The loving, giant Maine Coons are a healthy and hardy breed. There is data that shows that the average lifespan of these cats in a domestic environment is between 12 and 15 years .
Statistics also show (pet insurance data) that with proper care, more than half of animals live to at least 16.5 years or more . Maine Coon cats live longer than male cats by an average of 1-1.5 years, which is typical for most breeds.
Of course, with proper maintenance, the lifespan of Maine Coons can be significantly increased. Overall this is a robust and healthy breed whose life is mainly affected by diet, exercise, oral hygiene and general veterinary care.
There are several genetic diseases that Maine Coons are predisposed to, but again, regular checkups and early detection of problems can prevent severe consequences and increase your pet's lifespan. In addition to regular checkups with your veterinarian, your cat will also need regular vaccinations.
Maine Coon lifespan: myths and reality
There is a myth among some inexperienced Maine Coon lovers that cats of this breed live very short lives: sometimes they quote figures of 5-6 years, or even 4 years. There are several versions of where this idea “grows” from:
- Most often at the exhibition you can meet young cats and cats who are in full bloom and have not yet completed their breeding and exhibition career. At approximately the age of 6-7 years, they are spayed or neutered, and they remain in the kennel or find new owners, and live quite a full life for a long time. This may give rise to the idea that Maine Coons do not live long, but in fact, they simply cease to be visible.
- There is an opinion that purebred animals have poor health due to the fact that the genotype does not update; various hereditary diseases develop from generation to generation, and for this reason the life expectancy of Maine Coons is not too high. This fear is partly justified, however, conscientious breeders closely monitor the health of the animals they allow for breeding and, in order to avoid degeneration of the breed, carry out careful selection.
- Another version according to which it is believed that Maine Coons do not live too long is the large weight and size of the animal. There is no reason to trust this opinion; it arose by analogy with large breeds of dogs. The fact is that it is known among dog breeders that large breeds of dogs live shorter lives than small ones. This does not apply at all to cats: each breed has its own characteristics and difficulties, but this has nothing to do with its size.
It is quite difficult to answer the question exactly how long Maine Coon cats live at home: after all, in our country they gained popularity relatively recently, about ten years ago, so a large amount of statistical data simply has not yet been accumulated.
According to European and American experts who have been working with this breed for decades, on average, Maine Coon cats live 14-16 years. Maine Coon cats live a little shorter: their life expectancy is from 12 to 15 years.
Hereditary diseases
Maine Coons may suffer from the following hereditary diseases that shorten their life:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- Spinal muscular atrophy.
- Hip dysplasia.
- Polycystic kidney disease.
Any of these diseases can significantly shorten a cat’s lifespan, so you need to take a responsible approach to choosing a kitten. You should only buy Maine Coons from nurseries whose owners are interested in getting healthy offspring.
How old do Maine Coons grow?
Most owners, as a rule, are concerned about another important point: to what age do Maine Coons grow? Final psychological and physiological maturation occurs only by the age of three - approximately at this age puberty begins. However, for another year or two the animal will mature: its chest will expand, muscle mass will increase, and perhaps its weight will increase slightly. So 4-5 years is the age of maturity, when cats are active and full of energy.
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What affects life expectancy
There are several factors that influence the overall lifespan of a domestic cat, and the main criterion that determines the age of death of a pet is its habitat or living conditions. All other equal conditions, including heredity and the presence of chronic diseases, allow an outdoor cat to live two or three times less than their domestic counterparts.
On the street, cats face a huge number of dangers and various pathogens of serious diseases. Uncontrolled street reproduction is also a very negative factor.
The average lifespan of a cat is also seriously influenced by nutrition, but among specialists and veterinarians there is currently no consensus on the type of “correct” nutrition for such a pet.
Not only ready-made diets can be used that can provide a pet with all the necessary nutrients, minerals and vitamin complexes, but also natural products that are physiological for the animal. In any case, finished feed should not be below the premium level.
This is interesting! The breed characteristics of the cat are also of particular importance. For example, Siamese and Manx cats, as well as Cornish Rex cats, can live for about two decades, and the life expectancy of a Burmese cat, as a rule, does not exceed fifteen years.
As veterinary practice shows, sterilization of a pet has a positive effect on the pet’s life expectancy . This feature is due to the fact that in animals that have undergone such a procedure, the risk of developing various diseases in the reproductive system is minimal, and, among other things, there are no problems associated with the frequent birth of offspring.
Causes of death of Maine Coons
The myth that Maine Coons do not live long is also associated with quite common reasons for their early death.
Fall from a great height
Having some peculiarities in the structure of the body, it is difficult for the Maine Coon to stay on narrow railings or sides, and in combination with absolute fearlessness, this feature often costs the animal’s life. Like other cats, they do not know how to roll over when falling on their paws, so, unfortunately, they break.
Owners should be especially careful - not to leave open windows and loggias in the apartment where pets live, and it is best if there is a special anti-cat grill on the windows.
Poisoning, suffocation and injuries
Due to their curious nature, not only kittens, but also adult cats often climb into hard-to-reach places where they can get seriously injured. For the sake of the game, they obtain various small objects with which they risk choking.
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Poisoning occurs with household chemicals, so you need to carefully hide everything that could pose a potential danger to the animal.
Poor feed quality
It is strictly not recommended to feed animals with food of dubious quality: this reduces their life expectancy sharply and increases the risk of various diseases significantly.
If the choice is made in favor of ready-made dry food, then it should be only premium food. You can feed your coon natural food, but then the diet must be carefully balanced and not contain harmful ingredients.
Life extension
In order for the Maine Coon to live longer, its owner needs to take good care of it, feed it properly, maintain it and carry out veterinary measures on time. If your pet gets sick, it is necessary to start treating it as soon as possible, as this will help reduce the risk of complications and, ultimately, prolong its life.
Care
Caring for a cat includes a mandatory daily examination, as well as systematic combing of the coat, cleaning of the eyes, ears, teeth and trimming of claws. These simple measures will help prevent health problems.
Before bringing your pet into the house, you need to make sure that the furniture is securely fastened and will not fall off when the cat jumps.
It is better to move all unstable objects, as well as indoor plants, to a place where the cat cannot reach them. Medicines, cosmetics and household chemicals should be stored in closed boxes.
Nutrition
Proper nutrition plays a big role in the lifespan of Maine Coons. From the very first day a kitten arrives in the house, it is very important to feed it either high-quality industrial food of premium class or higher, or nutritious homemade food.
Industrial food is selected according to the age and needs of the cat. There are special diets for kittens, for pregnant and lactating cats, and for older animals. If the cat suffers from chronic diseases, then it should be fed with dietary food, which is recommended by the veterinarian.
You cannot overfeed a Maine Coon, as this leads to obesity and significantly shortens its life.
Physical exercise
For a pet to live a long time, it must lead an active lifestyle. You need to play outdoor games with your Maine Coon more often; walks in the fresh air are also beneficial for animals. But in the city you should not let your cat go for a walk on his own: it will be better if the pet is outside under the supervision of the owner. A good solution would be to equip a special play corner for the Maine Coon, where he can freely play and jump on top, that is, do what cats do in the wild.
Disease Prevention
To reduce the risk of contracting infections, it is necessary to vaccinate your cat promptly. Preventive anthelmintic and flea treatments are also mandatory. If an animal is sick, you need to take it to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible so that the doctor can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. It is impossible to treat cats on your own with whatever you can, following the dubious recommendations of non-specialists, as this can cause irreparable harm to their health.
It is necessary to keep the condition of the pet’s cardiovascular system and musculoskeletal system under control, for which it is recommended to carry out preventive examinations in the clinic.
Care for claws and teeth
If your cat receives dry food, you can brush your teeth once a month. When receiving soft food, you need to clean it more often - 2-3 times a month. The brush is selected depending on the size of the animal. The animal takes care of its claws on its own, the main thing is that it has a special scratching post. Otherwise, the upholstered furniture or wood in the house will suffer.
Description of the breed
The fur of these cats consists of several layers. The top layer is long, thick and coarse hair. Maine Coons need them to protect them from strong winds, cold weather, and also from various mechanical stress. The bottom layer of the pile consists of short and curly hairs, which create protection from moisture, wind and retain heat.
The Maine Coon has long hair only on its back, sides, hind legs, belly and tail. The hair on the head, paws and shoulders is shorter. Cats always have a beautiful frill.
If you keep the animal in an enclosure, or at least give it frequent walks and sleep outside, in a special booth, then the cat will grow beautiful thick hair and he will also really like such walks;
There are a large number of cat species in the world, but the Maine Coon is considered the largest cat in the cat family. They reach a weight of 10 kilograms. The kitty is lighter and smaller than a cat, but has a more aggressive face.
It is a misconception that huge cats eat a lot; in this they are no different from the most common and medium-sized cats.
These are amazing cats, with perfect memory and intelligence. With excellent coat and an easy-going, soft character, despite its impressive proportions.
Breed standards.
As for appearance, according to standards, a cat’s skull should be massive with pronounced cheekbones. The head, like that of kittens, is longer in length than it is wide.
The eyes are oval-shaped, set far away and slightly oblique. The cat's color and eye color should be in harmony.
The body is quite large, muscular and long.
The paws are large, but proportional to the rest of the body. They have small tufts of fur between their toes.
The tail is large and fluffy. If you bend it towards your head, it will completely reach your shoulder blades.
The coat is long and thick. “Panties” are clearly visible on the hind legs.
Their color may vary, but they are always beautiful. They can be white, red, spotted, gray, marbled and others.
There are slight differences by region and country, but in general the appearance of the kuna should meet general requirements. Among them there are different characteristics.
Wool
Has three lengths. A dense undercoat adheres to the skin. It is followed by an elongated guard pile. Next comes the outer layer. It is rougher than the others and performs a protective function. In short, the fur coat is on the face and shoulders. The back and belly are more fluffy. The chest is decorated with a chic frill. The color can be any except chocolate. The most common color is brindle and black.
Muzzle
The wide head has square contours and is medium in size. The cheeks are convex and the forehead is rounded. The mustache is very long, the nose is straight. The eyes are set wide. Their color is uniform, any shades of green or gold. The white color is characterized by blue or multi-colored ones. Their ears are large, with tassels like those of a lynx. The distance between them is short.
The head is connected to it by a strong neck. The chest is wide. The muscles are well developed. The body is elongated and large in size. The muscular paws have tufts of fur between the toes. The massive tail tapers towards the end. He's quite fluffy.
Relationships with children.
This is a real great friend for them. Despite his tall and menacing appearance, he has a gentle character. He will never offend a child, because he treats all members of his family with equal care.
Joint fun
Gets great pleasure from the interaction process. He likes to hide so that he can suddenly jump out from around the corner. The game reminds him of hunting, because nature has the need to be a predator and breadwinner. It jumps to great heights, but this is not entirely safe for the animal itself; there is a risk of damaging the bones.
Only in natural conditions does endurance approach its maximum level. These are lovers of freedom. If they jump on the closet, then it should be spacious. Often becomes an assistant. If you love badminton, your cat will happily bring you a shuttlecock or rackets.
If you pick him up often, he will consider it violence. It is better to wait until the pet itself wants to sit closer. Requires respect for his own person, but he can be easily drawn into the game. Then you won't have to feel guilty about trying to violate your friend's personal boundaries.
Thanks to its calm disposition and unusual habits, the Maine Coon makes you fall in love at first sight. This applies to both hosts and guests. He will not leave anyone indifferent, making him admire his manners and size. At the same time, big cats are absolutely harmless and have a kind heart. They have the manners of real intellectuals.
For children, Maine Coons will be a good nanny and playmate. They are very friendly, calm and patient. Even if a child unknowingly hurts a cat, it is unlikely that he will release his claws; most likely, the animal will simply hide. But of course, you shouldn’t let kids drag the animal by the tail, jump on it and pull its whiskers. You must immediately explain that the cat will be in pain and may bite him.
Cats will play with children with pleasure, but to make such games safe, it is better to use a rope for them, otherwise during the games the cat may accidentally scratch the baby;
Nutrition - what and how to feed?
Proper feeding of Maine Coons is an important part of a cat’s healthy life. It is important to choose the right food and water containers for your pet.
It is necessary to take into account the fact that in the wild, the ancestors of cats, before drinking, try to clear the surface of the water from debris, fallen leaves, and twigs. At the same time, water is sprayed in different directions. Pets have retained this reflex. The Maine Coon may even knock over a bowl of water or move it along the floor. Therefore, the drinking container should be moderately heavy or fixed to the floor so that it does not move and cannot tip over.
The food bowl should be kept away from the water container. Otherwise, splashes that get into the food bowl can ruin the food. If the cat stays at home without its owners for a long time, it is better to purchase a water bottle. Water should always be fresh and clean.
Feeding Maine Coons has its own rules:
Intellectual abilities
They have an amazing memory. They quickly learn commands. They easily perceive a person’s words. They immediately clearly understand what they can and cannot do. They will not take other people’s toys, but they are ready to defend their space and personal “property”. It seems that they are looking at you with understanding and intelligent eyes. Scientists have proven that Coons can plan actions in advance.
Their energy is tuned to the common field of the family. Animals easily adapt to the habits of their owners. They always need communication, but prefer to determine its dosage on their own. When the owner returns home, they show restrained joy and love to be close to him. At the same time, they do not impose themselves.
They clearly grasp the intonation of voices, evaluate the actions and gestures of people, choosing the appropriate line of behavior for themselves. They can reveal all their facets only in close contact with family members. Their affection is similar in depth to the love of a dog. If your pet is treated distantly, he will also ignore you.
