Maine nigra are big , sound , lovesome pets who love their people .
Maine coons are large , warm cats who love to toy and hang out with their humans . This African tea breed is typically make out for its massive size — up to 40 inches in length — but Maine coon owners know and prise these cat for being loving family pet .
ME coons are surprisingly popular , especially considering at one point this breed almost faced extinction . In 2019 , the Cat Fanciers ' Association name the Maine ringtail as the fifth - most popular cat stock . The mediocre Maine common raccoon kitten cost between $ 400 and $ 1,500 , depending on pedigree .
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find out more about the appearance , disposition , living needs , and account of the Maine coon computed tomography .
Maine Coon Appearance
The Maine coon is thelargest domesticated cat strain , and largeness is sure enough one of its define forcible characteristics . The size of a typical Maine coon comes in at 10–16 inches tall and up to an impressive 40 inches in length . These sturdily built felines usually librate 8–18 British pound and have hefty bodies with extensive chests and satisfying leg .
As if their full-grown - boned build was n’t enough , the plenteous fur in the Maine nigger ’s coat makes these majestic animals bet even bountiful . Theirlong coatis silky and tranquil and grows shorter near the shoulders . Maine nigger come in a variety of colors and convention . you’re able to find solid livid , pick , cerise , grim , and black Maine coons , as well as tabby , bi - colour , parti - color , calico cat , shaded , and calico Maine coons .
Other defining physical features are tumid pointed ears often top with wisp of hair , expressive oval - form eyes , and a foresighted , bushy tail .
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Maine Coon Temperament
Do n’t let their impose size soft touch you — deeply down , Maine jigaboo are soft , soft giant who do it to spend time with their man . They expect to be part of the phratry and are n’t big on personal space or privacy . These cats are captivated at the idea of following you from room to room as you go about your day .
Though Maine coon ’s are tender and social , they ’re not normally circle cats . This breed typically prefers to fall out beside you rather than on top of you — which can be a skillful thing , study their size of it .
ME coons are fantastically intelligent , fun - loving , and will keep their frisky playfulness well into previous age . TheMaine Coon Cat Clubcalls them the " clown of the cat public . " They ’re not an fast-growing breed and will tolerate beingpicked up , held , and nest . ME coons are friendly , genial , andpatient with children .
Living Needs
The Maine spade ’s first and foremost motive is an affectionate , loving family with the time to play and willingness to include this guy in all aspects of day - to - twenty-four hour period life . These patient darling are good with kidskin , dog , and other cat .
ME common raccoon can be left alone for periods of clip , but they wo n’t be happy about it . Regularly being left alone canmake these kat sad and anxious , so they ’re easily equate with a family that often has at least one or two people home during the 24-hour interval for some company .
Most Maine coons hump to represent in the water . This is great news for bathroom time , but it also means they ’ll play along you into the exhibitor or endeavor to interfere while you do the smasher .
These prominent cats are surprisingly smooth — they do making love tocommunicate and vocalizeto their humans , but their indulgent voice may take you by surprisal .
Maine coons are awe-inspiring family pets . Those with the metre , longanimity , and attention to give to a member of this cat stock will be hard - push to find a more loving , adoring feline ally .
Maine Coon Care
" Maine nigra have a threatening , shaggy coat which requiresmaintenance brushingto ensure it does n’t get tangled or matted , " pronounce Catherine Lenox , DVM , DACVN , aboard - certified veterinary nutritionist with Royal Canin .
Your Maine coon will demand regular , dedicated grooming and will want anywhere fromweekly to monthly washup . Their long coats are usually silky smooth , but when they start to look greasy or stringy , it ’s time for a bath . They also command weekly brush to keep their farsighted tomentum and undercoat from getting tangled and matted . These catsdo shed quite a bit , and regular brushing will help oneself get disembarrass of liberal hairs . Do n’t worry — the Maine nigger loves any sort of attention it can get , so train is usually a pleasant task .
Maine coons do n’t have any peculiar exercise demand — they’ll keep the same action schedule as most cats , withlong hours of sleepand playful bout of jumping and running through the house . Caterpillar toysandcat treescan help them work out some of that vim .
These super - level-headed cats areeasily trainable . Some owners have described the Maine jigaboo as " heel - like " for their power to be trained — they canlearn to take the air on a leash outdoorsor evenplay a bout of fetch . They take chop-chop to basic family education andlitter box use , but keep in mind these large cats will call for a large litter boxwood to help them well do their business .
Pine Tree State coons should be socialized early on . If you ’re work home a Maine nigger kitten as a family unit pet , be trusted to let the various members of the household — modest kids included — gently handle the kitten daily . They should also beintroduced to other pets if potential . These early introductions will keep your cat from becoming timid and reserve .
fee your Maine nigga high - quality hombre nutrient and monitor their diet to prevent them from overeating . Check in with your vet to learn how much and how often to feed your private bozo to meet their specific motive .
Maine Coon Health
ME coons have a lifespan of 10–13 eld and are typically healthy pets . But , as with all strain , there are some wellness egress to be mindful of . Lenox say Maine ringtail are predisposed to the following conditions :
Reputable breeders will screen for wellness issues in your kitty , but it ’s authoritative to have them screened regularly into adulthood . HCM and other health problems can go undetected until afterwards in your cat ’s life .
History
Most expert speculate that the Maine common racoon is fall from foreign long - haired CAT brought ashore by early American explorers in — where else?—Maine . Those ship cats then mated with the native short - hairy strain , create the U.S. ’s only native prospicient - haired cat . There are multiple theories as tohow the Maine coon aim its name , include one that traces the strain ’s root to a sailor discover Charles Coon and another that link up the name to the cat ’s shaggy-haired tail , which resemble that of a racoon .
The New England native breed enjoyed some popularity in nineteenth - century cat shows but was after dominate by more exotic strain until a revival in popularity in the fifties . Because the Maine coon breed was left to develop naturally from the 1800s to the center of the 20th century , it ’s typically a strong and healthy strain . The modern Maine ringtail retain many of the characteristics of the stock ’s early variant — from the cold - weather large-minded pelage that help them live harsh New England wintertime to the high prey movement that make these sweet house barf excellent mousers .
The first North American cat show was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 8 , 1895 , anda female Maine coon named Coseywas named Best in Show . The eloquent catch Cosey win was later purchased by the Cat Fanciers ' Association ( CFA ) Foundation and is now displayed in their headquarters as an important art object of hombre account .