Grooming For Maine Coon Cats

With all of that long, thick fur, you may have questions regarding what is required from you in terms of grooming the Maine Coon Cat. The answer to this question largely depends on whether or not you show your Maine Coon.

If you do not show your Maine Coon, the great news is that very little is required from you when it comes to grooming. Your beautiful Maine Coon is very hygienic, and pretty much takes care of his own grooming. You will find that he usually does a fantastic job - that is fur is clean, tangle free, and that he does not smell.

If you do not show your Maine Coon, there are only four things that you must do, on a regular basis. The first is to brush the Maine Coon once a week. This cuts down on the amount of fur that will be flying around your home, as well as the amount of fur going down his throat, which later comes back up as disgusting hairballs.

You should keep an eye on the overall health of your Maine Coon's teeth as well. Gum disease is common in Maine Coon's, and will need treatment from a veterinarian. Give him tarter control cat treats, but also visually look at his teeth and gums from time to time just to be sure that everything is okay.

You must keep your Maine Coon free of ticks and fleas. If your cat is strictly an indoor cat, this usually isn't a problem. However, if you have other animals, such as dogs that go in and out of the house regularly, it could become a problem. If you see signs of fleas or ticks, take your Maine Coon to the vet, and have him prescribe treatment. This usually entails bathing with medicated shampoo.

The last thing is optional. You might want to keep your Maine Coon's claws trimmed. This will make the ends of the claws a bit blunter - and therefore less lethal. You will find that you don't get scratched as often, and even that your furniture fairs better. Make sure that kitty has a scratching post to help smooth the ends after you clip his nails.

If you will be showing your Maine Coon Cat, there is a great deal more work involved. Fortunately, that work only comes in preparation for a show, and is not a daily thing, in most cases.

Before a show, your Maine Coon will need a bath. Maine Coon showers have various bathing techniques, all designed to make the fur look clean, well-groomed, and healthy. Of course, the Maine Coon will be clean, well-groomed, and healthy without the bath as well - but not quite good enough for showing. After bathing, the Maine Coon is then blown dry with a hair dryer, has his nails clipped, his face wiped, he is brushed, and has his ears cleaned up as well.

Again, unless you are going to show your Maine Coon Cat, you don't have to worry about grooming, other than the four general tasks mentioned earlier. Your Maine Coon will take perfect hygienic care of himself.