Dogs | Cats | Birds | Exotic Pets | Diverse Pets

If you are about to adopt a Maine Coon Cat, you should know, right away, that this is no ordinary cat! The first indication will be the actual cost of the Maine Coon…but it will become even more evident shortly after you arrive home with your kitten.

All kittens – of every breed – are playful, and your Maine Coon won’t be any different. What is different, however, is that your Maine Coon won’t outgrow that playfulness like other breeds do. In fact, the Maine Coon remains playful for his or her entire life. Make sure that you provide your Maine Coon with toys, and select toys that he can play with, without your help, as well as those that he can enjoy with you.

You can also expect your Maine Coon to be sociable. Most cats are not sociable. They often will allow you to pet them and such, but in the grand scheme of things, they preferred to be left alone, until such time that they desire your attention. When that time comes, you are expected to drop everything and serve them humbly.

The Maine Coon isn’t like that at all. Instead, the Maine Coon wants to be near you. He most likely will not sit in your lap for any length of time. Many experts believe that this is because with their large size, lap sitting is uncomfortable for them. But you can expect your Maine Coon to not only be in the same room with you at all times, but also to curl up next to you when you are sitting down – provided that there is room for him.

Your Maine Coon will want to sleep in the same room with you at night – and he will most likely expect to sleep on your bed with you. If you share a bed with someone else, such as your spouse, you can expect this new member of your family to snuggle right between the two of you. This is where he expects to sleep for the rest of his life.

Unless this is what you want, establish sleeping arrangements the first night! If you don’t want the Maine Coon on the bed, fix him a bed of his own, near your own. If he doesn’t get the idea, the chances are good that you will have to remove him from the room, and shut the door at night.

Free feeding is not recommended for Maine Coon Cats. This means that you will need to put fresh food down for them three to four times each day. The Maine Coon, being a sociable cat, does not like to eat alone. A good idea is to put his food down for him, near your dining table, and feed him only when you are eating as well. This way, he has company for his breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In the evening, when you get a snack for yourself, feed him a snack as well. Remember that he is a part of your family now.

The Maine Coon Cat is a domestic breed of cat. In fact, it is one of the largest domestic cats in existence, and is characterized with a bushy tail, which is usually striped and long fur. The Maine Coon Cat is native to North America. In fact, it is believed that the Maine Coon is actually native to the state of Maine, and the Maine Coon is the Maine State Cat.

The Maine Coon has been around for more than a century, and it is believed that their physical design enables them to withstand the harsh winters of New England. Everything from their overall size, to the shape of their paws, to the thickness of their fur makes them suitable animals for harsh winter weather. Furthermore, their fur has a water resistant quality to it.

There are numerous legends associated with this special breed of domestic cat. Some are possible, while others simply are not. Some believe that Maine Coon Cats came into existence when domestic cats and raccoons mated. However, this is not possible – and therefore, not considered to be true by experts. One legend that is more likely, however, is that Maine Coon Cats came into existence when short haired native cats mated with cats that the Vikings brought over. This legend is more possible, because the Maine Coon appears to be closely related to the Norwegian Forest Cat.

The Maine Coon Cats of today would not have been considered as a part of the breed at one time. Only brown tabbies were referred to as Maine Coon Cats, and any ‘Maine Coon’ of a different color was referred to as a Maine Shag Cat. Cat experts largely agree that the Maine Coon is a product of mating between short haired domestic cats with long hair cats from overseas, at a time when people began migrating from Europe.

Maine Coon Cats also have unique personalities. They are often likened to dogs in fact. Unlike most cat breeds, the Maine Coon is highly sociable with humans and other pets. These cats will actually run to you when you call them, and are likely to be sitting at the door waiting for you when you arrive home. They do like a lot of love and attention.

Maine Coons were once a favorite among those who participated in early cat shows – as far back as 1861, but in the 1900’s, Persians came onto the scene, and the Maine Coon lost a bit of popularity. They once again started gaining popularity in the 1950s. The Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association were formed in 1968, by six breeders. The purpose of the organization was to preserve and protect the Maine Coon Cat breed. This breed of domestic cat was not recognized by all cat registries, however, until 1980.

Today, there are thousands of people who own, show and adore the Maine Coon Cat. The MCBFA, which was founded so long ago, by just six breeders, now has a membership of over 200 breeders, with approximately 2000 other members (non-breeders) as well.

Obviously, you want your Maine Coon Cat to remain healthy for his entire life. The first step to ensuring his good health is vaccinations, given at the right time, and at the right frequency, throughout his lifetime.

Ideally, your breeder will administer vaccinations when the kitten is seven weeks of age. This first vaccination is called a combo, and includes vaccination for distemper, calicivirus, rhinotracheitis, and possibly for Chlamydia. Note that Chlamydia vaccines are not given, unless it is a concern.

Three weeks later, at the tender age of 10 weeks, the kitten will be vaccinated again – by the breeder, since he will still be in the breeders care at this age. This vaccination is for Feline Leukemia, also known as FeLV. It may also be combined with the Chlamydia vaccine.

At 12 weeks of age, the kitten is vaccinated for Rabies. This shot is administered by a licensed veterinarian. This is the age that you can bring your new kitten to his new home, so you will be seeing the veterinarian at this time anyway.

You will be returning to the veterinarian a week later, when your kitten is 13 weeks old, for another combination vaccine, for FeLV and Chlamydia. Between 16 and 19 weeks of age, the kitten needs a FIP vaccination. FIP is Feline Infectious Peritonitis.

After this vaccination, your kitten doesn’t need any new vaccination, and will not require any booster shots for an entire year. It is important, however, that you have your Maine Coon vaccinated yearly – by a licensed vet – for Chlamydia, FeLV, FIP, and Rabies. In fact, you will not be allowed in any shows with your Maine Cat without presenting an up-to-date vaccination certificate.

Some vaccines are administered with a syringe, while others are administered through the nose. Your Maine Coon may require more vaccines that are important to felines in your geographic region. Your vet may also determine that some boosters are not needed yearly. Before you agree to this, however, be sure to check out the rules for the various shows that you plan to enter!

You should also note that all vaccines are not fail proof. Sometimes, there may not be enough time between the vaccine and exposure to a disease. Also, do not assume that one vaccination is enough. Just as children are vaccinated for the same diseases at specific intervals, your cat must also be vaccinated at specific intervals to have full protection of the vaccination.

After having your Maine Coon vaccinated, it is important to that you watch for signs of a bad reaction to the vaccine. Your veterinary will most likely advise you on this. You can expect the site of the vaccine to be sore, and possibly even swollen, but this should subside in a specified amount of time. The Maine Coon may also experience fever, reduced activity, and a brief decrease in appetite. Again, these are normal side effects that are extremely temporary. Your veterinarian will tell you what you should be on the lookout for in terms of serious reactions, based on the vaccines given.