, in order to perform this procedure. A man’s testicles are surgically removed in order to perform this procedure. You should spay or neuter your pet as soon as possible to reduce the probability that your pet will develop certain types of cancer and to prevent him from becoming pregnant or fathering unwanted puppies. There is a reduction in territorial behavior in both sexes following neutering, as well as a reduction in roaming behaviors, and neutering especially reduces urine spraying and marking behavior in males. During this surgery, while your pet is under anesthesia, we also have the opportunity to identify and address some of the diseases your cat is likely to develop while he is under anesthesia. A hip X-ray, for instance, to confirm if your pet has dysplasia, or a complete dental examination to make sure that he or she does not have stomatitis, can be conveniently performed at the same time as the spay or neuter in order to minimize your cat’s stress during this procedure. Blood tests performed regularly prior to surgery can also help us to identify and take precautions against common problems that will increase the risk of anesthetics or surgical complications as a result of anesthesia. You may think that this is a lot to remember, but don’t worry – we’ll talk to you when the time comes if there are any specific problems we need to keep in mind.

Genetic Predispositions For Maine Coons

Heart Disease

There are several kinds of cardiomyopathy, including either an inherited disease which affects the heart muscle or a secondary condition caused by other diseases that affect the heart muscle. A hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is one of the most common types of heart disease caused by an overactive thyroid gland, and is characterized by a thickening of the heart muscle. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is another example of a condition that can be caused by a lack of the amino acid taurine in the diet, which is the cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. While DCM used to be a big problem in the past, most major cat food manufacturers now add taurine to the food they prepare, so it is rare today to find cats with DCM who eat high-quality cat food.

There are signs of cardiomyopathy that can be spotted early on in the process, but a cat is known to hide illnesses which can make it tough to detect early symptoms. It is most common for pet parents to notice that their pets are suffering from rapid breathing, lethargy, and a lack of appetite right away. There may be times when these symptoms seem to come on suddenly, often within a few hours or even a few days, but in most cases, the cat has actually been suffering quietly for weeks or even months and is only now coming to terms with the situation. The presence of HCM can also lead to the formation of blood clots within the heart itself. After leaving the heart, these clots can end up lodged in the major arteries that transport blood to the rear legs of a person by becoming lodged in these arteries. This will result in the cat suddenly losing the ability to use both rear legs as well as the tail—the legs will act as if they were numb to the touch and will feel extremely painful. Either the cat is experiencing a medical emergency or he is in a painful state of paralysis, in either case he is experiencing a medical emergency and needs to be taken to a veterinary facility as soon as possible.

The genetic test for HCM is available for a few breeds of cats with a specific gene abnormality that causes the disease. It is common for cats who suffer from cardiomyopathy to have a heart murmur, which can be detected during a wellness examination, but to make a precise diagnosis, more advanced medical imaging tests are required. You should evaluate your pet twice a year for life to find this problem early when treatment is most effective.

Patellar Luxation

In addition to performing amazing feats of agility such as crouching, jumping, and pouncing, a cat’s stifle, or knee joint, is another remarkable structure that plays a key role in our cat’s agility. In addition to the patella, which is the kneecap, which is an integral part of the stifle, the medical term luxation refers to the fact that the patella is out of alignment. Due to an improperly developed stifle, the kneecap can luxate or slip off the side of the leg as a result of a luxating patella. It is likely that a cat suffering from luxating patella will not show any signs of pain or abnormality until the condition has progressed to the point of lameness; these symptoms, as the cat ages, may progress to more significant signs of pain and abnormality. The early detection of luxating patellas is critical to the successful treatment of this condition, so it is very important for your cat to have an x-ray taken at the time of its spay or neuter, around three to six months old. You may not need to treat your pet much if the problem is mild and involves only one leg, other than standard arthritis medication, if your pet has a mild case of arthritis. There may be a need for surgery if symptoms are more severe. In this case, the kneecap may have to be realigned in order to avoid it from popping out. Patellar luxation is a condition in which the tendency for the knee to luxate is inherited, but it is important to remember that problems with joints have complex inherited patterns, so genetic tests for this condition have not yet been developed. The problem of patellar luxation occurs in a lot of breeds, but the condition is more common among Coon Cats.

Hip Dysplasia

Although hip dysplasia is most commonly found in dogs, it can also affect cats, especially Maine Coons, which are prone to the condition. Known as dysplasia, it is an inherited disorder that causes malformations in the hip joints and, as a result, arthritis in the hip joints. Within a few years of becoming an adolescent cat, there is usually very little clinical evidence of the condition, but a few years later, the cat begins to slow down and begin acting like an old cat prematurely. In severe cases, however, the cat may show symptoms of lameness by the time he or she reaches the age of six months. An X-ray of the pelvis is necessary to determine if there is an early sign of hip dysplasia. For this procedure, cats should be anesthetized or sedated, in part because the radiograph machine can be a frightening and stressing experience for cats, but also because the X-rays should be taken while they are perfectly still. As a result of the anesthetic, a clear, proper radiograph can be obtained without the pain and terror that are usually associated with X-rays, especially if the cat already has sore hips. Anesthesia allows for the proper positioning of the cat to produce a clear, diagnostic radiograph. It is best treated when hip dysplasia is detected early on, so an initial X-ray of the hips is recommended at the time of your kitten’s spaying or neutering, usually around three to six months old, to evaluate the condition of the hips. There is also a possibility to schedule an x-ray as part of your cat’s annual dental cleaning, so as to minimize the number of anesthetic events your cat has to undergo at any given time. Surgically reconstructing the pelvis of your cat if necessary can help relieve pain and allow your cat to have more mobility when he or she suffers from hip dysplasia. Considering that this is a genetic disorder, you should ask your breeder if the hips of the parents have been X-rayed if you are buying a purebred kitten.

Gingivitis

As the name suggests, gingivitis is an inflammation of the gingiva, or gums. The same as it is the case with people, it causes the gums to become red and swollen, causing pain and often leading to other health issues. There are mild cases of gingivitis that can often be treated with a mouth rinse and represent only a small problem, but if untreated, it can lead to more serious afflictions such as periodontal disease or stomatitis. Additionally, gingivitis has been associated with the development of resorptive lesions and the transmission of retroviruses such as the FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus) and FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). Having your friend’s mouth evaluated by the dentist on a regular basis is one of the best things you can do for him. You should keep in mind that cats are superstar actors and are great at masking illnesses, so if you don’t examine him thoroughly, you might not be able to tell if he has any oral problems to begin with. Our qualified healthcare team can safely examine his mouth in order to see if he is experiencing any pain or if there are any problems with his teeth. In spite of the fact that your cat may seem to be fine, act normally, and even look great, he might actually be hiding a serious problem behind his back teeth!

Renal Failure

A kidney failure is a condition that occurs when the kidneys are not capable of properly performing their functions such as cleansing wastes from the blood and maintaining hydration in the body. There is an extremely high prevalence of kidney disease in older cats, but it is usually caused by exposure to toxins or genetic causes in young cats. It is possible for young kittens, even if they have inherited kidney defects, to suffer from renal failure if they have inherited kidney defects, so it is very important to screen them for kidney problems early on, before anesthesia or surgery, and regularly throughout their lives. There are a number of diets and medications that can help cats with severe renal failure live longer, fuller lives despite the fact that this is a progressive, fatal disease.

Blood Type

Despite the fact that we would rather not think about the worst happening to our pets, it is always better to be prepared in case disaster strikes. In emergency medicine today, the use of blood transfusions is one of the most effective ways to save a patient’s life that can be performed. The faster your cat receives a blood transfusion if he or she becomes critically sick or injured and in need of such a procedure, the higher his or her chances of survival will be.

There are different types of blood in cats, just as there are in people. Purebred cats, such as your Maine Coon, often have a totally different blood type from domestic cats. For example, domestic cats generally have type A blood, while purebred cats have type B blood, or, very rarely, type AB blood. Prior to starting a transfusion, your cat’s blood type should be determined. Knowing your cat’s type beforehand can save you valuable minutes when it comes to handling the transfusion. Cats of all breeds should have their blood types tested, but purebred cats are in particular need of this service. The results of this test can be included in your pet’s microchip record for fast action even if you aren’t present, as part of a routine wellness blood test. This means you can have this done as part of a routine wellness blood test.

Deafness

There is a greater chance of congenital deafness occurring in cats of any breed with completely white fur. This is especially true of cats with blue eyes, as they are at a higher risk of being born without or with a diminished sense of hearing. In some Coon Cat bloodlines, inherited or genetic deafness has also been noted. So if you suspect your cat’s hearing may not be as sharp as it should be, contact us immediately to schedule a consultation so that you can have it examined. As long as your pet’s ears are healthy and he doesn’t ignore you, you might consider getting him a more thorough hearing evaluation, which may include a brainwave analysis if it is indicated in your case. However, if your pet has healthy ears and he is still ignoring you, it may be time to get him a more extensive hearing examination. The condition of genetic nerve deafness does not have a treatment, but most deaf cats can function just fine in an environment that is indoors. Taking your hard-of-hearing pet outdoors during the summer can be a very dangerous thing, as cats rely heavily on their hearing to detect sneaking predators and other perils such as oncoming cars, so keeping them inside is the best way to keep your pet safe during the summer months.

Taking Care Of Your Maine Coon At Home