Shorthair and smooth-haired Maine Coons: description and features of care

The appearance of Maine Coons is largely related to their habitat and original origin. However, in the modern world, few people think about it, breeders simply breed kittens, which are in great demand among fans of domestic large cats and cats. In this article, we will take a closer look at the representatives of cats with printed wool from the Maine Coon breed, find out their description and some nuances in the home contents. And also consider whether short-haired and smooth-haired Maine Coons exist in nature.

To date, felinologists know several variants of the origin of the Maine Coon breed. Some believe that the ancestors of today's Maine Coons were ordinary feline or raccoon. Others believe that the main ancestor is a wild reed cat. But so far no one has confirmed these conjectures.

The main story of the origin of the Maine Coons is considered to be their birth from a simple cat living in North America. Many experts agree that kittens inherited special genetic traits from their parents, thereby successfully adapting to their environment.

And also no one excludes some gene mutations that led to the origin of this breed. Over time, such initial signs as tassels on the ears, a large muzzle and eyes, fluffy and thick hair began to express themselves even more strongly. Until a pure breed has formed. A special selection for Maine Coons has not been made, or there are no reliable facts about it that are known to specialists.

When considering photographs or pictures of thoroughbred Maine Coons, it is worthwhile to understand that smooth-haired individuals simply do not exist in nature. All individuals have a rather long and stuffed coat. Therefore, if breeders offer a shorthair kitten with smooth hair, then most likely it is not a pure breed. And they either keep silent about it intentionally, or simply do not know.

• Short hair in this breed can be observed only on the head and on the legs. On the rest of the body, it is stuffed and elongated, with a very thick undercoat.
• The maine-coon breed standard is always a lot of weight and abundant hair throughout the body of the animal.
• The heads of individuals are usually elongated, on the wide ears there are characteristically prominent brushes. The ears inside have a good pubescence.
• All the limbs of females and males are quite muscular. The tail is stuffed, located on a par with the body. The tail is a special pride of this breed.
• The wool collar is also very lush. On the sides and on the legs, the hair is slightly shorter than on the stomach and tail.
• Maine Coon colors can be very diverse. Black, red, white, gray and others. The most common are solid and tortoiseshell. The latter are found mainly in cats and are considered more rare.
• The weight of Maine Coons can reach up to 11 kilograms, and the tail length - up to 70 cm.
• Mature cats and cats are considered to be 5 years old. Life expectancy is no more than 17 years with proper care, sometimes longer, it all depends on the specific characteristics of the animal.

It is worth noting once again that, having considered the breed standard, every sane person should understand that purebred smooth-haired and short-haired Maine Coons do not exist. However, in addition to knowing the standards of the Maine Coon breed, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with its pros and cons.

Let's start with the pros:

• devotion to their owners, a good attitude in the house to the kids;
• special unobtrusive behavior;
• high learning ability, especially from early childhood.

The small disadvantages include the fact that thoroughbred Maine Coons are very important to feed balanced, and it is best to use specialized premium feeds for this. And they come out pretty expensive. And also it is worth mentioning that the filler consumption for such large cats is several times greater than with ordinary cats. The wool should also be constantly looked after, as it is often confused and confused. Usually, care is performed at least 3-4 times a week.

In order for Maine Coon to live a long life and not be ill, he should be properly looked after. Maine Coons are considered special food picks, and therefore they will not eat anything. It is difficult to feed them balanced, serving only homemade food. That is why preference should be given to ready-made balanced food in dry and liquid form. But with dry feeding, you can sometimes add boiled chicken, and sometimes lean meat, for example, rabbit, turkey or young lamb to the diet.

It is undesirable to feed Maine Coon pork and fat sheep, as well as duck and goose. Fish is also contraindicated, especially in castrated and sterilized individuals, since fish can provoke urolithiasis in animals. Any chocolates, flour products and food from the table should never be given to animals. If a cat or cat is a producer, then their diet is best discussed with a veterinarian.

Do not forget about bathing your pets, they really like to swim, but only if you teach them even a little. It’s not worth bathing too often, just 1-2 times a year is enough, but washing the paws after the street is always important. And also for the summer period it is recommended to wear on cats and cats special flea and tick collars. So you can easily protect animals from annoying insects.

For the full content of cats and cats it is very important for them to have their own place in the house or apartment. The best option may be a large pet house, on which claw points are immediately located. If small kittens are not accustomed to sharpen claws, then they will most likely spoil the furniture. In addition, once a month (or as it grows), the claws should be carefully trimmed with a special claw cutter.

It is known that Maine Coons tolerate both summer and winter walks thanks to their printed wool. If for one reason or another it is not possible to take a cat or cat out for a walk, it is advisable to ventilate the room in which the cats are kept as often as possible.

Maine coons are real hunters, and therefore they can easily catch a mouse at home, and on the street they will not be afraid to hunt sparrows. Nevertheless, pets are best walked under supervision or on a leash.

Caring for little kittens is also easy. The main thing is to start accustoming them to balanced food, a tray and a place where they will live from childhood. It is also recommended to play with kittens, because babies always have a lot of energy. In general, there is nothing complicated in growing Maine Coon babies, they are very unpretentious in this.

Once a year, routine vaccinations are recommended for kittens and adultswhich includes rabies vaccination and another comprehensive vaccine against the most famous feline diseases. Before vaccination, cats are given pills or suspensions from parasites.

The representatives of the Maine Coon breed are real beauties, they have a moderate character, and they always warmly relate to their masters. And also Maine Coons have an excellent appearance, which can not be compared with any cat breed. If there is a desire to buy a Maine Coon baby, preference should be given only to trusted and professional nurseries, who in no case will offer to purchase short-haired Maine Coons that do not exist in nature.

Elite thoroughbred kittens will be expensive, but with their kindness and warmth to the owners, they will surely instantly justify the money spent on them.

All about the Maine Coon breed, see below.