Maine Coons are one of the most mysterious feline breeds, the history of which is shrouded in mystery and stories, which are sometimes made up. Meanwhile, these amazing creatures are very playful, have a wonderful memory and are always in a good mood. So who are they? Let’s find out.
The Maine coon cat breed comes from the American state with the same name, Maine. It is assumed that they got their name because of their physical resemblance to common raccoons: color, body build, large fluffy tail and characteristic sounds that are produced by young raccoons, and the sounds that comes from the Maine Coon are in the form of ringing trills and purring.
The Maine Coon – colouring, appearance and weight
An important distinguishing feature of the Maine Coon breed is the weight of the animals, which ranges from 6 to 10 kg. The average weight is usually from 7 to 9 kg. As a rule, the female cats are lighter in weight than the males and weight around 6 kg, but there are some females who would be in “heavy -weight” category about 8 kg. The largest Maine Coon could easily reach a weight of over 10 kg, and because of their fluffy fur, the cat looks much larger, creating a false impression of a cat weighing over 15 kg.
The total length (with a tail) of a medium-sized Maine Coon reaches 95-100 cm.
Maine Coons are rich in various colours, such as:
- red, one of the most sought-after colors;
- white, and the cat is characterised exclusively by their snow-white fur, without any additional shades;
- black any shades;
- classic black marble colour;
- and black smoke.
Black Maine coons always look excellent in photos, embodying gracefulness and demonstrating rich fur.
Maine coon cat personality
Maine cats are notable for having a balanced character and easygoing personality, they are very sociable and unselfish. With pleasure they spend time in the company of people, being active with games or just relaxing next to, purring. Maine Coons are also great fans of joint photos. Cats strictly control their claws and almost never release them. So when an owner combs their fur, they should not be afraid of being scratched in case a pet is hurt.
A remarkable characteristic of Maine Coon cats is their ability to get along well with other pets, that makes the life of the owner easier in case a family is welcoming yet another pet. Although, do not strongly provoke them or take parrots or rodents home, as in this case the hunting instinct of the cats will come out, and they simply won’t be able to control that. However, they get along perfectly with another cat or a dog.
Habits of the Maine Coon are very diverse and individual. Some of the cats are fascinated by taps with cold water and, as soon as an owner turns on the tap, they take an interest in the transparent trickles. Others wet their paws in their bowl and lick drops from their paws before they start drinking water. And Maine Coons cats can sometimes learn to bring a certain object to an owner such as a small toy, if the owner has enough strength and patience to teach a kitten.
Maine Coons – care
An owner should remember the basic care of Maine Coots cats should include regular check ups and various vaccinations. It is necessary to vaccinate Maine Coons from ticks, monitor whether a cat has fleas and regularly implement antiparasitic drug treatment. In order to have healthy fur and strong immunity, cats should take vitamins, particularly complex ones when they grow.
A cat should be combed 1-2 times weekly, but you need to comb more often during the shedding period.
When it comes to the question on how to feed Maine Coons many breeders sometimes disagree on what to feed them. Some of them prefer to feed cats only Premium cats food, while others recommend only natural food. However no matter what kind of food you prefer, the main point is to remember about diversification and quality, because the health of the Maine Coon cats mainly depend on nutrition. Looking at the weight of Maine Coons by month, try to meet norms and do not give large portions to the cat, as it can damage their health.
Choosing a feed for a Maine Coon, preference should be given to quality brands manufactured specifically for large cats.
Composing the diet from natural food, it is necessary to remember that cats are predators and they need to be fed regularly with meat and fish. Low-fat parts of chicken, turkey, rabbit or beef will be an ideal option. Maine Coon kittens like adult cats, will never refuse eating a raw piece of meat chopped into small pieces and scalded with boiling water. However the fish can be given only cooked, preferably a low-fat species. You should also be careful not to give meat with bones , as they can get stuck in the throat and cause a lot of trouble.
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