Maine Coon

[Baranj]

Hi everyone. I would really appreciate some honesty regarding cat ownership. Whilst I’m mainly interested in hearing from Maine Coon owners, I’d appreciate advice from any feline owners.

I have never owned a pet. My DD has been begging us for a cat for the past three years, and we’ve settled on the Maine Coon breed having read so many wonderful things about them, however, I suffer from major OCDs - I’m a total hygiene freak!

I have read that they are great at cleaning themselves, but being long-haired I understand they can suffer with the occasional messy bottom. (Q1) I would like to know how common this is; and does shaving the area reduce the chances of this happening?

I’m also concerned about spraying. We’ve decided on a male and we will have him neutered between 9-11 months as suggested by the breeder (although this is later than what some other breeders have suggested).

(Q2) Did your male Maine coon ever spray indoors; or ever decide to stop using the litter tray? Even though he will be neutered, I understand they may still spray - and that both males and females can do this.

We will allow our cat access to the garden and the breeder said this would be fine, as long as the garden is cat friendly. We also intend on taking him for walks on a harness.

Again, my main concern is the spraying and if this happened to anyone with a neutered male Maine Coon and, if so, how did you resolve it. We would hate to make a financial and emotional investment only to realise I’m out of my depth.

Thank you.

Never had cat hair from MC in food or in the air, on the carpet yes but if you hoover its fine but it is daily for 10 mins or so of hoovering once they start losing the fluff.

@Takoneko yes, this would be a problem for me and others. I didn’t realise it floats? I found these brushes that got rave reviews on Amazon. They collect pet hair from clothes and furniture. Have you used these?

Our smaller moggie before used to get more hair on bedding etc.

@Silkiebunny Hoovering already gets done twice. This wouldn’t be extra work. I do one round after breakfast and another before bed. That’s not a problem. Another poster stated they had it in their food. This would be a massive issue. I see this isn’t true for you and Floof.

Maybe my cat’s hair is especially fine but I find that the soft undercoat hairs in particular just get everywhere when she is shedding. Unlike hair from my old moggies that tended to just be on soft furnishings, this hair is just so light and floaty. When you get a shaft of sunlight you can often see it floating in the air, especially when she’s jumped up on or down from her cat shelves.

Maybe Tak has a very small MC cross, Floof is huge and there's nothing that delicate and floaty about him. Fluff comes off in clumps to the floor but not floating in air or in food.

DD has just asked for a second one. Floof has just knocked over his tuna bowl.

@Silkiebunny I have seen videos where it is more clump-like. It is the first time I’m learning it could be floaty and linger in the air. I would not know how to catch and remove it.

Hair not floaty from my boy either, a few tufts and clumps here and there. I don’t need to hoover everyday.

My cat has a similar texture undercoat to this cat. It mostly comes out in clumps with brushing but the loose individual hairs are incredibly fine and flyaway. I have a mostly white cat and no longer own any black clothes for a reason.

@Takoneko thank you for this. This is how I’ve seen it in other videos. Although, on a separate note, I did read not to use the Furminator on MC’s as they’re double coated. Not sure if thats true, but it really looks like it collects lots of hair!

@RockingAmadeus I have seen tufts in videos too. That’s what I was expecting and found a brush suitable for collecting tufts and clumps.

A temporary dairy intolerance as a result of a tummy bug (it was the pylori one) is not uncommon and was eventually sorted with goats milk kefir but it lasted a good couple of years. The cat's ongoing presence had nothing to do with the persisting dairy intolerance - the child just got the original bug from the cat who arrived with us as a sick kitten. That was the only health issue we had.

It reminded me of owning a rather highly strung dog from a working line, not a cat at all really. She didn't even play like a cat or want to sit on your lap. She wanted to sit beside her chosen person at all times and guard them? I don't know! She was utterly devoted and patient with the children. Just impossible with the cleanliness issue and the need for her child to go to school. It wasn't working.

She did go outside though. I think she would have gone bonkers without something to hunt. They're so big, they can climb and pounce very effectively so a lot of kills.

I use a metal comb on mine rather than a furminator. The reason I shared that video is just because I think it shows how light and fine the individual hairs can be. I’m not remotely bothered by the amount of shedding my cat does and find the hair does mainly clump, but I don’t have OCD and am pretty relaxed about those fine, flyaway undercoat hairs getting everywhere.

I think if you’re a pet person and have had moggies before then Maine Coons don’t shed as much as you might be used to in terms of fur on furniture and other soft furnishings. But in my experience (not just of my own MC cross) they leave fluffy little dust bunnies everywhere and the fine undercoat hairs do spread themselves about way more than the cat hair of a standard moggy.

This may be affected by the fact that my cat is an indoor cat though, apparently they shed more year-round than cats that go outdoors who shed more seasonally.

My mum had one and it died very young. Apparently they have issues with teeth (my mum's had to have most of it removed) and with heart. They're very much like dogs though. Which I really liked 😍

Floof doesn't have much white hair, he has quite thick hair and we just really find his hair on carpets. Never seen floating hair with him.

My daughter has just said Floof you are my bestest friend ever please come to sleep on my bed and Floof trilled back. I am so glad we got him.

My MC has very fine fur that comes out in tufts too. It's very easy to keep on top of.

It's my British shorthair who covers everything in the house in fur. Watching her sneeze in the sunshine is hilarious. It's an explosion of hundreds of individual strands in all directions. You can also tell when she's slept somewhere because it's covered in fur.

@BananaPalm Sorry your mum’s died so young. I’ve heard about their teeth too. One breeder did say they have sensitive gums and prone to tooth decay. She recommended brushing them at least 3 times a week. Not sure how and Maine coon would feel about that.

@ButterMyParsnip I did read somewhere else that the BSH shed more. It seems MC’s aren’t the worst offenders as confirmed by yourself and Silkiebunny.

@Silkiebunny this is so adorable. I love their chirps and trills. Is your DD more fonder of Floof than your previous moggie? Why is he different? Would you say it’s because he’s a Maine Coon? Is he more harder work and higher maintenance than previous cat?

@Lindtislife Thank you for your reply. I don’t believe this one is a phase. She’s loved cats since the very beginning. She’s been consistent in that.

I believe in this situation it is all or nothing. She desperately wants a Maine Coon. I have heard that long-haired cats suffer from the occasional poo on fur, but not everyone on this thread experienced that. If they have, it has been a rare occurrence. I thought this would be a daily thing. This thread helped me realise I am overhyping it. I still have to figure out if this is something I can do occasionally.

Both peeing and pooping outside the litter-box can happen in any breed of cat. My purpose was to find out if this was any more likely with a MC. Two posters here said their cat and friends’ cat does pee in the house and not always in the box.

Lastly, cats with fur shed. Some here have confirmed MC isn’t as bad as other cats they have owned. Fine hair is a new one for me so I’d have to consider that, but ButterMyParsnip said they manage it better than the hair from BSH. In short, Maine Coons seem to be about the same level of work as any other cat, so if I do get one, it should be what she has asked for. As far as I can see from the comments, Maine coon or any cat will need the same level of work and commitment from me. Only difference is the grooming and the amount of food he consumes.

I really believe, from what I’ve read here, it depends on the type of cat you end up with and not the breed? That would be a gamble either way, whether we go for a MC or any other cat.

@Worddance I’m glad to hear your child is better and it was resolved. Can I ask what aspect of cleanliness was an issue for you? She sounds like an amazing cat albeit hard work. The dog-like personality is why my husband is also on the bandwagon with this breed. He’s a dog person, but from experience says they’re hard work. He thinks MC wouldn’t be as hard?

My DD definitely prefers the MC to the moggie. She loved both but with the MC we have had him a year and a half now and every day she spends about an hour talking about him and taking pics of him and sending them to me and her friends who all adore him. She sometimes takes him to visit her friends. He helped her through my cancer and her brother being in hospital for months. He's different to our old moggie, much bigger so she asked and got a double bed so she could share with him. He is permanently cheerful and trills, purrs or chats almost all the time which we love. The moggie would chat back as Floof will too but no special noises. I think the other kids love him as he's so big and fluffy and 3 times the size of a normal cat and if you love cats it's good to have more cat. The old cat as she aged was very keen on DH and more aloof with rest of us. Floof loves everyone the same.

This weekend DH is away and Floof was with me all yesterday happy but slept a bit and think was expecting DH and DD back that evening. DD came back and he was so happy and she told him he was her best friend ever and to come to her bed so he jumped on her bed and stayed there all night next to her and on her and he's 8kgs so it's a bit like death by Floof when they do that. 4am he starts wanting to play with her until at 7am she was finding it a bit much and let him out and he came to me for games and we played until 8.30am. Then gave him his tuna breakfast and he slept a bit. So yes quite full on. He did things like leap from my floor to my headboard as well as fishing game, he also loves ball which he takes in his mouth like a dog would. DD is nagging again for a second one. He's not normally this hyper it's as DH is away. But yes more playful than the moggie although she was 17 when she died and he is 1 so maybe I have forgotten how much she played at 1. But he's obviously much bigger so can leap to top of wardrobes and off them in one leap. He is incredibly gentle as well and you just get the big soft paw poke. He never gets cross. That does make him a bit vulnerable. But his cheerfulness is lovely.

Out of curiosity, how old is Floof? He doesn’t look like he has a full adult coat yet. If he’s less than two years old then there may be a lot more fine, downy undercoat that he has yet to develop.

@Silkiebunny this was absolutely lovely, thank you for sharing. Floof is such a character, I’m so glad he’s bonded to all of you and not just one person.

I love that his presence helped your DD through your cancer. I can see why she says he’s her best friend. I have read that they sense when someone is sad or sick and will do their best to nurse them back to health. Although, this seems to be the case with other breeds too. His personality is exactly why my DD is in love with them.

I do wake up early, but 4am is a bit early for me! From what you’ve told me, you all seem very devoted to him and he has been an amazing addition to the family. It would be nice to have a Mrs Floof. Would you get one from the same breeder? Or do they spay females before you get one?