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Pros and Cons of Maine Coons



 
 
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  #11  
Old January 30th 05, 07:54 PM
Brian Link
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On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 10:30:45 -0500, "Cathy Friedmann"
wrote:


"Sherry " wrote in message
...
I'm thinking of purchasing a Maine Coon and would appreciate any tips
on care, grooming, indoors vs outdoors, etc., as well as caveats. The
no.2 on my list is a Bengal, and so I would especially appreciate
comparisons between the two in terms of personality, habits, and the
like. For example, my impression is that the Maine Coon is not a
jumper like the Bengal.

Thanks
Bruce

Just my experience. Maine Coons aren't jumpers.


In my limited experience (my parents' Maine Coon) I don't think they are
jumpers, either. Maybe because they're so big/long that they can reach a
lot by simply stretching? ;-)

snipped

Now. That said, and all pretentiousness aside, a "Maine Coon" is nothing

more
than an extra-large jumbo sized furry cat with a bushy tail. Wanna-be

Maine
Coons are in shelters everywhere.


I second this. My parents' cat may well have not been a purebred Maine
Coon - my father found him in their driveway, wandering around, when a tiny
kitten. Otoh, all of his physical characteristics certainly matched those
of a Maine Coon.

Cathy


Is the cat being used as a pillow by the Bengal a Maine Coon?

http://frontpage.visi.com/~blink/images/Henry%20001.jpg

Or this kitty?

http://frontpage.visi.com/~blink/images/Henry%20005.jpg

Nope. Mutts, both of 'em.

At one point I'd heard it explained that the common type of
mouser/ratter that was brought to the new world from overseas had most
of these characteristics. It shows up very frequently in arbitrary DSH
matings.

Tiger (first cat above) had short-haired parents, one solid black the
other tortoise-shell. Who knows who Henry's parents were.

Maine Coon breeders have simply selected the nicest of these
characteristics and bred for it, AFAIK.

BLink

  #13  
Old January 30th 05, 11:52 PM
jamie
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Sherry wrote:
Just my experience. Maine Coons aren't jumpers. The males are just big goofy
love sucks really. They're very laid back and tend to bond to one person in
particular. They are quiet, and don't meow much at all; they "trill" more. The
coat maintenance varies from cat to cat; one of my grandcats has particularly
oily fur and matts easily. The other one doesn't. But it's still not a big
deal. Daily brushing takes care of it just fine. They thrive as indoor cats. As
far as caveats, I really don't know any. They are delightful cats. I believe
there are issues concerning hip dysplacia (sp?) and PKD, probably other genetic
things common with that breed, you'd have to ask a breeder; I don't know much
about that.


Maine coons are known for sleeping in odd positions, like half
on and half off an object, or twisted so that they look as though
they fell off the furniture and just stayed the way they landed.

Mine is not a jumper, but he had mild hipdysplasia such that he had
some difficulty jumping higher than a chair until he was more than a
year old. He had the habit very early of sitting up like a gopher to
look around, probably because jumping was difficult, and instead of
lying down normally, he tended to pick a spot and let himself fall
over (with a "boom" on the old wood floors where we lived when he
was young). In old age he finally started lying down normally,
I guess letting himself fall over eventually became painful on old
bones, even though we have carpeting.

He likes to be in the room where the people are, but is too big to
be comfortable in a lap. He prefers to either lie at our feet or on
the puffy top of the couch above us. He also doesn't meow, he sort
of bleats like a baby goat.

His coat was never a problem until he was over 12, even though he would
never tolerate more than a few strokes of brushing with any kind of
brush or comb or shedding blade. But he became less active and got
rather round when he was 12, which interfered with his own grooming
of his lower half, and his hair became finer and somewhat frizzy.
He likes to lay on damp grass in the warm weather, and the frizzy
hair almost instantly mats when it gets wet. I do my best
to work a flea comb under the bottom of the mat, so I can cut it off
without catching any skin.

--
jamie )

"There's a seeker born every minute."

  #14  
Old January 31st 05, 01:08 AM
LauraM
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By the way, my main coon (Hobbes) LOVES to lay on his back with his
legs hanging open. He does this all the time and loves it when I pet
his stomach. He makes these cooing/snorting sounds when I do that
indicating that he's in cat heaven. He also follows me around all the
time which is so cute.

  #15  
Old January 31st 05, 02:49 AM
Sherry
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I would agree with the judge. They prefer to be next to you rather
than on you. I


That must depend on the cat. Some of them like very much to be "on" their
owners. :-)
http://members.aol.com/jjrich0523/jamieorion2.jpg
 




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