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Great Book on Maine Coons ~ Complete Pet Owners Manual


First and Foremost your Kitten needs a lot of Love 


Supplies you will need for your Maine Coon Kitten

Food and Water



Pet Carrier



Bedding



Litter Box



Brush and Comb



Toys



Scratching Post



When buying a Cat Tree make sure it has a large base 

Good size for 

Maine Coons



Temperament

While Maine Coons are highly people-oriented cats, they are not overly-dependent. They do not constantly pester you for attention, but prefer to "hang out" with their owners, 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. Maine Coons 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, your pal, but hardly ever your baby. Maine Coons are relaxed and easy-going in just about everything they do. The males tend to be the clowns while the females retain more dignity, but both remain playful throughout their lives. They generally get along with kids and dogs, as well as other cats. they are not as vertically-oriented as some other breeds, they prefer to chase objects on the ground and grasping them in their large paws - no doubt instincts developed as professional mousers. Many Maine Coons will play fetch with their owners.   

Sleep

Cats are the undisputed sleep champions of the animal kingdom. Only the notoriously slow-footed sloth, which sleeps away an estimated 80 percent of its life, catches more shut-eye. Although the number of hours a cat spends sleeping can vary considerably among individuals, felines spend an aver​age of 16 hours per day in slumber land.

Food

Kinds of food

Typically, as with all other domestic cats, the Maine Coon loves kibble which is a form of dry food. this kind of food is easy to serve in a plain bowl, which can be reloaded with kibble throughout the as 

needed . Most cats know when to stop eating their fill, so it isn't necessary for you to take the bowl 

away after the cats have partaken.

There are certain owners of the Maine Coon who add a form of wet nutrition to provide their cats with a variety in their dietary routine, but wet food isn't the best food for the main diet of the Maine Coon. 

It is okay as a once while reward, because cats who are given wet food tend to neglect the 

much more nutrition and important dry kibble. Too much wet food will give the Maine Coon a case of diarrhea and when this happens, it is time to remove the wet food from the cat's diet.

Kittens

It is important to provide the Maine Coon kitten with a particular amount of food made just for them and gradually blend in the more adult food, until the kitten food is completely replaced. Breeders will often advise owners as to the duration and kind of food that works best for Maine Coon kittens. 

 

This study that was done was mainly done for dogs, 

but cats were include. 

So, this does pertain to what you are feeding your cats.

 

HHere at Koontopia we now only feed Purina. 

(Purina One and Purina Pro Plan)

T

FDA Investigation into Potential Link between Certain Diets and 

Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Updated June 27, 2019

In July 2018, the FDA announced that it had begun investigating reports of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating certain pet foods, many labeled as "grain-free," which contained a high proportion of peas, lentils, other legume seeds (pulses), and/or potatoes in various forms (whole, flour, protein, etc.) as main ingredients (listed within the first 10 ingredients in the ingredient list, before vitamins and minerals). Many of these case reports included breeds of dogs not previously known to have a genetic predisposition to the disease. The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN), a collaboration of government and veterinary diagnostic laboratories, continue to investigate this potential association. Based on the data collected and analyzed thus far, the agency believes that the potential association between diet and DCM in dogs is a complex scientific issue that may involve multiple factors. We understand the concern that pet owners have about these reports: the illnesses can be severe, even fatal, and many cases report eating “grain-free” labeled pet food. The FDA is using a range of science-based investigative tools as it strives to learn more about this emergence of DCM and its potential link to certain diets or ingredients. Following an update in February 2019 that covered investigative activities through November 30, 2018, this is the FDA’s third public report on the status of this investigation.

Cases Reported to FDA

For the purposes of this investigation, the FDA defines a “case” as an illness reported to FDA involving a dog or cat that includes a diagnosis of DCM. Many of the reports submitted to the FDA included extensive clinical information, including echocardiogram results, cardiology/veterinary records, and detailed diet histories. The numbers below only include reports in which the dog or cat was diagnosed with DCM by a veterinarian and/or veterinary cardiologist. We did not include in these numbers the many general cardiac reports submitted to the FDA that did not have a DCM diagnosis. However, this case information is still valuable, as it may show heart changes that occur before a dog develops symptomatic DCM. (Please see the Vet-LIRN DCM Investigative Update for more technical information on the reported cases, including those without a formal diagnosis of DCM). Although the FDA first received a few sporadic reports of DCM as early as 2014, the vast majority of the reports were submitted after the agency notified the public about the potential DCM/diet issue in July 2018.

When examining the most commonly reported pet food brands named in DCM reports submitted to the FDA, it is important to note that the graph below is based on reports that included brand information and that some reports named multiple brands. Brands that were named ten or more times are featured below. For a granular, case-by-case breakdown of DCM reports submitted to the FDA.

FDA urges pet owners to work with their veterinarians, who may consult a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, to obtain the most appropriate dietary advice for their pet's specific needs prior to making diet changes. 

To better characterize diets reported in DCM cases, product labels were examined to determine whether the product was grain-free (did not contain corn, soy, wheat, rice, barley or other grains), and whether the products contained peas, other lentils including chickpeas and beans, or potatoes (including sweet potatoes). Because so many products contained peas and/or lentils, a category was created for “peas and/or lentils”. More than 90 percent of products were “grain-free”, and 93 percent of reported products had peas and/or lentils. A far smaller proportion contained potatoes.

Tips on how to Kitten Proof your home 

before bringing them home

Your Maine Coon kitten certainly will live up to its reputation as the gentle giant of the cat fancy. Sweet, mild-mannered and already big for his/her age, and will charm you with his/her kitten antics and beauty. Kittens are curious little tykes and love to explore nooks and crannies. Here are tips for making sure they don't find 'toys' that can harm them. Look around your house first, at high shelves and low cupboards and hidden nooks. Do you see things that kitty might break, or harmful substances she might ingest?

If you're into needlework, keep your supplies in a closed container. Needles and thread might appear to be fine playthings, but can be fatal if your kitten swallows them. Kittens playing with balls of yarn may make delightful pictures, but put the yarn away right after the photo session. Fold and secure your window blinds cord out of kitty's reach. If they get tangled up in it, they could strangle. Kittens are wonderful little pack rats. If you don't want to find your floors littered with garbage, invest in covered wastebaskets and kitchen garbage containers. Always keep the door to your clothes dryer closed, and double-check inside before using it. Cats like to find dark, warm places to sleep, and the results could be tragic. Keep the floor clean of stray rubber bands, ribbon and twine. All are hazardous when ingested by a kitten.

Keep cupboard doors and dresser drawers securely closed. Cats can find all kinds of mischief inside, and can be injured if you close a drawer and the kitten is behind it. Use child-safe fasteners  for kitchen cabinets. Cloth drapes are better left out of reach of your furry 'curtain-climber'. Tie them up securely until your kitten is trained to a scratching post. Keep your toilet lid down at all times, lest kitty fall in or drink from it. Better yet, keep your bathroom off-limits to your kitten unless you absolutely have to keep her litter box there. Do not keep your kitten in the garage, and always keep the doors closed. Anti-freeze is very tasty to animals, and is just one of the common poisonous substances found in garages.

Cover electric cords, such as the tangle from your computer, with covers sold for that purpose. Caution: wrapping electric cords could be a fire hazard. There are a number of household plants poisonous to cats. Remove all breakable valuables from high shelves and store them in a cabinet with a door. 


Harmful Plants to Cats

Plant Common NameEffects/Symptoms

Amaryllis - Stomach and intestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea)

Azalea - Incoordination, trembling, collapse

Cactus - Punctures skin, infection

Caladium - Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, shaking head, difficulty breathing

Creeping Charlie - Vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, cramps

Easter Lily - All parts can cause kidney failure

Dieffenbachia - Affects central nervous system

Ivy - Vomiting, diarrhea, excitable behavior

Mistletoe - Ingesting berries can cause vomiting, diarrhea, blistering in the mouth, difficulty breathing

Philodendron - Same as Caladium

Poinsettia - Same as Mistletoe

Vaccinations & 

 Deworming

The American Association of Feline Practitioners divided vaccines into two categories-core and non-core. Core vaccines are considered vital to all cats and protect against panleukopenia (feline distemper), feline calici virus, feline herpes virus type I (rhinotracheitis) and rabies. Non-core vaccines are given depending on the cat's lifestyle; these include vaccines for feline leukemia virus, Bordetella, Chylamydophila felis and feline immunodeficiency virus. Your veterinarian can determine what vaccines are best for your cat.

Although some deworming medications are effective against more than one species of worms , there is no medication that is effective against them all. Accordingly, for a medication to be safe and effective, a precise diagnosis is required. It is almost important that the medicine be given precisely as directed. Natural side effects, such as diarrhea and vomiting must be distinguished from toxic reactions. All dewormers are poisons-ideally, they are more poisonous to the parasites than they are to the hosts. for these reasons it is advisable to deworm your cat only under veterinary supervision. Deworming kittens, a very large proportion of kittens are infested with ascarids. Other worms may be present too. It is advisable to have your veterinarian check your kitten's stool before treating her for ascarids. Otherwise worms and internal parasites such coccidia may go undetected. Worm infestations are particularly harmful in kittens who are subjected to overfeeding, chilling, close confinement or sudden change in diet. Stressful conditions such as these should corrected before administering a deworming agent. Do not deworm a kitten with diarrhea or other signs of illness unless your veterinarian has determined that the illness is caused by as intestinal parasite. Most veterinatians recommend that adult cats be dewormed only when there is specific evidence of an infestation. 

Bathing &

Grooming

To groom a Maine Coon doesn't involve a frequent series of battles, because mostly these cats can take care of their own grooming needs. However, if you have a desire to bring your Maine Coon to a cat show, then you will need to handle things appropriately, starting with giving your reluctant cat a bath. This article will focus primarily on maintaining your Maine Coon's luxurious coat on a regular basis. To handle the regular routine of caring for your Maine Coon cat's coat, you can plan on two times a week for this task. To accomplish this, you will want to have a comb to get rid of the matted fur, as well as a rake to groom the fur. Along with these, a set of clippers, flea comb, metal comb, cotton balls, seam ripper and white vinegar and baking soda will be needed. You will also want to use a hair dryer afterward but keep the heat on low. Take the metal comb and untangle any knots. Use a gentle combing action when doing this, begin at the edge of the tangled fur as opposed to near the base. Grab hold of any tangled fur at the base then you won't have to worry about pulling at the cat's skin while working the knots out of the fur. If the metal comb isn't enough to eliminate this tangle of fur then the seam ripper will have to come to the comb's rescue, pulling apart the mess so that it can be combed clear of knots. When this is completed the rake will be used to clear away any of the coat that is dead and loose. You will be surprised at how much fur you will rake free of your Maine Coon cat's body. Take it all out to prevent the buildup of mote knots and tangles. As you get to the tail as well as when you are working through the belly. Be careful as these are highly sensitive to these cats.

To clean your Maine Coon start with the eyes. You can dampen them with cotton balls and then wipe them clear. OR Moving to the ears of the Maine Coon cat, you also have a couple of You can either go to a local pet store to purchase wipes for their ears, or you can do it yourself using no more than plain cotton balls. There are some who care for cats who will tell you to use Q-tips, but as with human ears, this can pose a risk if they are not used right. For instance, pushing a Q-tip into the ear canal a bit too deeply, and there could be serious consequences with the eardrums. It is better to use cotton balls. When taking care of your Maine Coon’s face, you can use a facecloth that has been dampened with warm water. Be gentle as you guide the cloth around both the mouth and the area around the muzzle. Back to the ears, a nice tip for cleaning them out is by using simple apple cider vinegar. You will dilute the vinegar with about half parts of water. Take this mixture with some warm water and use it on your wrist to test for acidity. After you determine it is safe to proceed, then use a cotton ball to dip into the mixture. Be careful not to soak it through. Getting it slightly damp is enough to do the job. Clean around the insides of the ears using a soft, circular movement. Do this cleaning routine with the ears using the solution once every week. The inside of the ear will have a nice pH balance to it, which will lower the risk of getting infections in the cat’s ears.

Turning your attention to the backside of the cat, those unsightly bits of feces can get trapped inside the bushy tail and the fur along the back legs. White vinegar is the best remedy here. Use cotton balls, this time soaking them in the vinegar and applying them to the feces-coated tail and fur areas. After the vinegar treatment, add the baking soda to the area until you get a foam, which should happen almost right away. Use the blow dryer next, on the low setting, until the baking soda becomes a hard paste. When this is achieved, use the comb on the paste and it should come free, feces and all. This vinegar and baking soda mix can whiten the fur also. It should not be used at or around any sensitive areas such as genitals and face.

  Spaying

and Neutering

Here are some of the medical benefits:

Your female cat will live a longer, healthier life. Spaying helps prevent uterine infections and breast tumors, which are malignant or cancerous 90 percent of cats. Spaying your pet before her first heat offers the best protection from these diseases. Neutering your male cat companion prevents testicular cancer and some prostate problems. Your neutered male cat may be better behaved. Unneutered male cats are more likely to mark their territory by spraying strong-smelling urine all over the house. Helping Your Pet Before and After Surgery: Your veterinary clinic will provide pre-surgical advice that you should follow. In general, avoid giving your cat any food after midnight the night before surgery. A kitten, however, needs adequate nutrition, and your veterinarian may advise that food not be withheld. Your veterinarian can also provide post-operative instructions for you to follow. Although your pet may experience some discomfort after surgery, your veterinarian can take various measures to control pain. Depending on the procedure performed, medication for pain may be sent home with your pet. Here are tips for a safe and comfortable recovery: Provide your pet with a quiet place to recover indoors and away from other animals.

Prevent your pet from running and jumping for up to two weeks following surgery, or as long as your veterinarian recommends. Prevent your pet from licking the incision site, which may cause infection, by distracting your pet with treats or by using an Elizabethan collar. Avoid bathing your pet for at least ten days after surgery. Check the incision site daily to confirm proper healing. If you notice any redness, swelling or discharge at the surgery site, or if the incision is open, please contact your veterinarian. Also call your veterinarian if your pet is lethargic, has a decreased appetite, is vomiting or has diarrhea or any other concerns following surgery.

Declawing

This is a no, no

here at Koontopia

Too often, people think that declawing is a simple surgery that removes a cat's nails—the equivalent of having your fingernails trimmed. Sadly, this is far from the truth. Declawing traditionally involves the amputation of the last bone of each toe. If performed on a human being, it would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle. It is an unnecessary surgery that provides no medical benefit to the cat. Educated pet parents can easily train their cats to use their claws in a manner that allows everyone in the household to live together happily. People often mistakenly believe that declawing their cats is a harmless "quick fix" for unwanted scratching. They don't realize that declawing can make a cat less likely to use the litter box or more likely to bite. Declawing also can cause lasting physical problems for your cat.

Many countries have banned declawing. The Humane Society of the United States opposes declawing except for the rare cases when it is necessary for medical purposes, such as the removal of cancerous nail bed tumors. People who are worried about being scratched, especially those with immunodeficiencies or bleeding disorders, may be told incorrectly that their health will be protected by declawing their cats. However, infectious disease specialists don't recommend declawing. Teach your cat to scratch where you want to. Scratching is a natural and healthy thing for cats to do. (This is only one reason why declawing a cat is almost always the wrong choice) If you are going to stop your cat from scratching furniture or other things, you must provide things you want her to scratch, such as a scratching post. This checklist will help make sure your cat scratches only where appropriate. Check off each step as you go: Provide a high-quality scratching post. It should be: At least three feet high and sturdy. (Cats like to stretch when scratching, so the post shouldn’t move or fall down.) Made of sisal, a type of rope many cats enjoy scratching. If your cat is scratching something you don’t want her to—such as the arm of a couch or a rug—place the scratching post next to it or, in the case of the rug, on it. Place the scratching post in other encouraging spots. Your cat might like to show off in a prominent place (and you can reward him with a treat when he does). Or he might enjoy having the post near a favorite sleeping spot—cats like to stretch when they wake up from a good nap. Encourage your cat to use the scratching post. Here's how:

Rub catnip on the post regularly. Play with him around the post—cats like to scratch while playing.

Get on your hands and knees and scratch the post to show her how much fun it is. (Cats are excellent observers.) If your cat doesn’t use his scratching post, don’t give up. He may prefer a scratching post made of carpet or a corrugated cardboard scratching pad.  

Veterinarian

Veterinarians address the health needs of your Maine Coon.

They are the one who has been educated and trained to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries in animals. They vaccinate, administer medication, perform surgeries, and provide general health care just like a doctor does to human. It is very important that you have a good Veterinarian for your Maine Coon.

Koontopia Maine Coon Cattery has 2 wonderful Veterinarian Clinics we use Winchester Animal Clinic with Dr. Lee and McCaw Veterinary Clinic with Dr. McCaw (Sr and Jr). They are very cat friendly and wonderful Vet's with the best staffs ever. So here at Koontopia we consider ourselves very lucky to have Dr. Lee and Dr. McCaw (s) with their knowledge and experience as our Vets.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Cats (HCM)

Maine Coon cat hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) usually does not show up until they are an adult although the genetic mutation is present at birth. Most Maine Coons develop the disease after 3 years of age but some do not develop it until much later (6- 8 years of age). The Maine Coon DNA mutation is a single base pair  change in the DNA.

Several studies indicate that the genetic mutation is fairly common in Maine Coon cats and about 30% of Maine Coons carry the mutation. The disease is referred to as having “incomplete penetrance”. This means that even if a cat has the genetic mutation, the mutation may not actually “penetrate” or lead to the development of  full disease in that cat.

DNA test results will indicate if the cat has the mutation on 1 copy of its 2 gene copies (heterozygous) or both gene copies (homozygous). Most cats that are heterozygous for the mutation will NOT get sick. However, most cats that are homozygous (have 2 copies of the gene) will eventually develop the disease and may become sick.

Once you run the DNA test we will send you results that state your cat’s results are either:

Negative – This means that your cat does not have the genetic mutation for Maine Coon HCM. However, this does not mean that your cat can never get HCM since there may be other causes of the disease; it means that it will not get HCM from the MC DNA mutation.

Positive Heterozygous – This means that your cat has 1 copy of the genetic mutation and 1 copy of a normal gene. In the Maine Coon the majority of these cats never get sick. We do not recommend any medications or additional monitoring for your pet, however, if your veterinarian does ever detect any signs of heart disease (murmur, etc) an evaluation with a cardiologist is recommended.

Breeding recommendations: Since it is estimated that about 30% of the Maine Coon population has the mutation we do not recommend withholding all positive heterozygous cats out of the breeding program. Since most cats that are positive heterozygous do not get sick from the disease it may be reasonable to consider breeding these cats to a Negative cat, screening the kittens and trying to select a Negative kitten to keep as a replacement breeding animal in the next litter or so. We would never recommend breeding a positive heterozygous cat to a positive heterozygous cat since this could produce homozygous cats, which are more likely to become sick from this disease.

Positive Homozygous– This means that your cat has 2 copies of the genetic mutation. It has the highest risk of developing the disease and has 100% chance of passing the mutation on to all of its kittens. We would not recommend using these cats for breeding purposes.

Unfortunately, HCM caused by other genes or means can still develop.



 

Koontopia Maine Coon Cattery is negative of the HCM gene. 

Due to laboratory DNA testing 

years ago with ------>


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