Your Maine Coon Guide

Lexie. Picture: Express. I've written about slipped capital femoral epiphysis before and about its prevalence in the Maine Coon cat breed and you can read those articles by clicking on links below if you wish. Interestingly I bumped into a recent article online on the Express newspaper online in which a veterinarian accepted a female Maine Coon cat patient with bilateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis and he said that it was the first time he had seen a female patient with that disease affecting both hind limbs in 30 years of being a veterinarian. Obviously it's a very rare condition when it's bilateral and it concerns the female Maine Coon. Maine Coons are 12 times more likely to develop "slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) How prevalent is slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) in Maine Coon cats ? The owner was unaware of what the health problem might have been. As it happens, the cat's owner and the cats became part of a Channel 4 television programme...

A study found that no matter where the Maine Coon was born they have a very similar chance of developing hip dysplasia. Here is the chart: What does this tell us? Well for me it tells us that around a quarter of Maine Coon cats develop hip dysplasia (Feline Hip Dysplasia - FHD) anywhere in the world. The same genetic problems exist in all these regions. The breeders are making the same errors in all countries. It is possible to stop the inheritance of FHD; you remove foundation breeding cats from the blood line if they carry the genetic mutation which produces offspring with the disease. But the breeders won't do it because it would change the cats' appearance detrimentally as per the breed guidelines (the standard). Here is a quote from the study mentioned which is: "Demographics of hip dysplasia in the Maine Coon cat". The overall prevalence of FHD was 24.9% (635/2548), and was slightly higher in males (279/1023 [27.3%]) than females (356/1525 [23.3%]) (P = 0.025)....

Maine Coon breeders can take several steps to minimise the incidence of inherited diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), hip dysplasia and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In my view, the quality of a Maine Coon cat breeder depends on how energetically they adopt the following strategies which I don't claim is a complete list. As a purchaser of a Maine Coon kitten I'd ask some pertinent questions when meeting the breeder as to how they deal with these aspects of their operation. Genetic testing: the competent and committed Maine Coon breeder will engage in genetic testing. They will in fact prioritise it to identify carriers of specific diseases. They want to know if there foundation cats are free of inherited diseases. If they carry the genetic mutations which create these diseases. And there are DNA tests available for the three diseases mentioned above. These are the major inherited diseases. Breeders will select breeding pairs that are free from these genetic mu...

This is a slightly black, depressing article but the idea came to me a moment ago. The reason why the Maine Coon cat breed is in the top three most popular cat breeds in America and perhaps around the world is because the people who buy Maine Coon kittens from breeders are enamoured of the breed's appearance while apparently ignoring an aspect of this breed which is more important namely their health. And their health is not good. You might argue that this breed's health is dire. You might argue that it's shameful that such a handsome cat breed with such a fantastic history has been brought low through irresponsible and unethical breeding. I don't need to remind you about the health of this cat. But I will just touch on a few points. If you want to look into the health of this breed more, I would ask you to use the search facility at the top of the page. Or if you like click on this link because that will take you to the majority the articles about Maine Coon cat healt...

A study discovered that Maine Coon cats are 12 times more likely to develop "slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). So, what is it and is this important? Maine Coon cats are 12 times more likely to develop "slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). Image: the study referred to (background). The overall image is by MikeB (Canva). It may interest Maine Coon cat owners and those who want to purchase a Maine Coon to know that this cat breed - in addition to inheriting a predisposition to hip dysplasia - also appears to inherit another hip joint condition which, as I understand it, can sometimes lead to hip dysplasia and this other condition is called slipped capital femoral epiphysis . It affects the hip joint. RELATED:  Infographic on hip dysplasia in Maine Coon cats . The study was published in 2016. It is online. You can read it if you wish by clicking on this link . The study was conducted in Austria. The interesting and perhaps disconcerting conclusion of the study, as me...

In layperson's terms, we know that it's possible to screen Maine Coon breeding cats, foundation cats and the parents of kittens plus the kittens created at cat breeders for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in order to prevent the creation of Maine Coon cats who are predisposed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and therefore to reassure purchasers of purebred Maine Coon cats that their purchase will not show signs of the disease quite soon after purchase and have a shortened lifespan as a consequence. By 'screening' I mean testing for a mutant gene that causes the disease. When a Maine Coon breeder says that they screen their cats and kittens for the disease that they sell to clients, should a negative test result totally reassure the client that their purchased kitten will not develop HCM? That is the $64,000 question. The answer to that question is clearly NO , sadly. My research clearly indicates that a Maine Coon cat screened as negative for HCM may still develop this...

This may help people who are in the process of adopting a Maine Coon kitten. It is an infographic which highlights the basic health factors to assess when buying a kitten. You should really visit the seller's home to assess the kitten before buying. This is going to be ruled out if you buy online and at a distance. You could, however, insist on a contract that states that you have the right to reject the kitten if it does not meet the standards as stated in the infographic although I would expect that to be very rarely demanded. CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IT LARGER IF YOU LIKE Buying a Maine Coon is about quality; the quality of the kitten, the services provided such as guarantees, the aftercare provided and above all the quality of the parents and the standard of the breeder. All these factors increase the cost of the kitten from under $1000 to something in the order of $5000. A big difference but if you can afford it, I'd go for the quality option as you are guaranteed to adop...

Something as innocuous as reading your newspaper while your Maine Coon (MC) is on your lap can upset him or her. That's if they want to snooze on your cosy, warm lap. It is said that MCs are not lap cats but that does not mean that all of them are the same. Some will enjoy it or they'll be by your side on the sofa as you read the paper in the morning after breakfast. Here is a picture of my non-MC being a little pissed off by the Sunday newspaper: Photo: MikeB. Rustling newspapers can put off cats. My experience tells me that MCs and other domestic cats may find the sound of rustling newspaper uncomfortable and jump off your lap. I am not saying it affects all cats but some and in varying amounts. The same might happen if you are eating potato chips (crisps in the UK) while watching television. Other sharp sounds made by, for example, kitchen foil, can cause a genuine reaction. Any sharp crinkling sounds can cause a rarish condition called feline audiogenic reflex seizures (FA...

Indicators that a Maine Coon may be predisposed to HCM - hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (heart disease). Image by MikeB Scientists looked at some possible indicators that a Maine Coon might be predisposed to developing HCM in their lives. Their conclusion was that the following signs may indicate a predisposition: low birth weight and catch up with rapid growth through good nutrition after poor nutrition as an embryo. obesity. neutered cat, which is linked to 2 above. heavier. long forelimb bones connecting the elbow and shoulder (humerus). Conclusions of the study Below are some extracts from the study. They are technical but they are here for completeness and they may interest some readers. 1. These data support the hypothesis that early growth and nutrition, larger body size and obesity may be environmental modifiers of genetic predisposition to HCM. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the effects of early nutrition and growth on the phenotypic expression of HCM 2. Low birth wei...

The presentation of hip dysplasia in Maine Coons is gradual with subtle behavioural changes such as inactivity or aggression, lack of response to human attention, reluctance to go up or down stairs, and resistance to handling. Here is a video I made to change the way I discuss these issues. They are very important issues. It surprises me that people discuss them more or hardly at all. Health is more important than appearance at the end of the day. That's what I think but it seems that I am out of step with almost everyone else!  The video that I have made, boring though it is, is the first I've seen on how hip dysplasia has a negative impact on the cat's character. In the video, I mention that people don't talk about this disease affecting character. What I mean is that the owners on TikTok proudly show off their cats which is understandable but they don't mention this important health issue. They wouldn't because it is a negative but it is important. @mikej...

Maine Coon cats and arthritis. Image: MikeB One website dedicated to the Maine Coon cat tells us that the breed can be affected by the following forms of arthritis based on vet advice: Immune-mediated arthritis  - this is arthritis caused by joint inflammation which in turn has been caused by the cat's immune system going wrong. I will presume that it is an auto-immune disease leading to various symptoms one of which is arthritis. Septic arthritis  - this is arthritis caused by a bacterial infection and the toxins produced by the bacteria which enter the joint cavity via the bloodstream. Osteoarthritis  - this is also known as degenerative joint disease arthritis. Cancerous arthritis  - this apparently is the results of synovial cell sarcomas. These are tumours of the synovial cells in the joint. This is a malignant tumour which can spread to the cat's lungs in 25% of the cases. That looks terribly bad. And it may be painting an overly negative picture of this breed....

This genetically inherited disease in Maine Coon cat needs to be discussed but I don't want to paint an unnecessarily negative picture about this wonderful and popular cat breed. The best book on cat health problems ( Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook ) says on page 345 (latest edition at the date of this post) that this is "a genetic defect in Maine Coon cats". Cute ginger tabby MC sitting on his backside. Image in the public domain (believed). Spinal nerves die off that control the "skeletal muscles". The disease is evident at 3-4 months of age. The rear end of the cat sways and at about 5 months of age the cat cannot jump. There appears to be no pain and there is no treatment. The muscles decrease in size. A DNA test has been developed at the Laboratory of Comparative Medical Genetics at Michigan State University. Maine Coon cat owners send a cheek swab to the testing center to see if they are carriers before being bred. This is clearly a service for...

There are two studies on the Internet in which the Maine Coon cat breed is compared to other breeds and non-purebred cats concerning visits to a vet for health issues under an insurance policy. One comes from Sweden and the other from Japan. Maine Coon vet visits compared to other cats in Japan and Sweden. Image: MikeB based in background image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay Sweden They evaluated vet visits for health problems of insured Swedish cats between 1999-2006 by age, breed, sex and diagnosis. I am able to look at the summary ONLY which is about 10 lines. There were 875 visits to veterinarians for health problems per 10,000 "cat-years at risk".  They concluded that the Siamese, Burmese and Abyssinian cats had higher rates of claims compared to the Norwegian Forest cat, the Maine Coon, the European Shorthair and domestic cats (moggies).  In other words, the Maine Coon, on this evaluation, is healthier than the Siamese, Burmese and Abyssinian cats. The most common claim...

The full inherited condition i.e. congenital condition is called 'peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia (PPDH)' and in a study published on National Centre for Biotechnology Information website, it is described as being overrepresented in long-haired cat breeds including Maine Coons, Persians, Himalayans and longhaired random-bread cats.  I don't know how prevalent this condition is in Maine Coons. It might be very rare. And probably is. What are the symptoms?  According to petmd.com they include irregular heartbeat, labored breathing. The abdomen may move rapidly (palpitate) or feel empty. Reactions such as vomiting, diarrhea, and bloating can occur because of damage to the bowel or stomach. This is the first time I have heard about this. We know of the other inherited conditions in Maine Coons such as hip dysplasia and patella luxation together with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) but this is a new one to my knowledge. The study on this was published in 2018. They ...

The certain answer is, No. Sorry. Hypoallergenic means less likely to cause an allergic reaction in a person. There is nothing that supports the idea that Maine Coons are hypoallergenic. Maine Coon cats are not hypoallergenic. Photo in public domain. The truth is that no cat is going to be completely hypoallergenic because the allergen that causes the allergic reaction in some people is a protein called Fel D1 in the cat's saliva. It is deposited on the cat's fur when he or she grooms. It then dries and flies off into the atmosphere as cat dander. Siberian a better bet for hypoallergenic cat Cats that are said to be hypoallergenic to a degree are the wildcat hybrid, the Savannah cat (which incidentally is the Allerca cat called the Ashera GD ) and the Siberian cat. The Allerca is no longer in existence. And I don't believe that the Siberian is hypoallergenic although breeders would disagree. There is no reason why it should be. Breeders tend to promote cats for whatever ...

According to the record in the summary to a research study published online, a 2-year-old, female Maine Coon cat suffering simultaneously from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and an intestinal single-celled parasite was completely 'cured' with the following treatment. By cured I mean she presented as 'clinically normal' six months after treatment. IBD in cats. One treatment is a raw meat diet. This cat is not a Maine Coon! Image: MikeB RELATED: Try ground rabbit with supplement to cure feline inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) . The endoparasite was Tritrichomonas foetus which was cured with Ronidazole. This is a drug which is well tailored for this particular parasitic infection. Tritrichomonas foetus is described as a species of single-celled flagellated parasite known to be a pathogen in the intestinal tract of cats and also in cattle. The inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was apparently cured or entirely successfully ' managed ' which is be a better descrip...

I think this point needs to be made. 'Cystic renal disease' is referring in this instance to polycystic kidney disease or PKD. The Maine Coon Expert site incorrectly states that the Maine Coon has a predisposition to developing this disease. I base that assertion on a study published online which has been referred to by other websites. The headline to this article is the exact words taken from the study. Feline PKD ultrasound scan. Image: Clinician's Brief. The scientists also stated that the PKD in Maine Coons, when it occurs, is unrelated to the PKD observed in Persians and related breeds. However, they do conclude that ultrasonographical findings compatible with chronic kidney disease ( CKD) are not uncommon in juvenile Maine Coons. I interpret that to mean that young Maine Coons can show indications that they will develop chronic kidney disease. But this is not PKD. CKD is common in all elderly domestic cats and a main reason for euthanasia. The study checked out ...

I wanted to find out the prevalence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in Maine Coons. I found a study which assessed 42 Maine Coons in Sweden who had no symptoms of heart disease (asymptomatic). I am not sure how representative these cats are to the general population in other countries but the information is probably useful to get a feel for the percentage of cats with the disease.  Grudge the Maine Coon cat actor in Star Trek Discovery. Photo: Twitter. Maine Coons are known to be predisposed to HCM as are Bengal cats, incidentally . I think these diseases are a hazard of selective breeding. They are perpetuated by breeders although I am sure they do their best to remove them from their breeding lines. ASSOCIATED PAGE:  Cat breeds prone to HCM The study is called: Prevalence of myocardial hypertrophy in a population of asymptomatic Swedish Maine coon cats . It is dated June 2008. The finding was that "Depending on the reference values used, the prevalence of HCM in this...

This is a very sad post on the Reddit.com website. The family said goodbye to their beloved female Maine Coon. They said that they lost their fight with kidney disease and that they were fighting for four years. Her death really hurts. Their commitment to their cat to extend her life indicates a deep love. It prompts me to quickly delve into the question as to whether there is any prevalence for kidney disease in the Maine Coon cat breed. Maine Coon succumbs to kidney disease after four-year battle. Photo by u/dotitu We have to be careful about researching information such as this on the Internet. You can be misled. One website, pethelpful.com says that polycystic kidney disease is prevalent in Maine Coons and yet a study by scientists also published online tells me that cystic renal disease occurs with a low prevalence in Maine Coons and is unrelated to PKD in Persians. Incidentally, there is a 35% chance of a Persian getting PKD which is incredible and terrible . Of course, PKD i...

Maine Coons should not be shaved unless there is a particular and pressing reason for it. At one time I objected to what people call the "lion cut", which you see on Persian cats not to infrequently, but I now see the advantages sometimes . Rarely, if the climatic conditions are particularly hot a Maine Coon might benefit from being shaved if you are unable to keep her cool inside the home. Or there might be a medical reason such as a skin condition and your veterinarian recommends it. But there is a big downside: shaving (lion cut) might require a full anesthetic which is risky. One in four hundred cats die because of a general anesthetic. Or they can suffer brain damage. If it can be done while the cat is sedated it is far better. White Maine Coon cool and serene. Who'd shave that glorious coat?! Photo in public domain. Or your Maine Coon might have become deeply matted to the point where it was impossible to remove the mats without hurting your cat. Under these circ...