✅ Maine coon cat: characteristics, photos and videos

" The Maine Coon is distinguished by its large size, robustness and docility. However, due to its many peculiarities that manifest themselves through its personality or the care it needs, it will be essential to inform you in advance if you wish to adopt one. Known as the Gentle Giant Cat, this feline is among the most popular giant cat breeds."

In this AnimalPlanet breed sheet, we'll explain everything you need to know about the Maine Coon, starting with its origins, reviewing its character and care, and ending by focusing on its most common he alth problems.Discover below how Maine Coon cats are and let yourself be seduced by their beauty and sweet character.

Origin

America
United States

FIFe Rating

Category II

Physical Characteristics

Thick Tail
Big ears
Strong

Size

Large

Average Weight

10-14

Life expectancy

10-15

Character

Extrovert
Affectionate
Smart
Curious

Climate

Cold

Hair type

Long

Origin of Maine Coon

" The Maine Coon is an endemic breed of the United States and more precisely, of the State of Maine. It is estimated that in 1850 longhaired European and Asian cats arrived in the United States and were mated with shorthaired cats, resulting in large cats with long coats and heavy builds. Its striped tail resembled that of raccoons. This is why it is called coon, diminutive of racoon, of raccoon in English."

This breed was popular in the countryside and was widespread on farms in the American Northeast. They were imported to the UK in 1980 and in 1982 they were recognized by FIFE. Later, in 1993, they were recognized by the CCGF. The Maine Coon is currently considered a popular pet around the world.

Maine Coon physical characteristics

If you want to know everything about this spectacular cat, it is essential to review the characteristics of the Maine Coon cat. For this, we provide you with all the information on the standard according to the FIFE (International Feline Federation):

The Maine Coon cat breed is large in size and is primarily characterized by its square head, large ears, broad chest, and long, floppy tail. Its body structure is robust, thanks to strong bones and powerful muscles. When the Maine Coon has good muscle tone, it looks powerful and sturdy.

Its head is medium-sized and square, in addition, its profile has a slightly concave slope. Her forehead is slightly curved and her cheeks feature high, prominent cheekbones. The muzzle also has a square outline and a transition can be seen between the muzzle and the cheekbones.The chin is firm and in vertical alignment with the nose and lower lip.

The males are distinguished by a muscular and very strong neck. And, in general, the breed shows an elongated body, medium-length extremities and large, round, tightly intertwined legs. Its tail should be as long as its body, from the shoulder blade to the base of the tail. His tail should be wide at the base and taper proportionally upwards while showing a loose, flowing coat.

His ears are large, wide at the base and moderately pointed. Lynx-like tufts of hair are desirable as well as ear tufts. Its ears should be placed with a slight outward inclination.

His eyes are large and wide, slightly oval, but not almond shaped. They have a particularly rounded shape when wide open. For the eyes, any color is allowed, although light colors are preferable.

" The Maine Coon&39;s coat should have a dense, short coat on the head, shoulders and legs, but it should be longer on the back and ribs. It also shows much more density in the hind legs and belly like a kind of little frill. The coat has a silky texture whose body falls gently. The inner layer, i.e. the base layer, is soft and very thin and is covered by the outer layer which is thicker. All colors are allowed, including all white color varieties, however, the coat may not have pointy patterns, lilac, cinnamon or fawn."

Maine Coon character

We can define the Maine Coon character as a friendly, playful and kind cat. In general, they are very sociable cats, who enjoy the company of their owners. However, to ensure the balance and sociability of an adult cat, special attention should be paid to its socialization from an early age (3 weeks --->7 weeks).Until that time, the child should stay with his mother and siblings, which will allow him to know the feline language, the rules of the game and the inhibition of his bite. At this stage, you also need to make sure that he meets other people and other animals in order to avoid the development of possible fears.

These are also cats that will love to play and have fun all their lives, including when they are old. They are also considered extremely intelligent felines, capable of recognizing a wide variety of words and commands. As a particularity, we can speak of vocalization: the Maine Coon is a cat famous for its howls, its gurgling noises and its frequent chatter. They are also big fans of water and snow.

Owning a Maine Coon is recommended for dynamic families with or without children who are familiar with cats. It is a feline that adapts easily and will be able to enjoy in different environments, but especially in rural lodgings, where it can explore and show its instinctive behavior without limits.It is a particularly docile cat and if it is well socialized, it will not present behavioral problems.

Maine Coon Care

The care of a Maine Coon cat is relatively simple, although because of its large size it can be a bit expensive. His diet must be based on high quality products, and it will be better to prepare small homemade recipes or diets like Barf. Choosing good quality products will have an impact on his he alth, well-being and the condition of his magnificent fur. Due to its propensity to obesity, it is recommended to ration its food in 2 or 3 daily doses.

Although, like all cats, the Maine Coon generally spends long hours on their personal grooming, it is advisable to devote a few hours a week to brushing them. This routine will help us keep his coat clean and beautiful, but will also help us detect any skin problems, pain or the presence of parasites.We can use a brush to comb it and, if we see that it has knots, it will first be necessary to cut them with the help of a small cutter. If he has been accustomed to it from a young age, you can give him a bath once a month using a specific shampoo and conditioner for cats.

In order for him to be able to express his natural behaviors of his species, he will have to be provided with a large sandbox in which he can relieve himself and cover them. It will also be necessary to provide him with several scrapers of all types so that he can sharpen his claws and mark.

It will also be important to pay attention to enriching your feline's environment, your home should be decorated with small feline structures such as walkways, small tunnels, etc. Because he is a playful cat, you will not be able not to play with him and to do this, we recommend that you play with him using small fishing rods, kongs etc. For a Maine Coon, a good session of games lasts about 20 to 40 minutes!

Maine coon he alth

It is advisable to take him to the vet every 6 or 12 months so that he performs a general examination and can detect the appearance of possible he alth problems. In addition, the professional will guide you to follow the cat's vaccination schedule correctly, as well as to deworm your cat internally and externally. Preventive medicine is essential to ensure the good he alth of the feline. Likewise, we must be attentive to any change in our feline's behavior, its stools and the expulsion of hairballs that you can promote by using m alt for cats.

The most common Maine Coon diseases are: