How to care for a Maine Coon

Maine Coons are big cats, and they need the right territory. In a cramped apartment, pets will be bored and sad. Maine Coons love to run, jump and play with puppyish enthusiasm (they are called “dogs in cat form” for a reason). Therefore, it is important that the cat has space and sufficient freedom to meet its needs.

Before bringing the cat into the house, prepare everything you need. 

• There should be two or more bowls for food and water. Place water bowls in several corners of the apartment: Maine Coons need to drink a lot to prevent urolithiasis. Don’t buy separate bowls for food and water. First, cats don’t like it when water is too close to food. Secondly, it will be inconvenient for the pet to eat from a bowl with high sides. For food, choose flat bowls so that the cat does not touch the edges with its whiskers and does not irritate them.

Plastic bowls – by. Only heavy ceramic or tin on a stand, because. Mischievous Maine Coons love to make toys for themselves from any objects, and bowls are no exception.

• Think especially carefully about the place where the fluffy will rest and sleep. Maine Coons are very sociable and friendly breeds that tend to always be in sight and next to the owner. But it is better to provide a secluded place just in case.

Buy a Maine Coon a soft and large bed so that it is comfortable for him to bask in it. There is a huge variety of shapes and purposes of beds, choose to your taste.

• The house must have a scratching post, and preferably several. The scratching post should be high so that the cat can stretch out to its full height and sharpen its claws.
• Make sure your cat has free access to the litter box. The toilet should be comfortable and safe. Ideal tray-house, where the Maine Coon can go and fit freely. At first, it is better not to close the toilet door so that the four-legged one gets used to it and understands how to use it.

Try different filler to understand which one is more suitable for the cat and is convenient for you.

• Do not forget that Maine Coons are playful, active and incredibly inquisitive animals. The inquisitiveness of cats sometimes takes precedence over the instinct of self-preservation, so the cat can chase a bird flying near the window and fall out of the window. To avoid tragedy, be sure to equip the windows with nets and fasten them very securely. Residents of the lower floors should not relax either: a pet that is on the street can run away and get lost.
• Bogatyrs from the world of cats during the period of active growth will climb everywhere in the house, be prepared for this. They will definitely want to explore all the shelves and tops of the cabinets. Therefore, first hide everything fragile and dangerous.

Get ready that your handsome fur will be everywhere, because Maine Coons are very, very fluffy comrades.

Although the Maine Coon coat is not prone to tangles and tangles, this does not mean that it does not need to be looked after. It is enough to comb out the Manx cat once every 1-1 weeks. But in spring and autumn, during molting, this should be done more often.

A huge amount of wool and abundant molting can provoke intestinal blockage in a cat. To prevent this trouble, you need to purchase malt paste or functional treats that will remove swallowed wool. Also, for the period of molting, it is worth transferring the pet to a special food to remove wool from the stomach.

In order for a large cat not to resist beauty procedures, you need to accustom him to combing from an early age. The same applies to nail trimming and bathing. We’ll talk more about this later.

You need to shorten your pet’s claws regularly, because. their growth causes severe discomfort to the animal. Get a nail cutter and trim your pet’s weapon, trying not to hurt the blood vessel. If the vessel is not visible, shine a flashlight. Be sure to install several large and stable scratching posts in the house, because Maine Coons love to sharpen their claws on everything that gets under their paw.

It is enough to wash Maine Coons once every 3-4 weeks, but at least once every three months. There are usually no problems with bathing, because these pets are very fond of water and are ready to splash in it for hours.

For washing, you should use only professional products for cats (for example, Iv San Bernard for medium wool), which will not harm delicate skin and keep the coat healthy and velvety. After shampooing, be sure to use conditioner: it makes the coat smooth. Due to the density of the hairs, the Maine Coon’s coat needs toning, structuring and deep cleansing. Therefore, it will be ideal if you purchase shampoo and conditioner from the same company, designed specifically for Maine Coons.

The beauty and health of the rich coat of the Manx cat depend not only on care and washing, but also on nutrition – it must be balanced.

Cat food should be dominated by meat ingredients, like a true predator. In order for the pet to feel good and live as long as possible, it is important not to save on nutrition and choose a complete feed of at least premium class, preferably with a holistic approach, with a source of easily digestible quality protein (Monge Cat BWild, CORE). These foods will provide cats with energy, essential vitamins and nutrients. Cats do not need additional food.

The ideal option is to combine wet and dry food of the same brand in one diet. This will help you take advantage of the two types of feeding. Dry food will help remove plaque from the teeth and give a healthy load on the jaw, while wet food will add variety and maintain water balance in the body. But dry and wet food must be combined correctly. They are not recommended to be mixed in one bowl. It is better to alternate, for example, give dry food in the morning (not forgetting about a sufficient amount of clean water), and wet food in the evening, or vice versa. But the simultaneous mixing of feed can lead to digestive problems. Choose foods of the same brand, as they are similar in composition and can be combined with each other. 

If you give canned food to the Maine Coon, you need to get them out of the refrigerator in advance so that they are at room temperature. Cats naturally love warm food and are more likely to eat it.

To please your pet and get closer to him, treat him with professional treats. Food from the human table is strictly prohibited. You need to get special treats for cats that definitely won’t hurt (“Mnyams”, GimCat). Remember that good little by little – you need to give treats rationally. Even the healthiest treats can lead to weight gain and related health problems.

Kittens of this breed grow quickly and unevenly, their feeding should correspond to the intensive period of growth. If you prepare food for your pets yourself, you should definitely discuss the diet with your veterinarian. 

Maine Coon kittens take longer to mature than other cats. Maine Coons are very large pets, they can develop up to 3 years and remain kittens up to 3 years. Even if the size of your dog 🙂

Maine Coons are amazing cats that will not leave anyone indifferent. But in order for the pet to be healthy, beautiful and live a long and happy life, it is important to take care of it properly. And this is quite within the power of a responsible and loving owner.

The article was written with the support of the Valta Zoobusiness Academy. Expert: Lyudmila Vashchenko — veterinarian, happy owner of Maine Coons, Sphynx and German Spitz.