Maine Coon has anyone got one?

crystal_fire

my partner and i have been looking into buying a Maine Coon kitten (it's a man and size thing i think:rolleyes: )

all i can really find out about them is that they grow pretty big i did a search on them and gave up after 2 sites of way too indepth big worded explanations!

can some one advise me on them will they cost the same to keep as a regular cat?
are there any down sides with them being big ?
do we have to go through a breeder?

any advice would be muchly appreciated:T

Thankyou
p

scotsgirl_3

Hi

I have a Maine Coon - she's just turned one year old so is not yet fully grown but is fairly big already. ( she's the one on my profile, she was only about 4 months when photo was taken!) I also have a big male tabby moggy, and height and length wise they are about the same at the moment so she will probably be bigger. Having said this though, half of it is hair and she's not nearly as heavy and probably eats about the same as he does.

Cost wise (apart from buying her!) no difference between her and a normal cat - she was fully vaccinated when we got her, as most good breeders will keep the kittens until they are around 12-14 weeks. We got her speyed at 6 months which cost about £70, and we have her insured which costs £9 a month ( you could probably get this cheaper, but we like direct line so stuck with them)

I would say to do your research and go to a good, reputable breeder. The lady we got ours from is in the North of Scotland so probably a bit far ( can give you details if you wish though) , but there a couple of maine coon breeders associations you can check out. Also make sure you see the parents/where they are kept etc as it gives you a good feel for how they have been raised and treated etc etc. I could tell that our breeder adored her cats, and she still stays in touch, even emailed me on our kitties birthday to see how she was. There are also a couple of medical conditions that coons can be prone too - one with their hips called dysplasia is quite common - but as with a pedigree puppy a good breeder will screen for this before breeding from a cat.

Practical stuff out the way....... She's our first coon, and I wouldn't hesitate to have another one. Utterly adorable, and a lovely pet to have around. from my own experience they are very intelligent cats, but ours is also very affectionate and loves cuddling into us, and our boy cat! The hair really doesn't shed much at all - i would say less than our shorthair moggy - and is also pretty easy to take care of, as long as you get them used to grooming early on. They're not really a high maintenance cat, like most longer haired breeds. I've always had moggies before and only went for a coon as we were looking for a kitten that would socialise well with an older cat ( our boy's sister died and he was lonely) but having had one....... she's got both hubby and I wrapped around her very hairy paws!

any questions please just shout!

LindsayO

I lived in the States for years and had a wonderful Maine Coon Tom. He wasn't pure breed, but was clearly a Maine Coon cat, very handsome, not any extra to feed, didn't need extra grooming, didn't shed alot, was very sociable and affectionate. For a while we lived in a neighbourhood with alot of cats and he was definitely the Top Cat, all the others would come over and sit in our driveway and if they were brave on our porch and wait for him to come out, out he would swagger and they would all troop after him.

A great cat, would definitely go for it. I think there is a Norwegian breed that is very similar, that might be easier to get in this country, cant remember the name sorry

Jellicat

Bear in mind that a lot of people exaggerate the size of Maine Coon cats. They are just like all other cats to keep...bear in mind the coat takes some looking after. A lot of people say they are a little more dog-like than cat-like too.

crystal_fire

thanks for your help :Di think we'll definately be looking into this a bit more my other half seems keen, we just need to find a breeder! were in Darlington so we'll have a look on the internet for the maine coon breeders associations.

scotsgirl had a look at your pic she looks cute.

ka7e

I have 2, a 3 year-old silver tabby - Merlin (my avatar) and a 2 year-old brown tabby, Tiggy.

They are beautiful, sociable cats with distinct personalities. Merlin had a birth defect which has restricted his growth, so he only weighs about 8lbs and looks like a normal large cat. His fur always looks scruffy and he has to be regularly groomed to avoid tangles and knots. He sometimes follows me around the house like a dog and if he feels ignored, he knocks over everything on the work surface until somebody pays him attention.

Tiggy is much bigger, he weighs about 15lbs but looks bigger because he has such a dense coat. He can reach up with his paws and hook things off the kitchen table he stands so tall. He spends most of the day in and around the house and believes he rules the roost! He is "free-fed" in that dry food is available all day for him and he eats when he wants (and steals Merlin's food as well!).

You will get a good idea of the size and variety of cats available if you visit a breeder - it is kitten season at the moment. Reputable breeders may have a waiting list for kittens and they also sometimes are looking for homes for retired breeding queens. Our local breeder rehomes ex-breeding stock after 2-4 litters, at 3 to 4 years old. I have a friend who has adopted 4 after they have been neutered and they make great pets.

SallyUK

Excellent choice!

Well, I would say that being that I have a Maine Coon girl and a Norwegian Forest boy.

Ours are both 3 years old now, but they don't reach full maturity until around the age 4.

Ours both weigh 1 stone now. There's only two weeks between them.

Our Maine Coon girl is a silver tabby, Meg. We also love the Norwegian Forest breed and our boy is called Kai. Norwegian's need less grooming, but having said that the Maine Coon does need some grooming, but not as much as people may think.

We groom regularly though, just because both cats enjoy it, as do we.

We have them both insured and vaccinated. They enjoy eating mainly dry biscuits and have one tin of wet food, once per day.

We went to a breeder in Wales for our Maine Coon and a breeder in Keighley for our Norwegian Forest.

If it's big you like, I'd recommend that you also look into the Norwegian Forest breed, they have absolutely fantastic personalities and are definitely more dog like!

If you would like recommendations for some good breeders, then please don't hesitate to get in touch with me. We show both our cats, so have lots of contacts for both breeds.

I've posted a couple of pics for you.

Sally
xxx


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/Sally45/i198609695_97978_2-1.jpg - this is Kai - the Norwegian

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/Sally45/CIMG0439.jpg - Kai

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/Sally45/P1010305.jpg - Meg, Maine Coon

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/Sally45/nickandmeg1.bmp - Meg when a tiny baby

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/Sally45/P1010390.jpg - Kai posing.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y261/Sally45/Kai.jpg - Kai when a kitten.

By the way, if we were getting another Maine Coon, we'd definitely go for a boy this time, as they can grow a lot bigger than the females.

http://www.maine-coon-cat-club.com/congrat/ - this is Titan Moon - he is absolutely gorgeous, as you can see and he is ginormous!!!!

Hope all this helps - lol

Sally
x

LittleTinker

Not all Coons are big.....so if the main reason for picking this breed is because it will "grow really big" then you might be disappointed.

Other than that they are floppy, cuddly cute things

crystal_fire

we love animals in all sizes, it's my other half who was looking at different breeds one day and we both fell in love with a picture of one thats was just fluff and said if we were to ever get another cat we would maybe chose this breed.

i realise from this thread that not all grow to a great size but that doesnt matter.

@ Sally both cats are gorgeous Kai is beautiful definately not camera shy.
do you know any breeders in the north east?

patchwork_cat

HI
I breed Maine Coons - yes I have found that men like Maine Coon cats, I also breed Ragdolls and they are more a woman's cat. Maine coons are gentle giants. Traditionally Maine Coons are the largest breed of cat, but in this country some lines are bred more for type than size. I have kept a boy who is now 6 months old and we have just had him neutered, he weighs 5kg already and will not be his full adult height and weight until 3/4 yrs. I wouldn't be without him, he is the most loving gentle bear you could meet - to see my 10 year old daughter lump him around his wonderful and he will reward her with lots of love. His brother apparently sits on his new dad's shoulder whilst he eats breakfast!

Some insurance companies do put the premium of their policy up a bit, although in my experience it isn't that expensive my girl's policy is £65 pa and that is the gold cover.

If you got a large male and you free feed dried food the cost implications compared to a small female cat are very small probably in the order of 30p a week.

Do make sure that your breeder has raised the kittens indoors and underfoot with lots of noise and cuddles!

You have made a good choice - 1 last point Maine Coons can be boisterous and with all pedigrees have been bred for looks and not street smarts - so can be very vulnerable near roads - you don't want to pay £400 for your cat and have him run over.

Maine Coons are not known for being floppy, but a well adjusted one may well be very cuddly - raggies are floppy! If you want a large cat then talk to your breeder and they will be able to direct you towards ultimate size etc. some lines are known to be larger than others and so a knowledgeable breeder will be able to help, or do some research for you.The next boy we have picked to mate our girl is absolutely enormous and the largest Maine Coon ( and largest cat in the world) stands about as tall as an 8 year old!!

I can put you in touch with breeders in your area if you wish. My first ever Maine Coon came from near Durham 17 years ago - they have since emigrated to Canada though.

If you want a genuine Maine Coon kitten then yes you do have to go through a breeder, but the breed societies do rescue work an dif you want an older cat and no papers that could be OK. Not all cats that look like Maine Coons are.

Just ammended my Avatar - that is Fitz - or Fitzwilliam Darcy as you can see at 6 months he is already huge!

needtobeclear

Firstly I don't want to put you off, They are a beautiful breed of cat. They are a larger breed of cat but nothing to worry about. I am no longer happy with buying (moggies) no offense to others, but feel the Mainecoon & Norwegian forrest breeds which are a similar size are great cats. Feeding is no different.

The only real difference you will notice cost wise is upon purchasing and insuring a Mainecoon. There are quite a few people privately selling these now, but the norm is to buy through breeders. Prices usually vary between £200-800 each. (The higher for high grade show cat kittens).

I personally feel they are worth the extra money, but good luck what ever you decide!