Your Maine Coon Guide

Title: The Gentle Giant. A story about a Maine Coon cat and an autistic boy. This is an entirely fictional story but based on the known benefits of companion animals to children on the autism spectrum in order to promote prosocial behaviours. In a quiet town nestled between rolling hills and dense forests, lived a young boy named Ethan. Ethan was a bright and curious child, but he faced the world differently than most. Diagnosed with severe autism, he found comfort in routines and struggled with social interactions. His parents, loving and supportive, sought ways to help him connect with the world around him. One sunny afternoon, while walking through the local animal shelter, Ethan’s eyes met those of a large, fluffy Maine Coon cat named Max. Max had a regal appearance with his tufted ears, bushy tail, and a coat that shimmered in the sunlight. But it was his gentle, understanding eyes that drew Ethan in. Without hesitation, Ethan reached out, and Max, sensing the boy’s need for comp

This is a salutary warning to be extremely cautious about buying a Maine Coon cat or indeed any other purebred cat online. If you do buy online you really must do a load of careful research beforehand and be extremely cautious. Firstly I would strongly not recommend buying a Maine Coon cat online, sight unseen, without knowing the person who's Selling the cat/kitten. It frequently just doesn't work and here is a story from near Munich, Germany which supports what I said and indeed would any other sensible person would say. Although, I understand why people sometimes do purchase Maine Coon cats online without doing careful research. It's because they love Maine Coon cats. They desperately want to adopt a Maine Coon cat and make them part of their loving family. They might have aspired to living with a Maine Coon cat for a very long time. You see many stories on the Internet of superb Maine Coon cats living in great homes, living great lives with a loving caregiver. These enc

A Maine coon kitten has gone viral on social media after her owners caught her unusual playtime behaviour on camera. Well, this whole story is a fabrication really.  Sorry to be a killjoy but I like reality. The internet has run out of ideas so it makes up stories. Normal. The news media describes this cat as a Maine Coon and, frankly, I don't see that this cat is a Maine Coon cat judging by its appearance. The appearance of this cat is of a standard calico cat. If the cat is a Maine Coon cat it is non-standard and would not pass the breed standard in my view. Secondly, although slightly unusual, it is not very rare for cats to pant like dogs. It happens all the time but often we don't notice it. Perhaps it is the comparison between cats and dogs which makes a cat panting look unusual and rather strange but in truth it is not. MORE: Cat panting - click for more on this . And lastly, the video hasn't gone viral. It's attracted some attention but nothing special because i

Here are some questions and answers on cat breeds and contracting type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects more cats today than in the past because of there are more obese cats nowadays than in the past. The conclusion is that the Maine Coon is one of those breeds predisposed to feline type 2 diabetes which is very similar to human type 2 diabetes.  This is one of a list of inherited diseases (sorry for the bad news) that should be taken into consideration when adopting and considering the cost of caregiving which for this breed would normally include pet health insurance. Which cat breeds are predisposed to contracting diabetes? Some cat breeds that are known to have a higher predisposition to developing diabetes include: 1. Maine Coon - This breed has a genetic tendency towards insulin resistance and obesity, both of which are risk factors for feline diabetes. 2. Norwegian Forest Cat - Like the Maine Coon, this breed is prone to obesity and insulin resistance, increasing their risk of

Image: MikeB This is a fictional story, custom made for this website. It is entirely unique and can be found nowhere else other than on this page (which might be considered a good thing by readers of the page of which there will be very few 😢😻). Here goes: Whiskers of Hope In the quiet corner of a bustling city, there lived a Maine Coon named Oliver. His once-lustrous fur was now matted and dull, a testament to the hardships he’d endured. Oliver had been rescued from an abandoned building, his emerald eyes wide with fear. But fate had other plans for him. Across the street, in a small apartment, lived Mr. Henry Thompson. A retired professor, he battled cancer with the same determination he’d once applied to unravelling complex theorems. The disease had taken its toll—his once-vibrant spirit now waned like a fading star. One rainy evening, as Henry sat by the window, he noticed a pair of luminous eyes staring back at him. Oliver, drenched and bedraggled, sought refuge on the windowsil

Screenshot. The title might sound a bit weird but it isn't. I'll explain but before I do we should enjoy this charming video. The Maine Coon is on the front passenger seat intensely interested in what is going on outside the vehicle. My guess is that this is an indoor cat that doesn't get out in the car a lot so it is nice to see him/her being mentally stimulated and loving every minute of it. But there is this seatbelt observation and I am not being critical because if I were to be critical I'd be a hypocrite as I have allows my cat to do this as well. As for seat belts for cats, it is advisable to attach the harness to a seatbelt for human passengers to prevent a cat from flying around the cabin if the driver has to stop suddenly. And if the cat is in the rear they can be thrown forward and impact the windscreen or the people in the front.  It is wise to harness up a cat who is a passenger. There are various ways one of which is to attach the harness to the seat belt

Aficamten for the treatment of HCM in the Maine Coon and other cats. Image: MikeB A study - referred to at the end of the article - concludes with the words below in testing a new drug called aficamten  for the treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in cats of which the Maine Coon is perhaps the best known cat breed to suffer from this inherited disease. "A single dose of aficamten significantly decreased LV systolic function and improved LVOTO, both of which are harmful aspects of this disease process that contribute to the pathogenesis." The sentence above describes the effects of this medication called aficamten on a condition that causes abnormal function in the left ventricle of the heart which is how HCM is manifested in cats and people. The left ventricle becomes enlarged and malfunctions. Here's a breakdown: A single dose of aficamten significantly decreased LV systolic function: Aficamten reduces the pumping ability of the left ventricle (LV) to a noticea