Cat's Name & Age:
Petit Pain (Muffie, for short), 5 on May 31, 2010.
Best Characteristics of the Breed
They are all love: you, kittens, other cats, dogs, etc.
Most Challenging Characteristics of the Breed
They are prone to Hypercardiomyopathy and gingivitis.
When, Where and How I Got My Maine Coon
I got both of my Maine Coons from Kinneycoons in Michigan. I found them on the internet because I was looking for a good Michigan cattery. Cheryl Kinney raises the cats underfoot until they're 12 weeks old. She sees they get their check-ups and shots and that they are well socialized. She raises truly loving cats.
I'd Describe My Cat As…
My Muffie is laid back. He spends most of his life on his back, paws up in the air. Of course, his photograph is on the last page of Cat Fancy's special issue on Maine Coons, and there, he's standing up, but it has to be a special occasion. He was very easy to train. He's darling and very cooperative. He does have medical problems. He has one gene for HCM, so I make sure to take extra special care of his heart by giving him CoQ10, E, Taurine, B vitamins, and Omega-3s. I also take him to the cardiologist, with his older brother, for ultrasounds. So far, both boys are fine. His brother even got over a 4-year-long heart murmur. Muffie also is prone to gingivitis. I brush all my cats' teeth every day with CET toothpaste and CET mouthwash. I also give him vitamins C and A, alternating with Beta Carotene, and Zinc, all of which keep the gingivitis at bay. He had diarrhea for years because he's allergic to chicken and practically all cat food has chicken in it. I ended up taking them off dry food, which I use only as a treat, and feeding fresh roast turkey breast and baby food (Gerber's has no onion or garlic). In addition, I had to give Muffie a probiotic to straighten out his digestion. I use Florasmart because it is made without calcium, which is a dangerous supplement to give a male cat.
Fortunately, Muffie also eats Wellness Turkey, and Salmon and Turkey, so he gets some of his vitamins from his food, but his elder, full-blood brother, Biscuit, can't eat cat food of any kind. It makes him throw up immediately, so I have to supplement everything he needs. Despite these problems, these cats are precious, and the breeder was not at fault. She has never had a cat with hypercardiomyopathy, and we didn't know these cats carried the gene until the test came out. She then tested all of her cats and had the parents removed from her breeding program, so that she can now say her cattery is HCM free. She offered to give me new cats for mine, but I loved my two guys, and I think they will continue to be healthier and healthier. I could never find two more lovable guys.
Advice
- Cats, when you care for them properly, are a lot of work.
- Train your guests to close the front door behind them.
- Cats are obligate carnivores. Check all food labels before feeding them carbohydrates that will make them throw up, and eventually wear down their digestive systems.
