Maine Coons Have Their Own Diseases
These cats are adapted for life in;harsh climates, so;they often have good health and a;long life expectancy. According to;data on;life insurance for domestic cats in;Sweden for 2003-2006, the average life expectancy of;Maine Coons was about 12;and a;half years, while more than;50% of;these animals lived longer.
However, the breed has specific diseases. One of;them is;hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This disease usually manifests itself in;middle and old age. It;can lead to;pulmonary edema, sudden hind limb paralysis, and death. Due to;problems with their hearts, they are required to;have an;ECG and an;ultrasound of;their heart done before their castration or;sterilization.
Another specific problem of;the breed is;spinal muscular atrophy. It;can be;noticed even when they are kittens; the back part of;their body sways when the animal walks, in;addition, they cant jump on;the furniture.
Maine Coons are also more likely to;suffer from hip dysplasia than other breeds. This disease manifests itself in;old age and the animal begins to;limp.
Do Maine Coon Cats Love Water
Unlike most cat breeds, the Maine Coon cat is literally fascinated with water. In fact, their love of water is so well known, that breed specialists have included this unique cat behavior as one of the Maine Coon breed common characteristics.
Maine Coons are not frightened by water, but instead, seem to seek it out. Therefore, if you are not sure where your Maine Coon has ventured, check the following places to see if your cat is playing with water:
- Patting water from their water bowl
- Drinking water from a leaking faucet
- Bathing in a bath full of water!
- Playing with water in the sink
- Drinking water from your shower tray.
- Swimming in the swimming pool, or lake!
Since cats are widely known for hating water, it might surprise you to hear that the Maine Coon is not truly unique. Instead, owners of the following cat breeds are likely to have also noticed that their cat loves to play with water:
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- Abyssinian
How To Choose A Water Fountain For Your Maine Coon
Like any accessory, the selection is vast, and the best one for your needs depends on you or your cats finicky tastes.
Maine Coons are large cats, so naturally they should drink more water than an average cat.
Or that should be the case! In reality, Maine Coons love waterfor playing! Not as much to drink from.
Thats why you need to create a enticing water-drinking environment. We need to look at nature!
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Do Maine Coons Like Baths
Many Maine Coon cats also enjoy swimming and playing in the bathtub, like this one in the video below who is batting a ball around the bath:
For those of you planning to bathe and wash your Maine Coon cats, it is advisable to introduce the practice whilst your cat is still a kitten.
Since kittens are known for being more energetic, active, and naughty than adult cats, owners are more likely to be successful if they introduce bathing as soon as they get their Maine Coon kitten. This is because adult Maine Coons are more stubborn and set in their ways, so are less likely to be interested in learning to bathe and swim in the bath.
How To Tell If Your Maine Coon Likes Water
Cats are very unique creatures. Whilst the Maine Coon breed, in general, tends to be massive fans of water, owners should never just assume that their Maine Coon will be too.
So, how do you tell if your purebred Maine Coon cat likes water or not?
Here are some signs that your Maine Coon loves water:
- Maine Coon enters the shower, whilst you are taking a shower.
- Cat plays with water in the shower tray, when the shower is turned off.
- Cat likes to pat water in the water bowl
- Find cat drinking water from the running tap.
- Intelligent cat breed learns how to turn the faucet on, and then plays with water.
- Maine Coon rubs itself against your wet legs when you leave the shower.
- You find your cat in the sink, where there is still some water.;
- Cat jumps in and swims in your bath water, pond, or swimming pool
- Your cat has no issue being cleaned with a lukewarm wet sponge, or cloth.
- Maine Coon enjoys tipping glasses of water over, then play in the mess.
- You find your cat drinking from the toilet bowl!
Credit for the image goes to Serge Quadrado Page URL. File URL. License. Image not modified.
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How Big Are Maine Coons They Are Absolutely Huge
So large in fact that theyre often mistaken for a bobcat , which is a larger wild cat. Maine coons will tip the scales, coming in at a huge 13 to 18 pounds for males and 9 to 16 pounds for females. Theyre not quite the largest domestic cat species in the world but are certainly up there.
They Can Make Strange And Wonderful Sounds
You might think that just like many other breeds of cat, Maine Coons will mostly meow or make meowing sounds. This is absolutely wrong! Maine Coons can make a wide variety of strange and wonderful sounds in order to get your attention, or when talking to you and showing excitement. One of the most common sounds you will hear is chirping or trilling.
Chirping and trilling is something Maine Coons will pick up at an early age. Typically when a Maine Coon trills or chirps its a happy sound to show excitement or contentment at the goings-on. They will also use this sound to greet you or gain your attention, but the most common time to hear these sounds are when a Maine Coon spots a prey animal like a bird at the window.
The sounds or vocals Maine Coons can make can also be used to determine their true meaning. Its believed that the tone or pitch of the sounds your Maine Coon makes will often reveal the true meanings behind them. Some Maine Coons have even been known to try mimicking their owners by listening closely to the tone of their voice.
Whichever way you look at it. A gentle giant like a Maine Coon making adorable sounds such as trilling or chirping is so cute and endearing. Its no surprise why this breed of cat is so loved and revered by many owners.
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They Are Eternal Kittens
First of;all, these cats get mature later than other cats. They reach puberty at;the age of;1, and they stop growing at;3, and in;some cases, even at;the age of;5. Secondly, even after having grown, Maine Coons still preserve their childishness.
In;addition, they perfect their jumping-to-high-places skills with age. Thats why you can sometimes find them on;a;kitchen table, stealing a;flower from a;vase, or;pushing a;porcelain figurine off of;a;shelf. Experienced Maine Coon owners remove all this stuff, even from the highest of;the shelves.
It May Be Due To Their Water
Maine Coons have three layers of fur and two of these layers are undercoat fur.; The inner hair is dense and short and water-repelling. Their fur keeps them warm, especially during cool winter months. Maine, their place of origin, is among the coldest states in the USA. This breeds thick and dense fur may be one of the reasons why they do not mind getting wet.;
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Maine Coons Arent The Only Ones:
If you wonder that the Maine Coons are the only cats who prefer the water, you are wrong.
You already know about two cat breeds who love water for one of the reasons we have mentioned. Here is a list of other cat breeds who prefer water:
So, it is possible that Maine Coons are just naturally in love with water, and you can accept the Maine Coon as it is.
Maine Coons Are Great Around Children
Cats and children sometimes don’t mix well. Some cats are aloof, reserved, and want to be left alone. Unfortunately, children – especially younger ones – want to pet, hold, and touch their pets. This natural tendency in young children can sometimes create tension between the cat and child.;
Maine Coons are quite good with children as they are very friendly. You might not guess that though from their size. After all, if the cat scratches or bites, the bigger Maine Coon cat size will make it a much bigger problem than with a smaller cat. However, because Maine Coons are very gentile and love attention, they work remarkably well with children. Additionally, since you can train Maine Coons, you can teach them to sit or stay, which helps if there are any issues.
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Marie Antoinettes Pet Cats
The second folklore tale used to explain the lineage of the Maine Coon cat breed links this precious water-loving cat to Marie Antoinette, the former Queen of France. Could the Maine Coon cat breed really have a royal, regal heritage?
According to the history books, Marie Antoinette made a desperate attempt to flee France during the French Revolution, by ship. She was so in love with her beautiful long-haired pet cats though, that she couldnt be parted from them. She, therefore, convinced Captain Samuel Clough to give her six Turkish Angora long-haired cats safe passage to the United States, with her.
Unfortunately, her escape was in vain though, since she was captured and executed in 1793. Her treasured six Turkish Angora pet cats met with better fortune, however, since they arrived safely in the United States, whereupon the ships Captain set them free, in Maine.
The premise of this legend is that the long-haired Turkish Angora cats, known for also loving the water, then bred with one of the short-haired domestic cats living in Maine during that time.
Do Maine Coons Need To Be Groomed
I would recommend that you groom your Maine Coon right from the first day you own it. Kittens may not look like they need grooming but its essential to get them used to the feel of it and the fact that you are not trying to harm them.
Our Maine Coons were 18 weeks old when they came to live with us and had not been groomed since they were 8 weeks old .
We have never been able to get them to enjoy being groomed and so its very hard work for us. If you dont give your Maine Coon a helping hand with grooming it can get badly matted and often the only way to remove these horrendous knots is to have them clipped or shaved out by a vet.
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Cat History And Water
Surprisingly, when you look back through history, the combination of water and cats is a little closer than you might think.
Nowadays, cats seem to sit on windowsills looking out across a rain filled backyard, but in centuries gone by it was quite different.
There have been a number of famous seafaring cats but they are individual cats.
While there is certainly an element of companionship when taking a cat on a voyage with a boat, certainly with respect to the long trade voyages, the truth may be more mundane.
They were taken for their ability to hunt down and kill rodents after the production foodstuffs on the tradeships.
Ancient cultures, like the Egyptians revered the cat and traded throughout the known world at the height of its empire. The Vikings took the Norwegian Forest Cat along with them on their journeys as well.
The slightly more mystical belief that they were superstitious may hold some water at the time. Because its believed that have an ability to detect subtle changes in the weather.
Much like cows, sitting down before it rains, cats can pick up on wind changes and alert the crew that changes are on the way. The cats inner ear can detect low pressure, which is a precursor to a storm.
A cat will become restless or nervous as atmospheric pressure drops. Useful in the days before motor yachts.
However, a cats natural ability to smell, hunt down a rodent after the kitchen supplies might be a nice side benefit.
Maine Coons Hold The Records For The Worlds Longest As Well As The Worlds Oldest Cat
The worlds longest cat measured in at an impressive 48.5 inches from his tail to his nose,
Though, Maine Coons are more commonly known for being about 10-15 inches in height with the length ranging on their ancestry. This breed is considered full grown once they reach a length of about three feet, or 40 inches.
This broad chested breed tends to be longer on the stomach than most other domestic cats.
In addition, the Maine Coon holds the record for the worlds oldest cat, coming in at 26 years old.
The worlds oldest cat is especially impressive since Maine Coons are normally known for having a life span of between of about 15 years.
This is normally because of their size. The larger the animal, normally the shorter the average life span. The same is true for dogs as well.
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Things You Didnt Know About Maine Coons
Maine Coons are well known for being adorable, large and fluffy cats. Despite being such a well-loved and popular breed of cat. There are still many things that owners and people looking to adopt a Maine Coon may still not know about this beautiful breed of cat.
While most things like the size, appearance, and general characteristics of a Maine Coon are easy to spot quickly regarding the breed. There are still many hidden things that you may not know such as their origin, hidden characteristics, or the myths or legends surrounding this mystical breed of cat.
Lets take a look and discover the 18 things you didnt know about Maine Coons
One Of The Largest Domestic Cat Breeds In The World
Yes, this breed is among the largest breeds of domestic cats found throughout the entire globe. As such, they have specific nutritional needs.
The average male weighs around 18 pounds, but that doesnt mean that they cant get even bigger!
Ragdolls and Norwegian Forest cats also fall into the large domestic kitty category, so dont assume that you wont find bigger cats than the Maine Coon.
Nevertheless, dont make the mistake of thinking that your cute extra-fluffy Coon kitty will remain small.
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Test If Your Maine Coon Likes To Swim
If you made some tests as I said above and you noticed that your Maine Coon likes water, you can go over to phase two. Therefore you need a bathtub.
You can also try that with a shower or with a huge laundry basket you can fill with water, but your Maine Coon probably won´t able to swim in that.
So, place your Maine Coon in the bathtub and before you do that turn on the water. Turning on the water before putting your cat in the bathtub prevents your cat from freaking out and wanting to escape.
Some cats just don´t like bathtubs and the noise of the water could scare them even more.
Let the water run so that the bathtub slowly fills with water. See how your Maine Coon reacts. Putting a ball or your cat´s favorite toy can help to make your Maine Coon cat feel great and having a good time.
Treats are good as well.
The bathtub will fill slowly with water and soon you will see if your Maine Coon wants to swim or if your cat tries to escape because it is getting too much.
Are Maine Coons The Biggest Cats Yes The One Below Holds The Worlds Longest Cat Record
His name is Barivel and he lives in Italy. He broke the record in 2018 after he measured at 120cm . Thats around the same height as your average 7-year-old child. Hes even a bit of a local celebrity in his hometown of Vigevano, near Milan. To be honest, if I saw a shaggy 120cm cat walking around on a lead, I would never forget it!
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How Can I Stop Water Getting Everywhere
The problem with having a water-obsessed kitty is that it will spread water all over the house, and if you dont want damp seats, puddles on your floors, and a perpetually soggy atmosphere, you need to control your cats access to water.
If it becomes an issue, try closing the bathroom and kitchen doors or keeping the lid of the toilet seat down. You can also put your cats water dish on an absorbent mat or try keeping it inside a secondary container to catch the spills.
This silicone mat is perfect for helping you keep your floor dry when you have pets.;
A little table is often a good solution; this will catch the water and still let your cat lap up what they want. Try investing in a cat water fountain to ensure they always have fresh, running water ready; this may take their attention away from the household faucets.;
Do Maine Coons Like To Be Walked
Walking is an excellent exercise for indoor cats, where they get to enjoy exploring the outdoors under your supervision. Begin by getting your Maine Coon used to wearing the harness indoors. Much like walking a dog, your cat will also need to be taken out daily to become completely comfortable with this exercise.
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