Showing posts with label Maine Coon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maine Coon. Show all posts

Tuesday, 16 July 2024

Commons Speaker wants many cats at the Palace of Westminster

The Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, is a known animal lover and loves cats. He currently has two cats, I believe, living in his home within the Palace of Westminster A.K.A. Houses Of Parliament. 

He lives just behind Big Ben in very beautiful accommodation; quite extensive and I believe that his Maine Coon cat 'Attlee' lives there with him. And he has adopted a black stray cat who wanted to be taken in and who he has named 'Clem'. Both of these names come from the former Prime Minister Clement Attlee.

Commons Speaker wants many cats at the Palace of Westminster
Attlee as an adult Maine Coon who lives with the Speaker in his house within the estate. Photo: Richard Wheeler PA.


He is a very popular Commons Speaker and was re-elected to the post after the general election. There appears to have been no issues about his re-election. And he says that there should be "cats across the House." The idea is to take care of the rodent population and provide therapy to stressed politicians! 💕

The Palace of Westminster is a very large estate adjacent to the Thames River and is in bad condition requiring constant repair and a major upgrade which would cost billions of pounds. The reason why I am saying that is because you can see that there is a great possibility of there being mice and rats on the estate which is the case.

And Attlee, his Maine Coon cat, is sometimes called upon to deal with mice. MPs come up to him and ask if they can borrow Attlee for a while to get rid of mice in their office. That kind of thing.

And Sir Lindsay Hoyle would also like to see a "Bring Your Pet Day" in Parliament. I think he would like to see members of Parliament bringing their pets to the establishment.

Sir Lindsay has a number of pets including a tortoise named Maggie and a parrot named Boris. These are named after Margaret Thatcher and Boris Johnson, two more former prime ministers.

There was a study about the possibility of employing cats to keep down the rodent population on the estate. The conclusion appears to be that the estate is too big and that there would have to be too many cats in order to make it work which would be unmanageable.

His brown tabby Maine Coon cat also helps to keep the peace and keep people calm. Cats can do that for you. He is a therapy cat as well as the chief mouser at Parliament. He goes out to visit people to make them smile and be happier.

He said that "We've had the odd MP ring up and say, including the Clerk of the House, 'there is a mouse in my office, can we borrow Attlee?'"

His cat loves Dreamies which is a dry cat food and a particularly tasty one. The reason why he wants cats across the house, as mentioned, is because "There's nothing better than seeing a cat. Anybody who likes cats are nice people."

He's right. A slight problem is that some people don't like cats or some are frightened of cats but I would thoroughly agree with him. I think more cats at Parliament would be beneficial. And a dog or two would help to of course but there would have to be some management because you don't want dogs chasing cats! The issue is about managing the cats. Feeding them and providing toilet facilities etc.

Commons Speaker wants many cats at the Palace of Westminster
Sir Lindsay Hoyle soon after adopting his new Maine Coon kitten Attlee. They touch noses in a friendly greeting

When he was interviewed for the article to which I'm referring and which is published on the Independent newspaper online he said that his tortoise, Maggie, was on the terrace. That is the area outside the Houses of Parliament in between the building and the Thames. It's a very pleasant area where they sometimes have marquees for social gatherings I believe.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Friday, 15 March 2024

Which cat is more affectionate, a Maine Coon or a Ragdoll?

I've got to be a little bit irritated by the question in the title. Perhaps I shouldn't be doing this post which by the way is a cross post from another website. It's the kind of information people might like to have before adopting either a Maine Coon or a Ragdoll or perhaps another cat breed.

But the question is a little bit misguided in my view. Although I have strong views on this sort of thing. The point is this: each individual cat of whatever breed they come from has their own individual personality. It is therefore sometimes unhelpful to say all the cats of one breed have the same personality.



That said, the Ragdoll would probably be described as the more affectionate of these two breeds because they are selectively bred to be very laid-back and indoor cats almost. They are calm and gentle and affable. This translates to affection. No other breed is specifically bred to have a particular character i.e. laid back and floppy (like a ragdoll toy).

But, that said, Maine Coon cats can also be very affectionate although a person who I rely upon to describe cat breed personalities, Gloria Stephens, a cat show judge and breeder herself, and by the way a Maine Coon cat owner, says that the Maine Coon cat can be somewhat independent and not necessarily a lap cat.

This hints at the fact that the Maine Coon is a little bit more independent-minded than the Ragdoll which lends itself to believing that the Ragdoll is the more affectionate of the two.

Personally, I would go to the breeder and check out the kittens and let the kitten choose you. You will decide yourself once you interact with Maine Coon kittens and Ragdoll kittens as to which individual kitten is more affectionate for you. 

Sometimes kittens and cats are attracted to a particular person so the affection can be directed at you, the person asking this question! There is such as thing a chemistry.

There is no better way than meeting the cats. It is a 'must' really.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Monday, 25 September 2023

Young cats are skinnier than middle-aged cats

 A user on the Reddit.com website was concerned about their recently adopted young Maine Coon. As you can see in the photograph, he is quite skinny. He looks a little bit underweight to me. But young cats tend to be skinnier than older cats. They are more active and they don't tend to eat enough to bulk up to counteract the increased activity in my view. 

And in any case, Maine Coon cats tend to be quite rangy or skinny below that shaggy coat. That's the normal shape but you don't want your young Maine Coon cat to be too skinny.

Young MC is skinny. Image: Reddit user: u/morbidleo

I think it's okay to feed treats in moderate amounts which might help to bulk them up a little bit. My cat is not a Maine Coon but he likes king prawns! He likes them so much that I can bulk him up a bit because he was skinny when he was a youngster. In middle age he's become a little stockier in appearance which is fine.

If a young cat is skinny, it's okay. You might describe them as fighting fit. But you've got to make sure that they are actually fit and not suffering from some sort of health problem. Being underweight is a symptom of illness but the trouble is that there are a large number of illnesses which can cause a cat to be underweight.

But it should be apparent if a cat is ill causing the cat to be underweight because they would have lost their appetite. This is a case of watching a cat and making sure that they are eating enthusiastically. Young cats should eat pretty enthusiastically. They should be doing everything enthusiastically!

Wednesday, 4 January 2023

Do domestic cats feel the cold?

Do domestic cats feel the cold? There are six topics to be addressed in answering this question. 

Wildcat ancestor from hot climate

Firstly, the North African wildcat is the wild ancestor of the domestic cat. That wild cat's attitude towards the cold and towards heat is within the domestic cat. And the North African wildcats as you can imagine live in a very warm climate.

Do domestic cats feel the cold?
Do domestic cats feel the cold? Yes, of course but they tolerate it better than humans. Image: MikeB

Feline behaviour

This is why the domestic cat likes to be in a warm environment. That's why they like to be on your lap if they are lap cats. That is why they sleep in the airing cupboard where the hot water cylinder is. That is why my cat is right now in a utility room where the boiler (furnace) is situated.

We know that domestic cats like warmth. They seek it everywhere all the time. Therefore, by definition, they dislike cold. That's the first point.

Tolerant

The third point is that domestic cats are very tolerant. They are less complaining than humans. They are more tolerant of pain and distress. There are more tolerant of extreme conditions. That does not mean they don't feel the cold, it just means that they tolerate it better than humans at a psychological level. Their brain processes the feeling of discomfort, in this instance through being cold, better than humans do.

You will find stories on the Internet of domestic and stray cats being frozen to the ground, literally. In these instances, sometimes, when the cat has been rescued, they've had to amputate their paws because of frostbite. A horrible thought.

And of course, feral cats in many parts of the world survive winter in freezing conditions. That's why nice people who operate TNR programs provide feral cats with little homes which are insulated so they can at least feel warmer during those very cold days and nights.

Cat coats

We therefore know that domestic cats feel cold but they tolerate cold better. And one reason why they are better able to tolerate cold is because they have a permanent overcoat on them 👍✔️.

Clearly, some cats are better protected in this regard than others. The longhaired cats with a downy undercoat are going to feel less cold than sleek, single-coated cats.

The well-known Maine Coon cat example has a shaggy, semi-longhaired coat because they originate in the state of Maine as barn cats. They were semi-domesticated in that state, before they became show cats, in the 1800s and before.

Siberian cats
Siberian cats. Image in public domain.

The Siberian purebred cat is another example of a domestic cat with a history of coming from a cold part of the world. They have coats designed for cold climates.

Evolution

Arguably they will be too hot in warm homes and in warm climates. A thought. An interesting further thought is this: Siberian cats and Maine Coon cats (for example - there are other breeds) would not have evolved through natural selection to have these warm, longhaired coats unless nature recognised the fact that they needed to keep warm and in doing that nature obviously agreed that they feel the cold. Evolution has protected these cats from cold conditions. It is, therefore, an admission that domestic cats and semi-domestic cats feel the cold.

Nervous system and anatomy

It has to be said that the anatomy of the domestic cat is really very similar to that of humans in very many ways. And certainly, in terms of feeling and detecting cold their nervous system and brain is very similar to that of humans. This strongly supports the idea that domestic cats feel the cold.

Longhaired feral cats

Interestingly, you will find that there are very few feral cats that are long haired because the gene that creates long hair is recessive. That means two carriers of the gene are going to have to meet and procreate to produce a litter of kittens that are longhaired. 

Most feral cats you see will be shorthaired. And they will feel the cold. But in feeling the cold, as mentioned, they process it in a way which enables them to accept it without complaint

Friday, 12 March 2021

Shaggy Maine Coon caricature on cat exercise wheel

A characture of a Maine Coon - super-large with overly long fur
A caricature of a Maine Coon - super-large with overly long fur. Pic: Pinterest.

caricature of a Maine on a cat exercise wheel which he dwarfs because of his size. This is a strange and large cat looking like a shaggy Maine Coon. This cat looks like a lynx but it is not. The fur length is too long for a Maine Coon. The ear tufts are correct. The tufts of hair sticking out between the toes are correct but outrageously long. The cat is a characture of the real thing. A living cartoon character of a Maine Coon.

Apologies for misspelling caricature in the first attempt! Working too fast.

Here is the video. No doubt it will go wrong at some time in the future as they nearly always do. If it does not work try clicking on this link.

Wednesday, 16 September 2020

Maine Coon cat: top 5 health conditions claimed for under pet insurance

Tesco Bank Pet Insurance usefully provide the public with the top five health conditions claimed for by owners of the Maine Coon cat in the UK. It is interesting and perhaps revealing. The information may not be generally indicative of Maine Coon health issues. It tells us that the Maine Coon in the UK typically might suffer from these health issues. They appear to point to diseases of internal organs. 

Average Treatment Costs Table
ConditionAverage treatment cost
Lump£439.47
Diabetes£221.93
Pancreatitis£425.21
Hyperthyroidism£229.70
Organ tumour£949.61
Average annual pet insurance premiums by cat breed - top five

The information in the table relates to the period 01/01/18 to 31/12/18 and refers to paid treatments including excesses. They say that Maine Coons can suffer from specific ailments although they describe the breed as relatively healthy. 

They can suffer from the common heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which affects middle-aged cats. The heart grows bigger and the symptoms are shortness of breath, reduced appetite and a reduction in activity levels.

They mention tumours. To the best of my knowledge, Maine Coons are not predisposed to developing cancer tumours. But Tesco argues that common feline growths include lipomas (benign fatty tumours), mast cell tumours (a cancer of the immune system) and lymphomas (a cancer of the lymph nodes).

Tesco Pet Insurance do say that this breed may be predisposed to developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The small or large intestines becomes inflamed. My research indicates that it can be quite difficult to cure this disease in felines. I have a page on home remedies for this disease which you can read by clicking on this link.

I have a page on Maine Coon cat health problems - click here to read it. In a post I wrote in 2018 I said that Maine Coons are more expensive to insure than Bengal cats in the UK.

Tesco Bank Pet Insurance helpfully provide us with some suggestions for Maine coon cat names: Max, Luna, Bella, Milly, Lola.

Maine Coon cat. Photo: copyright Helmi Flick and published here with her express permission.

Thursday, 10 July 2014

Maine Coon Show Cat Becomes a Therapy Cat

A rusty, orange-and-white beautiful Maine Coon has gone from being a minor celebrity show cat to a therapy cat. His name is Ferguson and he now visits the patients at the Waikato Hospital’s Older Persons and Rehabilitation unit regularly.

Maine coon therapy cat New Zealand

His human companion is Jill Ballard, 67, a retired receptionist at Older Persons and Rehabilitation Services, the same unit. As Ferguson's human companion her role has changed from receptionist to therapy cat caretaker after she had a discussion with Chris Atkinson who who is the coordinator of the volunteers at the hospital.  

In a discussion with Chris the idea of employing visiting pets to bolster the mood of the patients was raised. Jill instantly thought of her cat buddy and why not because he is a superb cat and highly qualified for the post. He meets all the requirements because he is used to being in a harness, he is placid and vaccinated and I'm pleased to say that he has his claws and they are trimmed.  Finally there are no fleas on him!

Now Jill says she loves to see the difference that Ferguson makes to the patient's and she spends a lot of time visiting the Older Persons Rehabilitation wards.

The patients make it clear that they love to see Ferguson and one patient has apparently become quite attached to Ferguson. 

You can imagine what it is like to have a beautiful main Coon cat wandering down the hospital wards in a harness. It would certainly turn your head and put a smile on your face. Life in a hospital can be terribly mundane and can be quite depressing, to be honest. A Maine Coon cat is wonderful therapy just by his presence.

Of course the size of a main Coon cat helps.  They are the biggest domestic cat on average and although Ferguson is not fully grown (he has 2 more years to grow), he weighs 10 kg (22 lbs).

Every hospital should have a Maine Coon Cat. Cats particularly benefit the elderly.

Tuesday, 20 December 2011

Are Maine Coons Talkative?

ANSWER: It depends on the individual cat. You shouldn't brand every Maine Coon with one character. Maine Coon were originally farm cats in the USA from 1600s onwards. They were random bred cats. Breeding the Maine Coon from the mid 1800s would not necessarily make the cat more or less talkative or vocal. Unless you crossed the cat with a Siamese!

Cats vary in character and talkativeness is a character trait. Also the amount a cat talks is dependent to a certain extent on the environment the cat lives in. If you have created a nice, warm, friendly environment and a close relationship he will talk to you. If the opposite is the case he won't - he'll run from you. That said Maine Coons are known for their trill vocalization, in which case they can't be said to be particularly quiet. The two Maine Coons I met were slightly quiet. The Cat Fancy Magazine says they are fairly quiet. The major books on the cat breeds do not mention whether they are talkative or not.

Friday, 25 November 2011

Russian Cat Breeds

Kurilian Bobtail. Photo: Helmi Flick.
These are the Russian cat breeds: Kurelian Bobtail, Karelian Bobtail, Russian Blue, Don Sphynx, Peterbald,  Mekong Bobtail, Ukranian Levkoy, Toy Bob and Siberian. Do Russian breeders breed these cats better than Americans or Europeans? They might and in case someone are rare and only bred in Russia. In Europe and the USA we don't get involved with Russian cat breeders that much but there is a pretty lively cat fancy in Russia. The Russians like their cats, you know. How much do we know about Russian cat breeders? I mention the big three in more detail below.

You might want to read about the Russian Blue first. In the first half of the 1800s, was the Russian Blue a moggie in Archangel, a port on the north coast of Russian near to Finland? I expect this cat was until it was decided that a cat breed would be created. Archangel is said to be the place where the Russian Blue comes from.

Was the Russian Blue always blue? Or to be more accurate: blue/gray. The Russian Blue today must be blue and green eyed. But before the Russian Blue was a purebred cat I doubt that it was always blue. The first Russian Blues were exported from Russia to England in the mid 1800s. That is where they started there life as a purebred cat. I think that someone thought that an exclusively blue coloured cat from the cold north of Russian would be a nice match. It worked out well. The Russian Blue is in the top ten most popular cat breeds.

What about the incredibly rare Kurelian Bobtail? Have you heard of this cat breed? This is a cat that has an origin in terms of natural development that is similar to the Manx in that there was a genetic mutation for a short tail on an island. In this case the island is off the coast of Siberia. There was probably inbreeding in a confined environment for the mutation to occur. This cat breed comes from the Kuril Islands, a disputed territory between Russia and Japan. Is this cat half Russian and half Japanese as a consequence? It is said that the famous Japanese Bobtail originates in the Kurelian Bobtail. The Japanese Bobtail goes back a thousand years so we are talking about long history here. The Russians breed this cat to a high standard.

Finally, we have the Siberian cat. Siberia is in the east of Russia. We all know how cold that part of the world is. That is why this cat is triple coated and stocky. What is unusual is that breeders (one breeder?) claims that the Siberian is hypoallergenic. Believe it? Not me. Research says otherwise. This cat breed looks like the Norwegian Forest Cat and the Maine Coon and there may be a connection. All three may originate in Scandinavia. The Siberian is another popular cat.

Of the three, the Russian Blue is the most popular with the buying public.

Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Maine Coon cat video

Here are two Maine Coon cat videos. One is me discussing the Maine Coon cat. I have an admiration for this cat breed. So you have words. The other is about images, the best images of Maine Coon cats that you can get on the internet because they are by Helmi Flick. They are protected by copyright incidentally. Any violations of copyright are reported to Google DMCA policy. Sorry to sound harsh.

Here are the Maine Coon cat videos:



Above: This is me talking about this most popular of all the cat breeds.





Above: The music is by John Barry. YouTube agreed to let it stay on video but it has helped to sell the music. The photos are brilliant and Maine looks great too.

Wednesday, 5 October 2011

Are Maine Coons lap cats?

The answer is probably, No. However, individual Maine Coon cats might be lapcats. And we should be cautious in generalizing. Judging by my own experiences and those of experts on the cat breeds, Maine Coons in general cannot be described as lapcats. They are loyal and close to their human companion but not overly dependent or demanding. They don't like being picked up, it is said.

These character traits hint at a dislike of curling up on someone's lap. But....there must always be a "but". The Maine Coon character must vary between individuals and depending on the degree and type of early socialization some Maine Coons will happily lie on your lap, I am sure.

My own experience with Zak a beautiful purebred Maine Coon is that he liked human company but also liked to do his own thing. He liked to play and he trilled often. Dr. Fogle the author of The Encyclopedia Of The Cat says that this is not a "dependent breed" and that the Maine Coon is happy to "pursue its own activities".


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Are Maine Coons Vocal?

The answer is, no. Maine Coons are said to be fairly quiet. They are known for a trill vocalization. The Maine Coon is not demanding in the way the Siamese might be. The Maine Coon has a "tiny voice" as well; certainly when compared to the loud Siamese. It is relative.

Ken and Helmi Flick's Maine Coon Cat - ZAK
Zak - quiet cat in my experience. Photo by Michael.

However, it depends to a certain extent on the individual cat. Some Maine Coons might be quite talkative, others somewhat silent.

I think that it is wrong to bracket all cats of one breed together in terms of character traits. We don't do that for people.

The Maine likes to hang out rather than interact strongly with people although they are loyal and they form strong attachments.

My experiences with Zak and Quin, Maine Coons living with the Flicks in Dallas confirms the above assessment. Zak was not vocal. He asked through his presence. He trilled a bit. The Flick's British Shorthairs were quieter though, so it is all relative.

See Ken and Helmi Flick's cats.

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Sunday, 19 June 2011

Most Beautiful Orange Cat

CATILLACK by David McCudden
CATILLACK, a photo by David McCudden on Flickr. 
Photo is copyright David McCudden

This is a truly beautiful orange cat. I think she is the most beautiful cat I have seen bar one or two others and I have seen a large number of cats as you might expect. Actually she is orange and white. She is a tabby cat. You can see the classic "M" mark on the forehead. Even the mark is beautiful. And she looks very female, sexy almost. Uhmm I have not heard someone call a cat "sexy" before but I have now!

If she was a person she would be walking down a red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. She would be a film star. Her name is Catillack and she is a Maine Coon cat....err..no, wrong, she looks like a Maine Coon (except for the lack of ear tufts and long ear hair) and looks classy enough to be purebred Maine Coon but is, in fact, a moggie born in a shed I am told. She is definitely the most beautiful moggie I have seen. The photograph is by her human companion, David McCudden. Who takes  a bloody good photograph by the way.

The gene that makes her orange is sex-linked. More sex...The gene is carried on one of the sex chromosomes. The symbol for the gene is O. This gene removes "all the eumelanin pigment from the hair fibres.." Eumelanin produces black, blue and chocolate colours etc.. An alternate pigment is produced called "phaeomelanin".  The pigment granule is lighter and it reflects light differently.

I have quoted Robinsons' Genetics (briefly) and the book says that the tortoiseshell cat is "the heterozygous female" (Oo).

Some people call orange cats "yellow cats". Why not! Yellow tabby cats are one of my favorites.  Martha Kane in Malta cares for an orange tabby amongst the many more she rescues and she says they are more likely to be the boss in a group but in a benevolent way. The orange traditional Persian is also very handsome.

The orange cat varies in the colour/density of the orange. I must say that CATILLACK is the most beautifully deep orange I have seen on a cat. Maybe it is David's photography and the low evening light that enhances the orange and gives it that deep luster. I don't care, she's a very sexy cat.

Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Why the Maine Coon cat is the most popular

Miss Kate a famous Maine Coon
Photo copyright Helmi Flick

I explain why the Maine Coon cat is the world's most popular cat breed. You might argue that this is the world's most popular cat, period, full stop. I am not saying that this is the most registered cat (with cat associations), by the way. That accolade might go to the Persian. I am saying that the Maine Coon is the most popular with people who keep and care for cats - you and I.

I have broken things down into sections.

Vote

I know of no better vote-for-your-favorite-cat-breed-poll than the one on my own website, Pictures of Cats.org (PoC). It is a great poll because:
  • it has been running for several years;
  • the site is visited by people from all over the world. It is very much an international website;
  • Americans make up most of the visitors and therefore most of the voters but America is by far the biggest cat breed market.
At one time the Abyssinian led the way. Then the Siamese but for the last 18 months or more the Maine Coon cat has been placed firmly and I think immovably on the top of the list of 66 mainstream cat breeds. Below are the current standings:



As you can see there are over 4,000 votes and the Maine Coon cat is well ahead of the pack.

Country

The Maine Coon cat is an American cat - it is said. I agree with that. It epitomizes the United States. The origins of the Maine Coon are also closely linked to the founding of the United States of America. Although it is not absolutely clear how the Maine Coon started in the US, it appears most likely that the long haired moggies that came with the first settlers and who landed at Cape Cod in Maine were the cats that founded the Maine Coon. There are alternative theories and I have just found out that the wild cat (probably an Andean cat) was domesticated in South America some 3,500 years ago but for the USA it seems that the Maine Coon's long path of development and evolution went hand in hand with the American people - a nice touch and very fitting. Particularly so as the United States is the most developed country for cat breeds after England.



So a major factor why the Maine Coon is the most popular cat breed is because it is an American cat, the American cat and if as someone has argued that it can't be because the founding cats were English and European, they are wrong! That was almost 400 years ago.

Longest History

With the American Shorthair, this cat has the longest history of all the breeds of America if you take into account the natural evolution and development before this cat was recognised as a cat breed. That counts I think. Americans think so. It all started at least in the early 1600s and perhaps much earlier with the visit by the Vikings. Of course the actually deliberate development of this breed by selective cat breeding didn't start until the late 1960s but over hundreds of previous years the long haired immigrants were developing naturally as barn cats. That counts too in my book.

Incidentally the oldest cat breed is probably the Egyptian which goes back to ancient Roman times.

Size

America is big, bold and imposing, long and sweet in character. There are wide open spaces (getting smaller!). The Maine Coon cat mirrors that image of successful America. It is the largest cat breed, excluding wildcat hybrids and the largest registered by the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA).

Size counts in today's world. Americans like big cats and Americans have the lion's share of the vote, which is far. The Maine Coon is large, yes but it is also long and slender under all the fluffy raggedy fur.  They are quite rangy cats. The world's longest domestic cat is a Maine Coon.

Coat

The Maine Coon has the widest of ranges of colours and pattern types. The types are almost infinite. To put it into cat fancy language, the Maine Coon is recognised in all colors and divisions of the traditional category.

This allows people to chose their favorite color/type coat. Some cat breeds can only be in a single color dictated by that breed's breed standard. An example is the color grey - see grey cat breeds. You gotta like grey in that case.

Perhaps the brown tabby and white is the best color and pattern combo and if that true it makes sense because the tabby coat is the type most usually encountered and tabby and white is popular, it appears at cat shows.

Tail and Ears

Cat breeders like to develop ear and eye size. Tails are important for the long haired cats. One distinguishing feature of the Maine Coon is the large ears with the gorgeous ear tufts that come out of the top. They are lynx like. The tail is a spectacular plume of floppy, flying, flowing fur!

Temperament

I have played Zak, a gorgeous Maine Coon who lives with Ken and Helmi Flick. He loved to play but was quite shy too - a nice combination.

Ken and Helmi Flick's Maine Coon Cat - ZAK
Zak - Blue and White Maine Coon - photo Michael@PoC

Maine Coons are generally relaxed and easy going and they get along with children and dogs. They are people orientated. That group of characteristics is about as good as it gets in the modern busy world. It is what people want and they get it in the Maine Coon.

They don't necessarily want to be held but they do form close relationships with their primary carer. You will have to be around to return that affection.

Voice

A cat's voice is part of its character and the voice of this cat is generally quiet. They are said to have a tiny voice and a special voice - a chirp-like sound. The voice is endearing and charming, another reason why this cat breed is the most popular.

Alpha

Is it fair to say that the Maine Coon is more likely to become the alpha cat in a multi-cat household? Probably, yes. This is because of size and presence, I would speculate. This characteristic would generally prove popular with people.

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Wednesday, 16 March 2011

Maine Coon Cat Texas

Maine Coon Cat Texas is a search term for people looking for Maine Coon breeders or rescue centers that might have a Maine Coon cat. See a list here. The idea is to make it easier for people to find Texas breeders. I list all the ones I can find from the first two pages of a Google search and strike through those that I don't rate from the website. This is obviously an entirely personal choice with which people might well disagree.

Breeders should at least say where they are. A full address need not be provided but a town or city should so customers can gauge travel times and distances etc. without having to contact the breeder first. I have rejected some for failure to provide location. I find it irritating and overly cautious.

CH Snuglcoons Big Bopper & Silver Belle - Photo copyright Helmi Flick

The first breeder to list is Snuglcoons. The beautiful cats beautifully photographed above are from this breeding cattery. They are located at: 7800 Mockingbird Lane #108, North Richland Hills, TX 76180 (as at March 2011). Tel and website: 817 845-0517, 817 846-0500, http://www.snuglcoon.com/ You will see that this is the best Maine Coon breeding cattery in Texas judging from website alone.

Location of this cattery is shown on the map below:


View Larger Map

Coonwirthy - based in Austin. Contact details: see website: http://www.coonwirthy.com/index.html. As at March 2011 this is a poor site. No contact details except for an email. No cats available either.

Texas Maine Coon Rescue is next. I know them and PoC donates monthly to them. They are very nice people but for the purposes of this page they are not entirely suitable because they rescue all cats not just Maine Coons. Great but for people looking for Maine Coon cat breeders or rescue centers in Texas not so good. Website: http://www.texasmainecoonrescue.com/

Rock Meadows Maine Coons - they say that they are located in Texas, USA but give away no clue as to where! That means emailing them to find out. Personally I wouldn't bother. http://rockmeadows.com/index.html

Coonopry Maine Coons - located Grand Prairie, Texas 75052. Tel: 972-263-9974. Website: http://www.coonopry.com/

Maine Coon Rescue work with and within Petfinder.com to advertise cats. There are lots of Maine Coons in Texas but they are are all Maine Coon mix. Now that is fine but if you are after a purebred Maine Coon it is not fine. Website: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TX460.html

The International Cat Association (TICA) list a number of Maine Coon breeders but none are situated in Texas (as at March 2011). Webpage: http://www.tica.org/public/breeds/mc/breeders.php - note: links can become broken remember.

Texas Belle. Located ??, Texas, USA.  Although the title of this breeding cattery indicates that it is situated in Texas, the website does not confirm this as far as I can see. I got the information from the CFA website but they don't list the town either. Website http://www.texasbelle.com/

That is about it after a one hour search! I am shocked to be honest.

Conclusion: as indicated at the start, begin with contacting Snuglcoons, who are by far the best from their website.

Michael Avatar

From Maine Coon Cat Texas to Home Page

Sunday, 23 January 2011

Maine Coon Cat Gifts

As the Maine Coon is probably the world's most popular purebred cat it is not surprising that there are a good number of Maine Coon cat gifts. I would like to show a few on this page. This is purely a small selection. The first batch comes from a cat gift website called Animal Den.

Maine Coon Cat Bottle Stopper (Silver) Maine Coon Cat Bottle Stopper (Silver)
Beautifully hand painted, this delightful Silver Maine Coon Cat Bottle stopper will be the talk of the party at your next get together. At approximately 1 ½" to 2" tall, our intricate Silver Maine Coon Cat Bottle stopper looks just right sitting atop just about any bottle. Weather a gift for a dear friend or family member or simply a new decoration for your home, all Maine Coon Cat lovers will surely enjoy this gorgeous stopper.




Maine Coon Cat Cookie Jar

Maine Coon Cat Cookie Jar

Nothing beats the exceptional look and quality of our Maine Coon Cat Cookie Jar. Among the finest made, you will be provided with great satisfaction and long lasting enjoyment. Why not pamper yourself or give a loved one a Maine Coon Cat gift to show them how much you care. The Maine Coon Cat Cookie Jar will make the perfect gift for any Maine Coon Cat lover. Shop with confidence, because all products come with a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. Click over now to see the big selection of Maine Coon Cat gifts we offer.




Below are some Maine Coon cat gifts from Amazon for the North American market



You just click and hold down on the arrows at the base of Ferris wheel to turn it.

Why is the Maine Coon (MC) so popular? It has everything. It is the largest pure (non-wildcat hybrid) domestic purebred cat. The MC is long haired and has a strong face. They have very definite breed personalities. What I mean is that the MC as a breed has a certain personality that people find attractive. You can read all you want to about this cat on this page: Maine Coon Cats.

Michael Avatar

From to Home Page

Sunday, 7 March 2010

Polydactyl Maine Coon Cat Tootsie


This is Tootsie, a polydactyl Maine Coon cat that lives with an American women who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Her Flickr name is valleygirl_tka

I know Valley Girl as she is a work colleague of mine, although I have never met her. She has a website called, teh kitteh antidote/anecdote. Now that is a very fancy name for a website. It took me a little while to realise that it is a play on words, mispelled words (notice I spelled "spelled" correctly!). It is also a play on mistyped words and mixed up words. Great name for a website and the title does not start with a capital letter just to add a bit of spice. Oh, I almost forgot, Valley Girl's (VG for short) website is a subdomain of my maine (mispelled) site called, Pictures of cats.org or PoC for short. A subdomain is a domain that is separate from but part of the main domain. It is a separate website but included in statistical reports such as for Alexa traffic reports. Well I think Alexa treats it as part of PoC but there is some discussion about that.

Now what about the cat and the photo? Well, the polydactyl paw looks like a hand with a thumb! And it is about to grab the handle part of a cat toy. How many cats prefer the wrong end of a cat toy? How many cats actually sleep on that cosy bed you bought him or her? I find that if I buy something for my cat she or he doesn't use it! Humans and cats have different ideas about possessions. Cats don't recognise the concept of possessions.

Tootsie is a grey cat. In fact, to me she looks like a grey tabby smoke (the smoke effect is caused by the inhibitor gene). I am guessing wildly but I think the tabby gene, the agouti gene, the dilute gene and the smoke gene are at play all at once. And of course we have the genetic mutation that produces the additional toes. Wow, there is a lot going on. Now, I could be wrong about the genes!

Polydactylism is not a genetic mutation that carries health problems as is the case with some mutations such as the short tailed Manx or the floppy eared Scottish Fold.

Ernest Hemingway kept polydactyl cats in Florida. They are still there and they are called Hemingway cats or American Polydactyl cats. This is not a breed of cat but that is a disputed point I think. Someone might like to leave a comment on that as it might clear up this point.

See Polydactyl cats for more.

Michael Avatar

From Polydactyl Maine Coon Cat Tootsie to Home Page

Tuesday, 2 June 2009

Maine Coon Cat Health in Europe

This is a post about Maine Coon cat health in Europe and is based on an email from a concerned Maine Coon cat breeder in Italy, Max. This is his email. One or two bits have been amendeed as his email was written in English and Max is Italian. I therefore tidied it up a bit. He writes pretty good English though.


…..Hi I am Massimo (Max). I run a Maine Coon cattery in Italy. It is called Trillo Team (new window). We are first and foremost 'cat-lovers' and then breeders. We also have two rescue cats who were condemned to death and we had bottle feed them to complete their weaning. If you look at our website, which is unfortunately only in Italian (sorry), you'll find lots of information relating to the health of the Maine Coon.

We are currently fighting a tough battle against many Italian breeders to isolate and eliminate the HCM gene from our breeding lines, but unfortunately the situation between breeders in Italy and in Europe is very serious, especially for what I reluctantly consider to be their irresponsible behaviour, that I'll try to explain below. I am sorry to say this but I feel that I must. In Italy there are breeders who continue to reproduce cats that HCM test for p / p (homozygous) and more so cats that test for n / p (heterozygous) not caring to only breed with cats that test negative n / n. But in doing so, in a litter, for example, of 6 puppies, 20% of the pups could be n / p, and therefore bearers of HCM.

I consider this irresponsible behaviour, because thinking about the reproductive life of a cat of at least 5 years with 2 litters per year, for an average of 6 pups at a time, this means that a cat that is n / p, gives the world at least 20 baby carriers of HCM ... Can you tell me, if you know, how the breeders in the U.S.A. are doing? Is it the same? We, as a breeder, unfortunately in these 4 years of activity, took cats from other breeders with the assurance that the examinations had resulted in negative HCM testing resulting in n / n. But the re-test on these cats indicated that they were n / p. I think it is irresponsible behavior. There are only 3-4 breeders in Italy who breed Maine Coon cats under rigorous testing and removing carriers of HCM from the reproductive cycle.

So we are looking the U.K. for instance to see if we can find a guaranteed cat, n / n, from a line that is not present in Italy, for at least 6 generations. We would like to found a Quality Maine Coon Club, bringing together Italian and foreign breeders, that pursue a rigorous selection in its breeding.

Another problem has occurred in relation to laboratories in Italy that perform analytical testing of HCM. In Italy there is a laboratory at the University of Milan (Vetogene) running this test that is connected to the University of Michigan, where the gene was identified and isolated. Otherwise we turn to a laboratory in Germany (LaboKlin) or France (Antagene). But what has happened is that the same cat resulted in, n / n in Italy was found to be n / p in Germany. So we no longer know what to do.

I've read with interest the study of HCM made in Stockholm, Sweden, but I've seen that they didn't talk about HCM's genetic analysis. I think that there is a lot to do to in generating awareness in people about this problem. For me, it is really a nightmare to think of selling a kitten, that after 2 or 3 years is dead of HCM. A cat is not a computer or a radio, for example, so that I can say “this cat is under warranty and can be replaced with another puppy”. When a cat becomes part of the family he or she becomes the object of attention and love from all, and when he dies you can not replace this companion just like a broken TV ...

I would welcome any input or comments from breeders or concerned people who might be able to assist in eliminting the curse of HCM from Maine Coons in Italy.

Max.

From Maine Coon Cat Health in Europe to Maine Coon Cats

Thursday, 26 March 2009

HCM Testing at Cat Shows

HCM testing at cat shows is something that I have only recently picked up (I know I am being slow). But it seems to me to be a wonderful idea. You've got a lot of cat breeders all in one place showing their cats with long pauses with nothing much to do in between. And the cost is a very modest $90 (that used to be about £45 in the UK). This is a perfect combination and presents little obstacle to getting the test done, something that may have been put off for various reasons.

A big cat show where this service is being offered is the Thunderkatz Show April 24-25 in Oklahoma City (OKC) , USA. The service, as I understand it, is being run by PetSafe Diagnostics. People can book a slot at the show from their website (the link goes to their website). PetSafe Diagnostics specialize in Veterinary Ultrasound Imaging. HCM is tested through this method. Screenings for the OKC show take place on the 24th April (Friday) after 3 pm and on the next day between 8 am and 4 pm (I think!). They are also attending The Cats Unlimited Store (presume in or near Dallas) on Saturdays April 4th between 8 am and 5 pm.

Although any cat can at least potentially develop HCM, a heart disease found in cats and people (and other animals, I presume) some cat breeds are predisposed to the disease. Two that come instantly to mind are the Bengals and Maine Coons. Some Bengal breeders think there is a need for a more open approach by the breeders to the problem of HCM. What they mean is that all breeding cats and their parents (going up the breeding line) should be tested and the results published. Only in this open and collective manner can the disease be removed from this extremely popular breed of cat. Not all breeders want to follow that route, sadly. I am for it because it benefits the cat.

HCM testing at cat shows greatly facilitates the testing of cats and cat shows are a great forum to discuss these issues too. I think the cat show should also be a place where seminars and talks can be given to discuss these very important issues. This does not happen as far as I know. See HCM in Bengal Cats.



HCM Testing at Cat Shows to Home Page

Photo of cat at Montreal cat show is by appaIoosa and published under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs creative commons License -- this site is for charitable purposes in funding cat rescue.

Wednesday, 26 November 2008

Ken and Helmi Flick's Cats

Ken and Helmi Flick's cats are great and they all very definitely have their own characters. They have 4 cats and one stray cat (Buttermilk) who does not live with Ken and Helmi but who they feed.

Here are the cats. The pictures are mine (I guess you can tell!) except, of course the one of me with Buttermilk. The photos by me were taken spontaneously, mainly in my room in Ken and Helm's home. First we have Quin. He is a large Maine Coon. Well, he might not be that large by Maine Coon standards but he is large, long limbed and quite rangy in conformation compared to the average moggie. His hair flows over his slender body. His face is strong, broad and somehow tender looking. Like his brother, Zak, he can look you straight in the eye and hold that look. That is unusual in a cat but usual for a Maine Coon.

Maine Coon cat Quin
Maine Coon cat- Quin a Black Smoke MC - He has this wonderfully piercing gaze. He is sitting at the window. He has a swirling, glamorous, black smoke coat.

Maine Coons are fairly quiet cats. Judging by Quin and Zak they rarely actually open their mouth to meow but prefer to trill with the mouth closed. The trill is very distinctive and definitely a Maine Coon voice.

Here is a picture of his brother Zak:

Maine Coon cat Zak
Maine Coon cat - Zak is a Blue and White Bicolor MC. Helmi says that he is the alpha cat in the group. He is a sweet boy. As can been seen he has long hair and he is lean; there is no fat on him. I love the long slightly disheveled coat and whiskers. In this picture he is about to jump up. When he stands on his back legs he is tall, much taller than the average cat. The picture is copyright Michael Broad and it links to a jumbo sized version on another page plus some more about ZAK.

Ken and Helmi Flick's cats include 2 British Shorthair cats, one is black and the other blue (grey/blue). They are very lovable. Sky, the blue British Shorthair cat is a past champion cat having been shown by Helmi and Ken Flick. Here is a picture of her:

British Shorthair cat Sky
British Shorthair cat - Sky a Blue BS - great open face and a very cute cat. She has just come into my room as I write this......She is now sitting by the window sill and now she is curled up on my trousers....

One defining difference between the British Shorthair and the Maine Coon is the voice. Sky has a very quiet, almost silent voice. It is very sweet indeed. She does her own thing like all cats but is very loving. Helmi chose the name "Sky" very wisely. The sound of the name is apparently easily recognized by a cat and the word sky, evoking the color blue, makes it a very apt name.

And last but not least, we have Nox. He has the most plush, silky black coat and a quiet voice like Sky. British Shorthair cats are known for the plush coats. Here he is:

British Shorthair cat
British Shorthair cat - Nox - the boy with the super plush coat - it's great to touch. You could stroke him all day and he'd let you, I think.

If you'd like to read and see more about these 2 cat breeds, you might like to try these pages. They contain Helmi Flick's photographs of the best cats:
I love Ken and Helmi Flick's cats. I have never lived with a purebred cat so this is a pleasure. All Ken and Helmi Flick's cats are purebred.

And I almost forgot, here is the outdoor stray cat, Buttermilk, that Helmi and Ken feed and give some love to.

Michael and Buttermilk a stray cat
Here's Buttermilk. Oh, the person on the left is me. He's saying OK, OK, that's enough. He has that jowly look of an unneutered boy cat and he is all muscle.

From Ken and Helmi Flick's cats to Home Page

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