Any Maine Coon Lovers Here?

[Sea Ray]

We've been a Maine Coon family since we discovered the breed 25 yrs ago. For those that don't know they're a big, furry breed of cat that are also very lovable! They've been nicknamed gentle giants.

I discovered them on accident. I bought a cat at a pet store in the late 80s and years later I noticed how much he resembled a cat in a book of cat breeds and it said Maine Coon under it. As I read more and more I saw how my cat had their traits. Since then I've had three more Maine Coon "mixes" and tragically I had to put one down last week. As I looked for a replacement I decided I'd try a pure bred this time. I'm excited to announce that I found one and I'll be picking him up this weekend.

Maine Coons are highly people-oriented cats, but they are not overly-dependent. They do not constantly pester you for attention, but prefer to "hang out" with you, investigating whatever activity you're involved in and "helping" when they can. They are not, as a general rule, known as "lap cats" but as with any personality trait there are a few Maine Coons that prefer laps. Most Maine Coons will stay close by, probably occupying the chair next to yours instead. Maines will follow you from room to room and wait outside a closed door for you to emerge. A Maine Coon will be your companion, your buddy or your pal but not in your face.

They have big bushy tails and tufts that emerge from their ears. I've never had much luck copy and pasting pictures onto RZ but maybe someone with more skills than me can do so. Otherwise I'd put a pic up here.

Any of you have a Maine Coon by any chance? Any other breeds that you like?

[pedro]

Sorry to hear about your cat Sea Ray, WOY has two Maine Coons and they're a great breed. I have two tabby's myself, and they're great pals too.

[cumberlandreds]

Never had a Maine Coon. I've seen them at cat shows and they are a nice looking breed. I wouldn't mind owning one someday myself. We got a Bengal-Cat from the local animal shelter this past summer. Their personalities sound very much alike. She is people person who likes to be with us almost all the time. She can be a little mouthy at times but overall she is one of the most loving cats I have ever had.

[WMR]

Cats are a funny animal. I'm more of a dog guy myself nowadays, but my sister has a cat and it's really fun to play/mess around with it.

[Sea Ray]

Sorry to hear about your cat Sea Ray, WOY has two Maine Coons and they're a great breed. I have two tabby's myself, and they're great pals too.

I appreciate that. :beerme:

It was a tough call but I'm confident I made the right decision. You see it wasn't a slam dunk as many of life's most important calls aren't. Basically he was constipated so I figured the vet would give him an enema and that'd pretty much be it. Unfortunately a barium x-ray showed a length of 9" and a 1.5" width of "stuff" in there. After spending $700 to find that out and very little progress from enemas, I was told that the next option would be to go to a specialist and remove his colon. That's hard on a cat and afterall, cats (especially older ones) need their colons. So it was kind of a shocker but the circle of life continues and we'll grow from this.

I love the tabby markings. The M on the forehead, stripes and all. I understand cats being pals and all but then there's the saying that "dogs live with you but cats just kind of let you live with them..."

[Sea Ray]

Cats are a funny animal. I'm more of a dog guy myself nowadays, but my sister has a cat and it's really fun to play/mess around with it.

Cats aren't for everyone. I love dogs too but they're a lot of work, especially the house training bit. My wife has allergies to most dogs so I don't have to even go there. I just enjoy playing with other people's dogs.:)

[cumberlandreds]

I appreciate that. :beerme:

It was a tough call but I'm confident I made the right decision. You see it wasn't a slam dunk as many of life's most important calls aren't. Basically he was constipated so I figured the vet would give him an enema and that'd pretty much be it. Unfortunately a barium x-ray showed a length of 9" and a 1.5" width of "stuff" in there. After spending $700 to find that out and very little progress from enemas, I was told that the next option would be to go to a specialist and remove his colon. That's hard on a cat and afterall, cats (especially older ones) need their colons. So it was kind of a shocker but the circle of life continues and we'll grow from this.

I love the tabby markings. The M on the forehead, stripes and all. I understand cats being pals and all but then there's the saying that "dogs live with you but cats just kind of let you live with them..."

I'm sorry to hear about that Sea Ray. It's always tough to make that decision about your pet. :(

[Caveman Techie]

I have a maine coon cat currently. We got her from the shelter so I don't think she is pure breed, but she definitely has a lot of the characteristics you were listing with a few twists. She is going on 12 years old and was raised by my former German Shepard dog so she thinks she is a dog. She will come when I call her, heel, and walk beside me without a leash. She used to like to ride around on my shoulder when she was younger but now she prefers if I carry her or walk on her own. Lets see if I can link a picture.

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1187/2765/1600/Picture%20019.jpg

[foxfire123]

We have what I call North American Alley Cats, but I have friends with Maine Coons, and they are quite cool critters!

Searay, I'm so sorry for the loss of your family member. I'm finally having to accept that our guys are getting elderly--two of our girls were diagnosed hyperthyroid last month, and I'm hating having to face the fact that yes, they are getting older (both are 14). And have you ever tried to pill a cat? This is what I look forward to every day: http://www.nanceestar.com/CatPill.html

[westofyou]

I have two litter mates, the runt and the biggest, both males. The runt has been very sick, so he's lost some weight, at his peak he was 11 pounds, he has some issues so my fingers are crossed that he pulls through, the big guy weighs 16 pounds and has never sat in anybody's lap, but gets as close to me without touching as he can and both are followers and watchers. Though the little guy loves laps.

The breed is more dog like than any other breed, and without the dreaded dog guilt stare

[westofyou]

We have what I call North American Alley Cats, but I have friends with Maine Coons, and they are quite cool critters!

Searay, I'm so sorry for the loss of your family member. I'm finally having to accept that our guys are getting elderly--two of our girls were diagnosed hyperthyroid last month, and I'm hating having to face the fact that yes, they are getting older (both are 14). And have you ever tried to pill a cat? This is what I look forward to every day: http://www.nanceestar.com/CatPill.html

I have 3 liquids and pill every morning, and 1 liquid at night, today I poked him with a needle and gave him IV fluids.

It's exhausting stuff this nursing life stuff

[foxfire123]

That it is Westofyou. the one girl was good about taking her medicine in her food until the vet raised the dosage and she could taste it. Now she's on to me and won't eat when I give her her own little plate of food. I just get that "up yours you evil &^&%&^%&^" look.

So now it's tackle and stuff on both of them.... Oh Joy. lol!

[Sea Ray]

This is what I look forward to every day: http://www.nanceestar.com/CatPill.html

Hilarious! :lol:

They've come out with something I'll describe as "meat cups" but they're little pouch treats that you can buy where you put the pill in to hide and then give your pet "the treat". I've used it with dogs and they love it but of course cats are another story. I know they make these things for cats but I can't say as I've seen them work. I've had my best luck burying it in their moist food (it's gotta be one they love like salmon) and then check the bowl and make sure it's gone.

The things we do for our pets. I spent $800 in less than a week on my now deceased kitty. I spent another $100 to update shots on my healthy kitty so he's fully immunized before we bring in a new kitten who may be carrying God Knows what. Then I'll be taking the new kitten in for his immunizations, neutering, etc. I'm driving 400 miles one way to pick him up today and I'm bringing $500 cash to pay to the breeder (I've already put down a $250 deposit).

On top of all of that, I might not get back in time to watch the Super Bowl. How's that for commitment? Even with all of that, I'm looking forward to it all. It'll be a fun adventure.

[LoganBuck]

We had a feral Maine coon show up years ago, at the farm. She lasted at least ten years her progeny can be identified by the long hair, but none have the distinctive coloring anymore. They are good hunters.

[WVRed]

I had a Maine Coon that lived for 18 years. Believe it or not he wondered in on us when he was a kitten. Basically everything Sea Ray said was right. They make good mouse-cats if you have a problem with mice.

Right now I have a short haired Siamese. Had a long-haired Siamese and they were brothers but we had to have the long-haired one put down about a year ago.

One of my favorites though is my grandmother's. She has an American Bobtail Calico that wondered in about five years ago. They are very entertaining and friendly.

[SunDeck]

Had a Maine Coon and when we room mates split up and went our separate ways, he ended up with one of them. Great cat, wonderful personality...and a great leaper too.
And a big boy.

[Spitball]

When I was a kid, we had a summer cottage on Long Lake in the Harrison, Maine. There was this elderly local lady who used to visit and told us that Maine coon cats were the results of wild raccoons mating with domestic cats.

I believed the story until I was in my teens and just happened to be paying attention in my tenth grade biology class. :)

[Sea Ray]

We brought the 6 yr old cat back to the house last night and he's none too pleased. It's like Garfield and Nermal. As of today he still wants us to take the kitten back to wherever he came from. He's sulking in the crawl space right now. I will say the kitten is not backing down. If the big cat blocks his way, he just runs around or over him and answers hiss with hiss. We'll see how long this goes on for but I think they'll eventually be friends because the original cat is used to being around other cats. He lived with our other cat up until about two weeks ago when we took him to the vet for the last time so it's not like he's used to having the house to himself.

[LoganBuck]

A feral tiger cat, with some Maine Coon features has shown up at the farm. He is super wild and is only observed from about 100 ft away right now. I did see him stroll by the barn this morning while I was inside the barn. He drank from a puddle, and I could clearly identify his black ear tips and shaggy mane. The rest of his body has short hair, and a thin tail though.

http://www.rivercatsmainecoons.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Euphratesnoinitials.jpg

Kind of like this guy with a thin tail.

[Dom Heffner]

First of all, Sea Ray, sorry for your loss. We just lost our beloved golden lab, and I'm having a pretty hard time getting over it.

Never heard of this cat, but it's a gorgeous breed. We have two, a mutt and a Bengal, which looks a lot like the picture Logan posted, though with the thin tail.

We also had a Savannah, which is a mix between a Serval and Bengal, I think. Wild, feral, a hoot to own...

They have a pelt instead of the normal coat of hair- just like a rabbit. They are the smartest cat I've ever been around.

And wow, do they talk. I have to keep them in the garage at night or I get no sleep.

[Sea Ray]

Our kitten is doing great except he seems to "have the runs" . He can make it to the litterbox and all but afterwords his coat back there and his feet can get smelly and we have to clean him up. We're trying to mix some yogurt into his food and we're going to give him food with a higher starch content. Any Pepto-Bismo suggestions for this trouble?

[cumberlandreds]

Our kitten is doing great except he seems to "have the runs" . He can make it to the litterbox and all but afterwords his coat back there and his feet can get smelly and we have to clean him up. We're trying to mix some yogurt into his food and we're going to give him food with a higher starch content. Any Pepto-Bismo suggestions for this trouble?

Try mixing some canned pumpkin in with his food. My wife did that with our previous cat and it helped. She had read about it somewhere that pumpkin can either help the stools become firmer or make them softer. In this case it helped our cat with the firmer part of it.

[Sea Ray]

Try mixing some canned pumpkin in with his food. My wife did that with our previous cat and it helped. She had read about it somewhere that pumpkin can either help the stools become firmer or make them softer. In this case it helped our cat with the firmer part of it.

Thanks for the tip! Never would have thought of that

[TeamCasey]

We have a Maine coon and a Maine coon mutt. Great hunters. (Except for the mouse that was loose on the second floor for a month ....... I will never let them live that down.)

[TeamCasey]

I can pill a cat pretty easily by myself.

Liquids are another story if you don't have anyone to help you.

[Sea Ray]

We have a Maine coon and a Maine coon mutt. Great hunters. (Except for the mouse that was loose on the second floor for a month ....... I will never let them live that down.)

The Maine Coon mutts are great too! That's all we've had up until now.

The one surprising thing about the Maine Coon purebred is, although he's young, so far he's an "in your face" kitty. He climbs up our chests and can't sleep alone. Typically Maine Coons are known as hang out cats where they tend to be with you but not on you. My daughter is loving this. She's fine with it.

This kitten also is the first cat I've had in a long time that is insistent on taking the food right off your plate. He's pushy.