Maine coon education

Have you ever wondered where these beautiful furry giants were originally from?

They have been discovered for the first time in the U.S state of Maine (That’s why we call them “Maine Coon”). There is no information about when exactly it has been discovered nor about if they had other origins, although some myths say that they are descendants of Viking ship cats.. Although we don't have the exact date of the discovery,  the Maine Coon cats was introduced in a USA cat show for the first time in the late 19th century. Today, the Maine Coon is one of the most popular cat breeds in the world. 

We do think Maine Coons are the best human companion we can have, let us explain why, 

You may have heard people referring to him as The Gentle Giant, the Dog-like cat, and for good reason, Maine Coon is adored and admired for its friendly, loyal and obedient personality. They are highly intelligent and well-mannered, which make them very enjoyable to live with. They get along well with kids and other pets, they love water and sleeping with their human pawrents. They are trainable, adaptable, and very curious. 

They don't live the “cat life”, they live their human life, they will be your kitchen assistant, watching your favourite Netflix serie with you, assisting you in household chores and so on. Once you have a Maine Coon, you will get addicted to them. Their facial expressions are also very funny and interesting. They know how to communicate their needs and make themselves understood by us. They know how to knock the doors and also how to open the doors. They love playing and are also easily trainable for outdoor walk (Yes I am talking about a Maine Coon cat, not a dog!)

Just like any other living breed, Maine Coon have their own health issues.   

If you are considering getting a Maine Coon kitten, you should know about their health risks. Most of the time, if you are getting a Maine Coon from an ethical breeder, your cats shall be healthy and free of any genetic health issue, as the breeder will only breed healthy Maine Coon and operate regular health check on their breeding pairs to ensure they won’t pass any genetic illness to their offspring. The most common genetic issues that are affecting Maine Coon are as follow : 

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) 

Spinal Muscular Atrophy is an inherited genetic disease of the Maine Coon caused by degeneration of the neurons responsible for voluntary and conscious movements (walking, running, holding the head, swallowing etc.). In the Maine Coon, the first symptoms appear around the age of 3 months: the kitten has difficulty walking and jumping and may have tremors of the hind limbs. In some kittens, breathing is more difficult and accelerated at times. There is currently no treatment for SMA. 

Hip Dysplasia (HD)

Hip Dysplasia is a malformation of the hips joints, specifically in the head of the femur bone, which will later cause the development of arthritis in the hip joint. The common signs of HD include excessive licking or chewing of the affected area, limping, difficulty to get up and moving around, avoidance of physical activity and exercise. 

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) 

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a condition that affects the heart’s ability to pump blood throughout the body. The clinical signs are those of heart failure. They are not very specific and vary greatly in intensity. Decompensation can be very sudden, without any warning signs. A significant number of cats with major HCM may remain asymptomatic and unchanged on auscultation for a long time. This makes them a real trap for the owner, the veterinarian and the cat. They are candidates for a sudden and unpredictable "cardiac accident", for example, during an anaesthesia for an operation as simple as a scaling. In the more progressive forms, the signs of call can be fatigue, loss of appetite, and depression.

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

PKD is a kidney disease, cats that have the genetic mutation do not show symptoms at birth. Polycystic Kidney Disease is characterised by the presence of cysts in the kidneys that compress the kidney tissue and prevent the kidney from functioning properly. The cysts multiply and grow until they invade the entire kidney parenchyma, most often bilaterally (both kidneys are affected), leading to kidney failure. Symptoms appear gradually, between 3 and 10 years old on average. The symptoms are those of a chronic renal failure: the cat drinks and urinates more. Other signs may appear: loss of appetite (anorexia), weight loss, vomiting, lethargy, bad breath (halitosis).