When the owner and his family decide to take a serious step and have a Maine Coon kitten in the house, everyone faces many questions: where to buy a kitten and how much does such an exclusive breed cost? How to choose a Maine Coon kitten, what to look for? How to distinguish a purebred Maine Coon from a mixed-breed Maine Coon, or even from a purebred simple cat? A kitten is a living creature and you need to know how to properly organize the animal’s first days in the house and accustom it to the litter box. Follow its balanced development and get acquainted with many other useful knowledge about the Maine breed. The proposed material will help you learn about everything.
How to choose a kitten
In Europe, especially in the USA, as well as in Russia in recent years, the Maine Coon breed of unique raccoon cats, despite its relatively high price, is very popular. These giants, calm and docile by nature, take root well in the house, love their owner and are friendly towards small children. They are fun to play with, Maines are active and mobile and respond well to training. Often unscrupulous breeders do not sell purebred coons.
The task of choosing a Maine Coon kitten is not easy and requires following simple but important tips:
- Firstly, learn more from books and the Internet about the distinctive, standard characteristics of coons. They visit exhibitions, study what the Maine cat breed and small kittens look like.
- Secondly, they look for a nursery with a good reputation and communicate with the owners and their pets. An honest breeder will tell you everything about the babies and help you choose. It will guarantee that the kittens are purebred Maine Coons and not mestizos.
- Then they take a closer look at all the specimens from the lambing. Even at a young age, coon kittens differ from each other and have an individual character. One is restless, constantly spinning, and the other, on the contrary, is balanced. The third eats greedily and with pleasure. Intuition, as a rule, will tell you which one is more suitable and will become a favorite in the house.
- Choosing gender, boy or girl, is not so important. The indigenous Maine Coon breed, according to the rules of felinological standards, is crossed only within the species, therefore kittens of the “pet” class are neutered before sale.
- The buyer independently, visually, examines the future pet for signs of disease, looks through and feels the fur, which is fluffy and silky without bald spots, insects and dandruff.
- Checks how clean the eyes and ears are and whether there is any purulent discharge anywhere, especially from the genitals.
- At the time of sale, the kitten must be more than 3 months old. At 2 months he should receive the first set of vaccinations in the nursery.
- It is good if he is weaned from breastfeeding and transferred to independent feeding. Learn about the diet in detail.
What to pay attention to
What coat color the Maine has is important, but not essential. All the coons are very handsome and look great, to the envy of others. External purebred characteristics of the breed are studied more closely. Pay attention to:
- massive, rectangular body with a wide chest and a square head;
- on a slightly elongated muzzle, large pointed ears with funny tassels, a distinctive feature of Maines;
- the eyes have a slightly slanted appearance, which gives them a predatory look, making them look like a lynx;
- the tail, the pride of the Mui people, is long and fluffy, covering the entire body.
How to distinguish the breed
It is difficult to distinguish a purebred, real Maine in infancy from a mestizo, a simple cat. A specialist in standard breed characteristics can help you distinguish. The main feature is that coons at 3 months of age are always much larger than their outbred counterparts and on average the weight of girls reaches 2 kg, and for boys 2.5 kg, and for ordinary cats up to 1.5 kg. The maine's body is well formed, large, covered with thick, silky hair with a massive head, with a fluffy long, thick tail. The paws are of medium length, look powerful, polydactic, with tufts of hair visible between the six toes. The Maine Coon's passport contains a pedigree note with data on at least 4 generations of ancestors.
Kitten development
The weight of Maine Coon cats depends not only on the genetic reserve, but also on how responsibly the owner of the animal treats nutrition. Height and weight vary at different stages of a kitten's development, but should always be consistent with each other.
Cats are immediately born large, and the greater the weight of the newborn, the larger the adult cat grows. Surely, you are concerned about the answer to what age Maine Coons grow. Fluffy cats actively increase in size until about a year old, then such a sharp pace decreases, but development continues until 3-4 years.
The growth stages of cats can be divided into 4 periods:
- The neonatal period of life lasts 4 days.
- In the first month it is a sucker.
- Then transitional, when the cub tries adult food. About three weeks pass, while the babies, adapting to new food, reduce their indicators of physical development.
- And after the post-suction period, at this time the kittens finally switch to independent feeding.
The structural features of the body, large muzzle and long hair of furry giants make them seem much more massive than they actually are.
The first days of a kitten in the house
When moving a kitten to a new home, you need to take into account the main points that the migrant will encounter in the first days. Owners are advised to gradually and persistently accustom their Maine to unusual conditions and procedures:
- In a large house, so that the baby does not get lost, let him get comfortable in one room for several days. They also place bowls with water, food and a scratching post with a litter tray. Introduce them to the pet.
- Family members in the house are introduced one by one. Everyone needs to caress the baby, talk to them, and play with them.
- The maine kitten is introduced to other animals in the house in the presence of the owner. By observing them, he controls and suppresses aggressive moods, and tries not to arouse jealousy between them.
- From the first day they begin raising a pet. They strictly, consistently and unswervingly instill in him what not to do in the house. For example: climbing on the table, riding on the curtains, using only a litter tray for the toilet, or other prohibitions typical of the routine in the house.
- It is impossible to switch the baby to another type of food in the first months. After adaptation to the new home, he is transferred to a different diet gradually, without causing irritation to the housing and communal services.
Tray training
From the first days in the house, the kitten should know the location of the litter box. To accustom a coon to the litter box, it is useful for the owner to take from the breeder in advance a bag of filler to which the pet is already accustomed. If a cat misbehaves or relieves itself in the wrong place, he is punished, but not physically, but in a stern voice by leading him to the litter box.
Important! Access to the litter box should always be free and the kitten should be familiarized with its permanent hiding place.
Birth weight
Newborn Maine Coon kittens, funny creatures, weigh from 90 grams at birth. For females and males, the upper limits are 150 and 170 grams, respectively. The average weight of a Maine Coon kitten is 120 grams and depends on many factors.
How much a small Maine Coon weighs is determined genetically, the number of kittens in the litter, living conditions and gender. And even the state of stress into which a pregnant cat falls, for example due to the presence of other animals, affects the size it will reach.
In the first month, the baby's main diet is mother's milk. By five weeks, the kitten switches to food, because of this the weight of the Maine Coon may decrease. At 7-8 weeks, the mother stops feeding the offspring and the fluffy becomes independent. By this time he should weigh about a kilogram. Weight gain may depend on the quality of complementary foods and the condition of the baby at birth.
What to do if your kitten is not gaining weight
Aboriginal cats are usually quite healthy. But this does not exclude the presence of genetic defects in the kitten. If the size and weight of the pet differ from normal, it is worth undergoing examination for the presence of any disease that interferes with development.
Prevention and timely vaccination will help avoid disastrous consequences in the life of the animal. Keep an eye on the animal's fur; if it becomes dull and looks sloppy, this is a warning sign.
The larger the kitten is born, the faster it grows. But if this is the weakest baby coon in the litter, you will most likely have to carefully ensure that he receives enough milk and then solid food. Difficult labor and subsequent weakness can affect appetite.
Where to buy a kitten
Where to buy a purebred Maine Coon so as not to make a mistake in choosing. There are several options:
- At the market where they sell a lot of animals and offer Maine kittens. As a rule, such children do not have documents. There is a high probability of purchasing either a mestizo or a simple handsome guy for a not very high cost.
- It is also dangerous to hope on message boards on the Internet that the dozens of offers posted will not turn out to be a hoax.
- On the Avito website, sometimes breeders post photos of real Maines, but you need to be well versed in the intricacies of the breed of these unique cats. You may come across scammers with fake passports and photos of kittens. Most often, sick coons with defects according to the standard are offered there for a lower price.
- On the websites of nurseries you can find detailed information about each kitten and its parents. But you need to familiarize yourself with the reputational reviews of animals previously purchased from these breeders. To be sure, they visit the nursery itself, get acquainted with the breeding parents of the selected Maine, and the conditions of its maintenance. They check the passport and the availability of information in it and about all descendants up to the 4th generation. What and when vaccinations were given? The owners of the cattery must have a certificate giving the right to breed Maine Coons.
- For those who decide to purchase a guaranteed purebred Maine Coon, you should visit cat shows. Where you can not only choose your favorite kitten, meet its breeding parents and owners - breeders, but also get advice and recommendations on the breed and purchasing rules from the exhibition organizers.
Attention! You shouldn’t buy a pet right away at an exhibition; you need to go to the nursery and there thoroughly inspect the animal, check the conditions of detention and the correctness of filling out the documents. Take a closer look at other lambing brothers, maybe there will be a Maine that you like based on the appearance and character of its behavior.
Breed cost
Maine Coons are one of the most popular cat breeds in Russia and other countries. Many are attracted to them by their uniquely huge appearance and amazing resemblance to a wild animal. They are called domesticated little lynxes. Maine prices across the country are very high: from 20 to 80 thousand.
Different prices are set and explained by distinctive factors:
- Depending on the condition of the animal itself, gender, boy or girl, and color, solid maines are popular.
- From the presence of a pedigree to the 4th generation and documents, awards from parents.
- Region of sale and prestige of the seller.
- From class, prepared, main: exhibition “show”; for breeding "breeding" and ordinary pets of the "Pet" class.
Vaccinations
Owners of Maine Coons should take care of timely vaccination within the recommended period, especially for kittens with an immature immune system that is not always able to resist infections.
To vaccinate your pet, you need to prepare:
- To reduce the risk of allergic reactions, 19 days before vaccination, the pet is dewormed and treated for fleas and ticks.
- The kitten is being examined by a veterinarian for a health check.
The first vaccination is given at 2 months according to the schedule, while the kitten is still living with the breeder. Follow-up treatment for tetanus is carried out at 3 months. At one year of age, your coon should be vaccinated and then every year for the rest of its life.
Nicknames for Maine Coon kittens
It is prohibited to vaccinate:
- when mains are less than 2 months old;
- The kitten is teething:
- cats are in heat:
- pregnant cats and during lactation;
- weakened coons after illness.
Attention! The vaccine is administered only by a doctor in a clinic setting, where there are all conditions for carrying out the procedure and storing the vaccine properly.
What affects growth
The cat grows up to 3-4 years, during which time the body length reaches an average of 1 meter. Of the recorded records, the longest cat in the world is 123 cm. There have been cases when the animal reached 135 cm.
In cats, the height at the withers is 30-40 cm. Parameters such as the weight of the cat and its size do not depend only on the health and gender of the kitten. High-quality care and proper nutrition for Maine Coon cats, timely examinations, living conditions, these are the factors influencing the weight of the animal.
It is important to monitor the health of your pet and select a diet according to age. The food must be of high quality. The maximum portion that a pet eats should not exceed 250 grams.
For boys and girls the figure is approximately the same. Meals should be divided into 4 servings up to a year and limited to 2 meals after. Do not feed the animal to a huge size; a fat cat is more susceptible to disease. Proper care not only ensures proper development, but also significantly prolongs life.
Popular Maine Coon kennels
In cat clubs, on Internet sites, and at cat shows you can get information about reliable catteries with a good reputation.
Nurseries create their own websites where you can not only get complete information about Maine Coons, find out information on keeping and caring for kittens, but also look at photographs of Maine Coons for sale and their parents.
Trusted nurseries where you can buy purebred Maine Coons of the “show” and “breed” classes, vaccinated, with all the required documents.
- “Absolute effect”, Moscow, website https://cooneko.com/index.html
- “Gulliver’s Country”, Ivanovo, website https://gulliver-coon.ru/pitomnik_maine_coon.html
- “Wild Beauty”, Moscow, website https://wildbeauty.ru
- "Chelgan", Chelyabinsk, website https://chelgan.ru
- AlmazCoon" Ekaterinburg, website: www.AlmazCoon.ru
- “Volga Pride”, Saratov https://www.saratov-coon.ru
Raccoon cats of the Maine Coon breed are good-natured, affectionate, but unobtrusive animals, devotedly attached to their owner. An active Maine kitten, although it can be mischievous, will become a favorite of the whole family from the first days. He gets along well with children and enjoys participating in all games.
Care and health.
The Maine Coon is a large cat with thick hair, naturally the main part of caring for it is. Every day it is necessary to comb your pet, inspect the ears, behind the ears, and the armpit area; if lumps are found, they must be cut out. And if foci of baldness appear in these areas, it is necessary to urgently treat the animal for lice and exaparasites on the body. If a kitten or an adult pet shakes its ears and scratches them all the time, and there are black dots inside the ear, it means that it has mites.
Harmful and difficult to remove mites inside the ear can be transmitted from other animals or get in with dirt, or brought in from the street. First of all, you need to contact a veterinarian! Basic care for Maine Coons is practically no different from caring for any other breeds; perhaps the main difference is nutrition and an active lifestyle. For this, Maine Coons require much more than ordinary cats, because they are much larger!
Feeding
In the first months of life, kittens need milk in large quantities; the mixture can be purchased at pet stores.
Goat milk is allowed. In the first month, the kitten should eat about six times a day, in small portions.
It is better to ask the cattery what kind of food the cats eat and stick to that diet. Grown-up kittens are fed meat and vegetables.
Adult cats - from one year old - are fed with specialized food:
- "Royal Canin" for Maine Coons.
- "Bosch Sanabelle Grande" for large breeds.
Vitamins
The best set of vitamins for cats of this breed is found in fish oil, eggs, dairy products, and tomatoes. For healthy skin, give cabbage, liver, and yeast products. Vegetables and fruits will boost your cat's immunity. With the help of natural vitamins, you can balance your pet’s diet so that he gets the maximum benefit from his food.
But to maintain health, you also need special products that contain zinc, copper, manganese, and iron. Pet stores offer vitamin complexes with taurine. They improve vision and digestion. For good skin and coat condition, vitamin complexes with biotin are given. The animal also needs calcium, vitamin B6, A, B and D.
Breed Features
Recently, scientists are increasingly inclined to believe that the homeland of Maine Coons is the territory of Maine, in the northeastern United States.
The natural conditions in this region are quite harsh. The climate is cold, strong winds, and a lot of snow falls in winter. As a result of natural selection over a long period of time, this variety was formed.
The description of the breed includes the following main points.
- Large sizes - length on average about one meter.
- Impressive weight - from 6 to 12 kg.
- A strong and graceful body of an oblong shape, with strong muscles.
- Large head, heavy shoulders and neck.
- Powerful paws with fur between the toes.
- The most varied colors , including two- and three-colored individuals.
- Very thick and long fur that is not afraid of moisture and almost does not get wet from snow.
- Luxurious fluffy tail , more than thirty centimeters long.
- Tassels on the ears, just like a lynx . The ears themselves are also pubescent and covered with thick hair, which serves as additional protection from frost.
- The sounds made by animals - something between a rumbling and purring - are characteristic only of this breed.
