Mary Allen
The Maine Coon is a large, hardy cat that is not usually very susceptible to disease. However, there are some typical health problems that occur somewhat more frequently in some representatives of this breed than in other house tigers.
With regular vaccinations, species-appropriate housing, healthy nutrition, and a watchful eye for changes, you can keep your Maine Coon fit. You should also pay a little more attention to the figure of your house tiger than with some other breeds of cat.
Maine Coon Cats: Obesity is Often a Problem
Caution: The beautiful, cozy velvet paw tends to be a bit overweight, especially when it is in her prime. Because large cats like these shouldn’t put too much weight on their skeleton, you should keep your pet healthy with lots of play and responsible feeding. Regular food with balanced, healthy ingredients and not too many snacks in between ensures that the Maine Coon keeps its slim figure and thus is also an important aspect for its health.
HCM & Other Breed-Specific Diseases
Even when choosing your kitten, you should make sure that your new cat comes from a reputable cattery and has healthy parents. Nevertheless, it can never be completely ruled out that he could contract a breed-typical cat disease. One of them is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, HCM for short, a congenital disease of the heart muscles.
This disease can manifest itself with cardiac arrhythmia and shortness of breath – typical symptoms such as panting after exertion, loss of appetite, bluish mucous membranes, a great need for rest, and a heartbeat that is too fast should definitely be checked out by a veterinarian so that drug treatment can begin as soon as possible in the event of an illness can, thanks to which the cat should get better quickly.
Other Possible Health Problems
In addition, as with many large animal breeds, hip dysplasia is a problem that can occur in cats of this breed and can develop as early as the growth phase. This disease of the musculoskeletal system causes problems in the movement process, which can vary in severity.
Cases of spinal muscular atrophy, a nerve cell disease that can cause paralysis in cats, are also known. As with the Persian Cat, polycystic kidney disease is also quite common in Maine Coon cats.