Your Maine Coon Guide

Continuation of this story. See chapters one and two by clicking on the respective links. By December, Seattle was blanketed in a rare, thick layer of powder snow. For Lily, this winter felt completely different from the last. The lonely fog was entirely gone, replaced by the crisp, biting excitement of a winter wonderland right outside her backdoor. Barnaby sat at the glass patio door, his nose twitching as he watched the thick flakes fall. His coat had grown into a dense winter armour, his silver-and-charcoal ruff so thick he looked like he was wearing a heavy wool scarf. The Snow Monster Lily and Maya, bundled up in thick parkas and colorful beanies, opened the back door. Barnaby did not hesitate. He stepped out onto the porch, lifted one massive paw, and pressed it into the fresh snow. The Big Freeze : He immediately lifted his paw, shook it vigorously, and looked at Lily with an expression of deep, personal betrayal. The Snowshoes : Within minutes, his wild genetics kicked in. M...

This is the second chapter of a Maine Coon story. Please click this link to see the first . The following spring, the grey Seattle rains finally broke, yielding to a brilliant blue sky and the sharp scent of damp earth. Barnaby sat on the back porch, his ears twitching as he watched a robin hop through the tall grass. He was an indoor cat by rule, but his wild ancestry called to him through the screen door. Lily noticed his longing. That afternoon, she surprised him with a sturdy neon-green walking harness and a matching leash. Fitting a twenty-pound Maine Coon into a harness was like trying to dress a hairy boulder. Barnaby did not struggle; he simply went entirely limp, turning into a giant puddle of silver fluff. Lily giggled, adjusting the straps around his thick chest. "Okay, buddy," she whispered, opening the screen door. "Let's explore." Into the Wild The moment his giant paws touched the real grass, Barnaby transformed. He dropped low to the ground, his ...

This TikTok video is a great advertisement for the catio, which is a facility that all Maine Coon owners should have if at all possible because Maine Coon cats are normally kept indoors full-time and they need this halfway house between the safety and security of indoors and the mental stimulation of outdoors. Screenshot of the moment this beautiful Maine Coon goes through his cat flap for the first time into a utopian world of smells and sounds. RELATED:  14 links between stress in domestic cats and health implications . In the modern world of cat caregiving, the catio (combination of 'patio' and 'cat') is the answer to many cat owner's concerns about the insecurity of the outside particularly for a Maine Coon cat because they are so impressive while also being concerned about ensuring that their cat is mentally stimulated and that their environment is enriched. A cat caregiver in Abu Dhabi built one for $800 !. RELATED:  Check if you need planning permission for y...

Mango happier with Hera after becoming depressed due to isolation post-pandemic. Screenshot from video below. There is a story online today (Newsweek) about a ginger tabby Maine Coon cat called Mango, living in Romania, who became depressed after the pandemic. The signs of depression were pretty obvious. He became immobile essentially. He lost interest in his favourite treats which she normally adored. He didn't even like being petted according to his caregiver, Mady Mondan, a 34-year-old therapist. She took him to the vet who said that he was healthy. Yes, he was physically healthy but it wasn't possible to say same thing about his mental state. He had become depressed. Some people don't think that cats can become depressed. I take that from the comments under the video of Mango on TikTok. Without being critical in any way, there is a lack of awareness sometimes about the range of emotions that domestic cats can experience. They can certainly experience the basic emotions ...

Image: MikeB Below is a list of seven potential Maine Coon behavioural problems from a well-known website about this cat breed. I would like to discuss them. The picture that I have made hints at the fact that I question whether these really are genuine Maine Coon problems. They are clearly natural behaviours because everything that a Maine Coon cat does is essentially natural; a reaction to the circumstances under which they find themselves and for a Maine Coon cat those circumstances are invariably created by their human caregiver because nearly all Maine Coon cats are full-time indoor cats. They live inside a human world; a human environment both in terms of the inanimate objects and the animate objects. Aggressive Territorial Clingy Inappropriate Climbing Spraying Scratching Furniture Destructive Aggression Of course, Maine Coon cats can be aggressive. Their inherent character trait lends this cat to be pretty calm and unaggressive; perhaps, in general, less aggressive than a typic...

MC, Foxie, steps out into the garden for the first time. Screenshot. This is an interesting little video for me. It shows the initial caution when the Maine Coon (MC) - Foxie - is allowed into the garden followed by intense curiosity. The caution comes from what I'd describe as 'feline agoraphobia' when they are kept indoors all their lives.  They are used to the security that the home provides. The area beyond the walls is alien territory; both interesting but potentially dangerous. It is a mix of emotions: excitement and slight anxiety. @maxiecoon 🪴Plants vs Foxie 😸 Let’s garden adventures begin!🐾 🧡Foxie enjoys being in a garden 😸 We are not sure what plants we have there, so we’ll just wait and see what will grow 👀 (if Foxie doesn’t destroy them 🤦🏻‍♀️, he tries to sit in a planter when he has a chance 😸🪴). As previous owners of this house also have cats, these plants should be safe ✨ Anyways, Foxie is more interested in insects and bugs living there 👅 No u...

I think that this is a fair question because obviously domestic cats live in a human world. They live in a world created by humans for humans. It is the cat who has to adapt unless the human really bends over backwards and unusually creates an interior of their home which is designed for a domestic cat. Leash! I have provided a hint there as to what kind of lifestyle you would provide for your Maine Coon cat. It would essentially be a full-time indoor lifestyle with trips outdoors with your cat on a leash. That is my personal view. That would mean leash training when they are a kitten if you adopt a kitten. It makes it much easier. Big blue Maine Coon looks after regular-sized friend. Cute. Image: Reddit user: u/Emperor-Palpamemes Stimulation In addition, you will probably have a catio at the back of the house to provide your cat with some mental stimulation. The other input in terms of mental stimulation would be, as mentioned, taking your cat for a walk on a lead . Distinguished The ...

The answer is very much a YES! But it does depend upon where you live and whether your cat is trained to walk on a lead. You are not going to go walking with your Maine Coon cat unless they are on a lead. But the point is this: we see lots of domestic cats nowadays on leads. In fact, we see lots of Maine Coon cats trekking with their cat caregiver. And I think that taking your Maine Coon cat trekking is the best way to take him or her walking. The picture below highlights that. Maine Coon 'Lotus' on a leash in the countryside. Image in the public domain. I guess that's obvious because when you are out trekking you are in the countryside. Nature. It is the perfect place for a Maine Coon cat to be. We all know that Maine Coons hail from barn cats. They were in general outdoor cats for hundreds of years. They have a coat which is made to be outside in cold weather. I know Maine Coons are expensive and precious but they should have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoor safely if...

Here are 10 ways to help make your full-time indoor Maine Coon cat happy. It's probably a foregone conclusion that you will keep your Maine Coon cat indoors full-time. This is the way it should be with such a beautiful purebred cat but you will need to do what you can to keep him or her content. Here's a list of ways to achieve it. Below the list is Jackson Galaxy's video on the topic. The list comes from his video as you might expect. I have added my thoughts.  Maine Coon and owner. Photo in public domain. Galaxy is a cat behaviourist who, in general, believes in full-time indoor cats provided you do all you can to make your cat happy. Keeping your cat indoors full-time keeps them safe; the first priority of a cat caregiver. The second is to make them happy, as happy as possible and there are greater challenges to achieve this when they are confined to the indoors. That's obvious and perhaps doesn't need to be stated but I think Galaxy strikes a very nice balanc...

The reason why this red tabby Maine Coon spills all the water out of the dog's bowl is because he is bored. They need stimulation and challenges. I have to use a lot of guesswork in answering this question. But my guess is that this Maine Coon is a full-time indoor domestic cat which will predispose him to boredom.  Full-time indoor cats require more input from their caregivers for obvious reasons. And if they don't get it, they are liable to become bored. In order to self-stimulate they knock over things to see how they fall. Or they chuck the water out of a bowl to see what happens. They want movement. They want to create a fake prey animal to be caught. Maine Coon spills all the water out of the dog's bowl for fun. Why? Boredom, I'd say. In short, they need to be played with actively and with purpose and commitment. The only person really qualified to do that is the cat's caregiver. It's almost certain that nearly every cat owner does not play with their c...