Maine Coon meows: what to do, advice from veterinarians

Some people don’t even realize how magnificent, beautiful, majestic the Maine Coon breed is.

Many have heard that a cat of this type has thick fluffy fur, even more similar to a raccoon than to the cat you are used to.

Very large animals. The mass of some individuals reaches 15 kilos, and the length from nose to tip of tail is more than a meter.

If translated from English, the Maine Coon breed literally means “raccoon from Maine.” Cats are native to North America. They were even recognized as national animals.

This breed is only gaining popularity in our country: nurseries are opening, competitions and exhibitions are being held, and champions are appearing.

Education at home

Maine Coons are not unteachable animals, but in order for a small kitten to grow up to be an obedient pet, it needs to be raised from an early age. The breeders in the nursery are also involved in training the litter box and scratching post, where the kitten begins to socialize. After the Maine Coon moves to a new home, the owner needs to clearly define the boundaries of what is permitted for the pet and patiently explain to him the rules of behavior.

What is allowed to a kitten will also be allowed to an adult animal: it is almost impossible to wean an adult Maine Coon from anything.

The easiest way to find a common language with your pet is to use the method of prohibitions and rewards. With correct behavior on the part of the owner, raising a Maine Coon becomes not a routine, but an exciting activity.

Common problems

The main problems that you may encounter when raising a Maine Coon and how to solve them:

The cat goes to the toilet in the wrong place - sit the pet next to a puddle, sternly say “No!”, and then take him to the litter box.
The Maine Coon climbs into places where it is forbidden, for example, on a table - spray water into it from a spray bottle. This action is unpleasant for the cat; it will serve as a kind of stop signal.
The pet scratches the furniture, ruins the curtains with its claws - use a spray bottle, sternly say “No!”

Also often noted is the tendency of Maine Coons to chew on wires, which can be not only unpleasant, but also dangerous due to the risk of a short circuit. If it is impossible to hide the wiring, you should spray it with citrus juice - this smell is unpleasant for cats.

Loud Maine Coon

Hello everybody! I need your advice) I was given a Maine Coon for my birthday, he was 4 months old at the time, red, beautiful with huge paws. The cat is wonderful, playful, sociable, where I am and he is (I can’t even go to the toilet without him), but there is one BUT. When we go to bed in the evening, he seems to fall asleep and at two or three in the morning the horror begins: he begins to talk, meow, and run. Let him run around and play, but why does he constantly yell, and this is only at night. We plan to castrate him in a year, maybe after castration he will become quieter at night. I even made a friend for him, a Yorkshire terrier, I thought maybe he was bored alone, they play during the day, rush around, in the evening even the dog goes to bed, and our Yasha (the cat) starts his conversations. I don’t get enough sleep, I already walk around with bruises under my eyes. I really want him to sleep at night or at least not yell. How do you think castration will help? Now he is 8 months old. Or will he be like this forever? I've been to the vet, he's healthy, nothing bothers him. I can’t understand what’s happening to him.

My Abyssinian cat sleeps peacefully with me until dawn. At dawn, her time for love begins!)) She purrs louder than a tractor, licks my face and heels, walks all over me, and the culmination of her love is a jump from the head of the bed onto my head. After that, I get up and send her out for a walk; we live in a cottage.

Did you get a cat for the first time? Yes, they all scream at night, with a few exceptions. Nothing can be done, their soul sings at night))) We have a sterilized cat, 8 years old, who also sings every night. Don't let him into the bedroom at night, let him express himself in the hallway.

Although, in principle, you can try to teach him to behave quietly. Our cat knows our disapproving signals and stops playing around (at least for a while.). The only difficulty is to remember the required signal in the middle of the night and scold the

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Training and communication

Maine Coons are freedom-loving and independent, so you should not expect unquestioning obedience from them. However, this breed can be taught some commands and, more importantly, proper behavior around the house. First of all, it is necessary for the pet to remember its name and associate it with something pleasant, after which more intensive training should begin.

The most suitable way for Maine Coons to learn and consolidate skills is through play.

You need to take a closer look at your pet and understand what he likes - every cat has favorite activities and individual inclinations.

It is with the development of these talents and inclinations that it is worth starting, consolidating successes with affection and delicacies. One of the characteristics of Maine Coons is hunting for various objects. They love to carry toys in their teeth and often bring them to their owner’s feet, hinting at a desire to play. This trait can be developed and your pet can be taught to fetch thrown objects on command.

Another common command for training Maine Coons is to give the paw. To do this, you first need to carefully lift the paw of a sitting cat, making sure to accompany your actions with the command “Give me your paw” and treating the animal with a treat. Then you should extend your palm, repeat the command and reward the pet if it is completed. If the cat does not respond to the command, the training should be repeated from the beginning, gradually strengthening the skill.

What do cats meow about?

Cats are wonderful educators. With their meowing, they tame their owner to fulfill their desires. Sometimes the Maine Coon meows for no reason, in this way maintaining a “conversation” with its owner. Cats can communicate perfectly with their owner for 5-10 minutes. Videos on the Internet with such scenes look very funny and receive tens of thousands of views.

Cats often meow just like that: when hunting or at cat weddings, communicating with each other. Why do Maine Coons meow for people? One of the most common versions is that for cats, humans replaced the mother figure. People willingly care for, protect and feed cats. Therefore, just as in childhood kittens communicate with their mother by meowing, so in adulthood the pet turns to the owner.

Maine Coons are very social animals. They may require attention from the entire family. If you don't have enough time to spend with your pet, try adopting a second cat. A soft toy the size of a mother cat might be a good solution. If your pet likes it, it will help him feel less lonely in your absence.

This is prohibited

It will not be possible to avoid absolutely all problems when raising a pet, since each Maine Coon is unique, and it is impossible to foresee everything in advance. It is important to know the basic principles of behavior in case of problems and adhere to them:

The use of physical force is prohibited. You cannot hit a kitten with your hand or any other object; this will lead to the fact that it will not only grow up to be a fearful cat with an unstable psyche, but will also begin to see its owner as an enemy.
You cannot punish for something that was done a long time ago. If the consequences of a pet’s prank were not detected immediately, then there is no point in scolding him a few hours later - he will not understand what caused the owner’s dissatisfaction.
Praise more than punish. The kitten should be praised and encouraged even for the most insignificant successes, but scolded only for serious offenses.

It is important for Maine Coons to understand and feel that the owner is, first of all, a friend. In this case, cats try their best to please the owner.

The cat constantly meows: an explanation from veterinarians

Prolonged loud howls can be provoked by the owner’s reluctance to pay attention to the pet. Maine Coons have high intellectual abilities, and therefore purposefully try to achieve what they want: games, food or walks. But veterinarians warn that a raised voice may indicate fear or acute pain. If your pet is sick and experiencing severe discomfort, one or more of the following accompanying negative symptoms will appear:

avoiding contact with people;
fear of touching;
aggressive behavior;
sloppy appearance;
strange sleeping positions;
dramatic changes in behavior;
unnatural gait;
increased sleepiness or constant wakefulness.

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Temperament and aggressive behavior

The type of Maine Coon's temperament determines exactly how it will react to external stimuli. Among the representatives of this breed, sanguine and phlegmatic people are most often found. Both types have no problems with adaptation; they easily get used to new places and people. Inexperienced breeders find it a little more difficult to deal with choleric cats due to their hyperactivity and frequent mood swings.

A kitten is born with a certain temperament, which cannot be changed, but any cat can be trained to behave correctly.

Aggressive behavior can occur in the following situations:

Disease. Often, when cats are ill, they do not hide in a secluded place, but try to show the owner that they feel bad and often do this by showing aggression.
A game . Harmless games of kittens, during which they bite each other or the owner, over time can become a bad habit, which is why the Maine Coon will prove its leadership or achieve what it wants by behaving aggressively.
Fear . A frightened animal seeks first of all to protect itself, and in such a situation, aggression and attack are the only suitable behavior options for a cat.

Also, representatives of this breed are prone to aggression when irritated, in case of violation of the boundaries of their territory and when clarifying relationships between several individuals.

Hisses

Hissing is most often a protective reaction of a cat to an external stimulus. Thus, a cornered animal, feeling threatened by a person or frightened by something, prepares to defend itself by hissing to warn of a possible attack. You should leave the Maine Coon alone and give him time to calm down and come to his senses. Later, you need to analyze the animal’s behavior, understand what provoked such a reaction and, if possible, get rid of the irritants.

Bites

Most often, the Maine Coon bites during the change of teeth and during puberty. In some individuals this habit goes away as they grow older, in others it does not. Therefore, before buying a kitten, you should find out about its parents and their temperament in order to have an idea of \u200b\u200bheredity and avoid buying an inadequate animal.

To wean your Maine Coon from biting, you need to:

Buy your pet special treats that he can and should chew on.
It is easy to shake the cat by holding it by the withers.
Allowing the kitten to play as much as he wants, wasting his energy reserves.
Ignore the Maine Coon for 20-30 minutes after the punishment.

You cannot hurt or injure your pet; all methods used must only affect the cat psychologically.

It is also important to ensure that the Maine Coon’s diet is balanced – a lack of vitamins and microelements leads to health problems, which also affects behavior.

Scratched

The only thing that a Maine Coon can and should scratch is a scratching post; if it is not there, the cat will find another object on which to sharpen its claws.

If a Maine Coon scratches its owner, it must be stopped immediately, letting him know who is the leader in the house.

First of all, you need to make it a rule that you can play with a kitten only with the help of sticks, strings and other toys, and not with your hands and feet. In cases where scratching is not the result of play, but a manifestation of aggression, you should punish the Maine Coon by spraying water on it, lightly hitting it on the nose, or pressing it to the floor or sofa until it calms down.

Meows constantly

Meowing is the Maine Coon's way of attracting the attention of its owner. In this way, the cat informs the owner about his desires or fears, attracts his attention, or simply communicates.

If your Maine Coon meows constantly, you need to:

Make sure your pet is healthy and fed. If you suspect any disease, you need to contact a veterinarian, and if the cat is hungry, feed it, possibly increasing the portion size, and provide constant access to clean drinking water.
Ignore. Often the animal simply sees a connection between meowing and the owner’s immediate reaction to it, so it uses this technique to attract attention. If the Maine Coon is healthy and well-fed, you should simply stop reacting to his meowing.
Punish. Physical punishment is not acceptable, but you can spray the cat with warm water from a spray bottle or blow on his face.

To prevent night meowing, you need to play with your Maine Coon before going to bed, giving him the opportunity to get rid of accumulated energy, and feed him. All this will help your pet calm down and get ready for rest and sleep.

You should not hit a cat or yell at it - this will frighten the animal and cause other behavior problems.

Veterinarian advice: what to do?

It is forbidden to shout at a pet, because the owner's aggressive behavior will cause resentment and fear in the Maine Coon. Psychological problems can provoke urinary disorders, gastrointestinal upset and food refusal.

If your Maine Coon is constantly meowing, then it is important to rule out diseases; for this, the animal is taken to a veterinarian. You should make sure that the kitten has constant access to clean water and that he has enough food. If the Maine Coon refuses food and cries, the diet should be changed. If the howling is caused by depression, then felinologists recommend purchasing special toys for the animal - mice, balls and sticks with feathers. The baby will love the large soft doll in the shape of a cat. The pet requires increased attention, especially if the Maine Coon is a kitten, but when it is not possible to be around more often, you can get another cat of the same age. Kittens will be able to entertain each other.

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