A Guide About The Breed — Maine Coon

Cat adoption continues to rise year after year, with approximately 1.6 million accounts for adopted shelter cats. With their curious expressions, pleasant purring sounds, and outgoing demeanor, it’s no doubt that many pet lovers get fascinated with their cute personality and appearance. However, the aloof disposition of cats has fostered a love-hate relationship with humans. Some people see it as charming, but some are just not into it.

The fact that people have different desires for pets doesn’t really come as a surprise; those who want pets are divided more often whether they prefer dogs or cats as companions. But it seems like a specific breed, namely Maine Coons, is defying the stereotypes surrounding cats.

Those who own this breed of cat can attest that they behave like a dog! From greeting you upon arrival, playing fetch, following you from room to room, and coming when they are called, they similarly possess attributes with a canine, which every pet owner would definitely love.

What Is Maine Coon Breed?

Maine Coon is a domesticated cat breed that is very gentle and highly submissive. Even its appearance is markedly different from others. Also, this kind of breed has impressive hunting skills, which adapts to the ability of cats historically (link: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/domestic-cat).

The Maine Coon is now one of the most popular cat breeds in the United States, and its excellent social skills make it ideal for a household pet. It is also referred to as a giant cat due to its large size and strong bone structure, as well as its long, bushy tail. More than that, this breed is known for its intelligence and playful demeanor, displaying pleasing personalities that are best suited to everyone.

Trainability

Although most cats are intelligent, not all of them are good at training. Maine Coons, on the other hand, have a high level of trainability due to their high intelligence, which allows them to learn a variety of tricks while participating in games or activities since they are creatures of habit.

Most specifically, if you use positive reinforcements with their training through reward-based to make them eager to get the tricks as quickly as possible. Moreover, the routine, the amount of effort, the difficulty of the tricks, and your cat’s motivation must all be taken into consideration. You will just have to repetitively train your cat until they get it, and it wouldn’t be so much of a hassle with coons.

Personality

More than their intelligence, they are relatively sweet, affectionate, and friendly. Generally speaking, they aren’t as demanding and as sensitive as other pets when it comes to attention but can be a lap cat you may prefer to cuddle with. They also have good adaptability, making this breed good for almost any environment as long as they are comfortable.

In the right environment, they generally show signs of loyalty to each family member, such as staying close at all times. Similarly, by nature, getting the trust of Maine coon cats means creating the strongest bond and emotional link. As a result, they generally get along with people of all ages, including children.

Also, Maine Coon cats are known for their generally upbeat and cheerful personae. They aren’t viewed as aggressive cats, and they have no reputation for getting involved in violence. It’s because they have a personality that is well-suited for people, even for other pets such as dogs and strange cats.

Health

While all breeds are susceptible to health issues, Maine Coons are widely considered among the healthiest cats. Data claims that the average lifespan of a Maine Coon is around 12 years, while others claim that some cats can exceed this, but the more common assertion is that some Maine Coons can live to 15 years and beyond.

But even if they are naturally healthy and hardy, they require special care to ensure that their health is maintained throughout their lives. Maine Coons should also be well-looked by veterinarians and should get regular vaccinations to maintain their health.

Shedding

Maine Coon cats, just like other breeds, do sheds. They naturally have a thick fur coating, so you can expect that they will shed a bit. But it is not always the case for them. Although they have very long hair, they do not shed a lot. You can observe them because they may vary from cat to cat.

In grooming, you can groom their fur by brushing and combing them to ensure that it wouldn’t tangle and be smooth as possible. But actually, cats generally are good groomers by themselves. They can usually do an excellent job of keeping her fur looking amazing and silky. You can just check it from time to time to know if it’s good-looking.

Nutrition

As a general rule of thumb for coons, you should mix dry food with wet food every two or three times per week for them to consume. Or you can follow the suggested 3 ounces per day of dry food or about 9 ounces of wet food, which is believed to be adequate for a cat on average. The size of Maine Coon cats tends to be a factor in their appetite, so it is not unusual for them to eat more than other cats.

But you should also take into consideration the age and weight of your cat in the food’s formulations. Just feed your cat with quality food like meat-based protein such as chicken and fish (best recommended for coons) that will help meet their body’s needs regarding nutrition. If your cat is younger, then she may have more food than senior cats.