Maine Coons attract attention not only with their size, but also with their unusual character, habits, luxurious coat and exoticism. All cat lovers know this domestic animal with a predatory look.
How much money will it take to feed this giant? And not just give him something to eat, but create a diet in such a way that the natural beauty and shine of the coat does not fade away, but on the contrary, your four-legged friend feels satisfied, looks beautiful and feels comfortable?
Maintenance and care
In order for the pet to feel comfortable, it needs to be provided with a territory sufficient for its size and provided with everything necessary for everyday cat life. Essential items include:
- Little house. You can make it yourself or buy it in a store. The best option would be a multifunctional complex, including a booth, a bench and several observation platforms installed at different heights.
- Carrying. A necessary item for trips to the veterinarian and traveling any distance.
- Scratching post. Can be purchased separately or as part of a gaming complex.
- Utensils for eating and drinking. It must be of a suitable volume and weight so that the pet cannot knock it over. For greater convenience, you can install an automatic drinking bowl.
- Toilet tray. When choosing this item, you must take into account the size of the animal. For safety reasons, it is recommended to use natural filler.
To care for a Maine Coon you will need special tools and equipment:
- Several types of combs: with rare movable teeth, frequent metal teeth, a brush with natural bristles.
- Furminator is a device designed to remove dead fur. It is recommended to use both during the period of shedding and in its absence to improve the quality of the coat.
- A nail clipper is a device for regularly trimming claws.
- Cat toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Shampoo with conditioner for long-haired breeds.
Regular brushing
The procedure should be carried out 1-2 times a week. More frequent grooming may be required during shedding. First, the coat is combed with a sparse comb, and only then a comb with thick teeth is used. Individual areas of the body are processed in the following sequence:
- tail;
- back;
- side zones;
- breast;
- "pants";
- stomach.
The resulting tangles must be disassembled by hand or carefully cut with scissors.
Water treatments
Maine Coons, like other cats, do not need frequent bathing. The animal should be washed on the eve of the exhibition or if it is heavily soiled.
Before bathing, your pet's ears must be protected with cotton balls. It is recommended to place a rubber mat at the bottom of the bathtub to prevent the cat's paws from slipping.
The patient should be bathed in warm water, the temperature of which does not exceed 38°C. It is advisable to use shampoo with conditioner designed for long-haired breeds.
If your pet flatly refuses water treatments, you can clean the animal’s coat with dry shampoo.
Grooming is not for the Maine Coon
According to experts, the Maine Coon's coat is not intended for grooming. Firstly, a “fashionable” haircut does not suit a descendant of Aboriginal people. Secondly, the highlight of the breed - its wild charm can be lost forever.
Already after the first use of cutting devices, the structure of the coat is disrupted. The fur coat irreversibly loses its smooth guard hair. All that remains is fluff, reminiscent of cotton wool.
In Maine Coons, as an exception, it is allowed to trim the hair in the groin area and under the tail. Such intervention is justified by hygienic purposes and does not disturb the exterior. You can carry out this procedure yourself or seek help from a specialist.
Mineral and vitamin supplements in the Maine Coon diet
The use of mineral-vitamin complexes (MVC) usually concerns only natural nutrition. These additives are already present in industrial wet and dry food for Maine Coons.
Vitamins A, B1 and H must be included in the diet of cats of all breeds.
Maine Coon fish oil (vitamin D) is most often obtained from natural products and should not be given separately. It is better to periodically increase the number of relevant components in the menu.
Vitamins of groups C and E also rarely cause vitamin deficiency, so there is no need to introduce them additionally into the diet.
Along with food, you can give your cat regular dry yeast - it contains a complex of vitamins, and 40% of the composition is proteins and amino acids.
When feeding a Maine Coon with natural products at home, the question of administering vitamin and mineral supplements should be decided by a veterinarian.
Veterinarian advice
When feeding Maine Coons you should follow several rules:
- Do not mix natural products and industrial feeds;
- food should be warm - cold or hot food has a negative effect on the animal’s digestive system;
- products must be fresh and of high quality;
- it is necessary to follow the feeding regime;
- Maine Coon must have free access to clean drinking water;
- a balanced menu should consist of 40% proteins, 20 - 30% fats and at least 2% fiber.
If there is a need to switch your pet from dry food to natural products, this must be done gradually: first mix dry food with canned food from the same manufacturer, then gradually introduce natural products. When changing the type of food, a restructuring of the Maine Coon’s digestive system occurs, so you need to give the cat a bifidobacteria complex.
Feeding with industrial feed
If owners choose to eat natural products, they will have to spend a lot of effort, time and money to create a balanced Maine Coon diet that will keep the animal healthy.
It is much easier and cheaper to choose ready-made industrial food for Maine Coons. Its advantage is that it provides complete and balanced nutrition, moreover, it already contains all the necessary minerals and vitamins.
Which dry food is best for a Maine Coon?
Royal Canin Maine Coon consumption guidelines for adult animals
You can feed your Maine Coon both canned food and dry food, as long as it is at least premium, or even better, super premium. Economy class food (Whiskas, KittyKat, Darling, Friskas) is absolutely not suitable for Maine Coons as the main food. Not only do they not meet the needs of the animal, but they can also be harmful to it.
Under no circumstances should you mix food from different manufacturers, as this can upset the balance of substances in the body and lead to illness.
It is also impossible to combine natural nutrition for Maine Coons and feeding dry food. The process of digesting “wet” and “dry” foods occurs differently, and when mixing food, the pet’s stomach and intestines will not have time to rebuild, as a result of which gastroenteritis and coprostasis (intestinal obstruction) may develop.
It should be remembered that when feeding a cat with dry food, it should drink 3 times more water than it eats. Therefore, if your pet drinks little, you need to think about switching it to either canned food or natural food. You can soak dry food in water.
Rating of food for Maine Coons
The best food for Maine Coons, according to owners, is:
- Royal Canin;
- Bosh Sanabelle;
- Eukanuba;
- Nutro Choice.
Most cat owners prefer Royal Canin premium food for Maine Coons, as it is developed taking into account the characteristics of the breed and contains all the necessary ingredients and vitamins for complete and balanced nutrition. This manufacturer also has a line for feeding kittens from birth to 1 year (Royal Canin Kitten) and a series of medicinal foods, the quality of which allows you to raise the level of Royal Canin to a super premium class.
When choosing industrial food, you should not completely trust the reviews of other owners about a particular product, but find an option yourself that will satisfy all the needs of your pet. Whether a particular dry food is suitable for a Maine Coon will be determined by the state of its health and the appearance of the cat.
The diet for a Maine Coon should first of all be chosen based on its needs and your capabilities. How well your pet will eat and whether he will be healthy depends on you.
Animal growth
Up to one year of age, kittens develop quite rapidly. By three months, the baby already exceeds the performance of some adult cats of ordinary breeds. In general, the size of a pet depends on many factors.
Important! You should not be upset if the animal does not meet the development standards, but you should still be careful. There is always the possibility that the breeder sold a crossbreed instead of a purebred Maine Coon. When choosing an animal for your family, it is best to contact an official nursery.
Dinner (evening)
I fed it as for breakfast, but if the kitten eats dry food well, don’t add anything for dinner, add dry food for smell and change the water. You can switch places for dinner tomorrow! It has been noticed that a Maine Coon that has eaten meat at night sleeps more soundly, does not go out hunting for food at night, wakes you up later and is in a great mood
