What to Know Before Adopting a Maine Coon
There are a lot of things you need to know before you make the decision to purchase a Maine Coon cat. Purchasing a Maine Coon is not the same as adopting a mixed breed cat from the shelter. They have many special requirements and costs that you should be well aware of before you decide to bring one home with you.
They’re Expensive
If you are going to purchase a Maine Coon from a reputable breeder, you can expect to pay at least $1000 for your new kitten. While the price may seem high, it reflects your breeder’s good care, a genetic screening, and the cost of registering the kittens and getting them their first vaccinations.
While you may be tempted to go with a lower price, you may be losing out on some of the benefits of adopting from a reputable breeder. If you pay a low price, you may be scammed. Lower-priced pure bread kittens might not actually be pure bread.
On top of the adoption fee, you’ll also have to pay a good deal of money for items your kitten (or kittens) require before you can bring them home, such as:
- Bowls
- Beds
- Cat carrier
- Littery box
- Litter
- Food
- Scratchpads and climbing trees
- Lots of toys
- Grooming equipment
That doesn’t account for the monthly and yearly costs you’ll have to pay as well, including:
- Vaccinations
- Exams
- Monthly flea, tick, and worm treatment
- Health insurance
- Cat sitters as needed
The More the Merrier
If you’re keeping your Maine Coon inside, they may get bored easily. If you don’t have any other pets and you leave your house a lot, you may want to consider getting two Coons instead of just one. They’ll keep each entertained and out of trouble.
However, you should only buy two Maine Coons if you know that you can afford the extra costs that come with the second kitten. If you’re purchasing two kittens, you should adopt from the same litter if possible.
Good with Children and Other Animals
Maine Coons are known for being good with other animals and children. They have a lot of patience and high tolerance level for others, so they’ll be able to keep their cool around other creatures and humans.
If you have other pets, you should still take your time and introduce your new Maine Coon kitten to the household slowly so you don’t overwhelm them.
Exercise, Please!
Because Maine Coon cats are known for being large, you have to make sure they get plenty of exercise and stimulation throughout the day. This includes playtime, climbing trees, and even running wheels.
If your Maine Coon doesn’t get enough exercise they may end up living a dull life as an obese and unhealthy cat. That’s definitely not something you want for your fur babies.
Health Problems
There are a few health problems that affect Maine Coons specifically, including:
- Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM): this disease can lead to the thickening of walls and enlargement of the heart.
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA): the loss of nerves in the lower spinal cord and a weakening of the back legs’ muscles can cause instability and an unsteady gait.
- Hip Dysplasia (HD): this disease is genetically inherited and causes a malformation of the hip joints. It’s also very common in some dogs.
- Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD): this disease is also inherited, and it can cause fluid-filled cysts to form in the kidneys.
These genetic diseases are a great reason why you should invest in pet insurance for your Maine Coons. The older they get, the more likely they are to develop these diseases, and they can be expensive to treat.
Lap Cats
Overall, Maine Coons are great cats and they will love keeping you company. They won’t like being shut out of rooms, as they always like to stand by your side. If you’re looking for a cat that will always ask for attention, Maine Coons are definitely the breed for you.
